ARUNDO ASCLEPIAS. 



67 



Zealand. This plant, though not 



so hardy as the Pampas grass, does 

 well in the southern counties of Eng- 

 land in warm sheltered positions. 

 Grown in small tubs or large pots, 

 richly fed and freely watered, it will 

 flourish luxuriantly, and prove one 

 of the most distinct and beautiful 

 ornaments of the winter-garden, or 

 large conservatory. Seed or division. 



Arttndo Donax (Great Reed}. A 

 noble and giant grass, 7 to 13 ft. 

 high, sometimes more. Flowers, in 

 autumn ; in numerous spikelets, form- 

 ing a large compact panicle, 1 ft. to 

 16 in. long, at first of a reddish colour, 

 afterwards becoming whitish. Leaves, 

 large and handsome, alternate, ribbon- 

 like, lanceolate-acute, smooth on the 

 edges, of a glaucous green, grace- 

 fully arching. The variegated form 

 A. Donax versicolor, is an exceedingly 

 handsome plant, and is somewhat 

 tenderer than the ordinary form. 

 Native of Southern Europe. Iso- 

 lated tufts in the pleasure-ground, or 

 grouped with other striking hardy 

 plants in deep thoroughly drained 

 sandy loam. It often perishes in 

 winter on the London clay. The 

 variegated form should be slightly 

 protected in winter with coal-ashes 

 or some like material. Increased by 

 division of well-established plants ; 

 the variegated form, by the stems, 

 which, if cut off and thrown into 

 water, send out young plants freely 

 from the joints. 



Asarum europseum (Asarabacca), 

 A very dwarf plant, with roundish- 

 heart-shaped leaves 1 to 3 in. broad. 

 flowers, in summer; of a greenish- 

 brown colour, and about ^ in. long, 

 on very short stalks close to the 

 ground, under the leaves. The Vir- 

 ginian and Canadian species are also 

 in cultivation, but none worthy of 

 a place, except in botanical collec- I 

 tions or perhaps occasionally as j 



edgings. They grow in ordinary soil, 

 and are easily increased by division. 



Asclepias Cornuti (Silk-weed). 

 A. syriaca. A vigorous herb, with 

 stout simple stems 3 ft. to 5 ft. high. 

 Flowers, in summer ; pale purple or 

 light rose, sweet scented, numerous, 

 in dense umbels ; hoods of the crown 

 ovate, obtuse, with a lobe, or tooth, 

 on each side of the short and stout 

 claw-like horn. Leaves, opposite, oval- 

 oblong, 4 to 8 in. long, contracted at 

 the base into a short footstalk, pale, 

 covered with a fine down underneath, 

 as are also the flo wer- stalks ; pods 

 ovate, and woolly, covered with weak 

 spines. Native of N. America in 



rich ground everywhere. Borders, 



and naturalization in moist, rich soil, 

 also in tufts in shrubberies and copses. 

 Division. 



Asclepias Douglasii (Douglas's Ascle- 

 pias}. A vigorous-growing, handsome 

 plant, with thick, woolly, simple 

 stems, 2 to 3 ft. high. Flowers, in. 

 summer ; large, waxy, purplish-lilac, 

 sweet-scented, in many-flowered um- 

 bels. Leaves, opposite, oval-heart- 

 shaped, pointed, 64 in. long by 5 in. 

 or more in width, smooth above, 

 downy underneath, on short stalks. 

 N. America. Borders, and natu- 

 ralization, in sandy loam. Seed and 

 division. 



Asclepias incarnata (Flesh-coloured 

 A.} A showy and stout perennial, 

 with erect stems, branching at the 

 top, 2 to 4 ft. high. Flowers, in 

 summer*; deep rose, or purple, having 

 a delicious scent, in umbels usually 

 in pairs, terminating each branch. 

 Leaves, opposite, lance-shaped, slightly 

 woolly on both sides. Swamps and 



river-banks in North America. 



Borders, or margins of shrubberies, or 

 naturalization on river banks, in a 

 deep and moist soil. Division. 



Asclepias tuberpsa (Orange A.} A 

 handsome tuberous-rooted perennial, . 

 f 2 



