BROMELIA CALANDRINIA. 



79 



Bromelia sphacelata (Hardy JB.) A 

 rough plant, forming tufts of harsh, 

 rigid, spiny leaves I ft. to 2 ft. high. 

 flowers, in summer; purple, sessile, 

 crowded and overlapping each other, 

 in axillary spikes. Leaves, numerous, 

 erect, sword-shaped, long-pointed, 

 fringed with stiff spines pointing up- 

 wards. Chili. The rock-garden 



and warm borders, in light, perfectly- 

 drained soil. This plant has stood out 

 of doors for several winters past, 

 and will probably prove quite hardy 

 on rockwork in the southern coun- 

 ties. 



Bryanthus ereetns (Hybrid B.} 

 A dwarf evergreen bush, 8 in. to 1 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in April ; pinkish, about 

 ^ in. across, cup-shaped with 5 broad 

 pointed segments, arranged on thin, 

 wiry, hairy stalks about 1 in. long, in 

 erect corymbose groups on the tops of 

 the stems ; style twice as long as the 

 flower, projecting; calyx of 5 broad 

 oval-acute segments, tinged with red, 

 and with a very narrow membranous 

 margin. Leaves, linear-lanceolate, ob- 

 tuse, keeled, with reflexed margins, 

 smooth, leathery, erect, crowded 

 densely and overlapping on the upper 

 parts of the branches, few and scat- 

 tered on the lower parts of the stem ; 

 stem and branches very rigid. Said 

 to be a hybrid between Rhododendron 



Chamcecistus and Kalmia glauca. 



Rockwork and choice border, in sandy 

 peat soil. Division and cuttings. 



Bulbocodium vermim (Spring Mea- 

 dow Sa/rori).A.very early handsome 

 bulb, 4 to 6 in. high. Flowers, very 

 early in spring ; whitish at first, 

 changing to purplish -violet, with a 

 white spot on the claw, long, tubular, 

 funnel-shaped, 2 or 3 from each bulb, 

 appearing before the leaves. Leaves, 

 generally three in number, strap- 

 shaped, broad, concave, and sur- 

 rounded at the base by well-developed 

 membranous sheaths. Bulb t black, 



oblong, resembling that of a Colchicum. 

 Native of Switzerland, Hungary, and 



S. transalpine Europe generally. 



Borders, the rock-garden, the bulb- 

 garden, and naturalization on bare 

 slopes and banks, with a good aspect. 

 It thrives in almost any soil, best in a 

 moist loam perhaps, and is increased 

 by separation of the bulbs. 



Calamagrostis argentea (Silvery C.) 

 A rather ornamental grass, forming 

 tufts of long glaucous leaves, and send- 

 ing up flower-stems about 3 ft. high. 

 The inflorescence consists of close 

 spiked panicles, 8 or 9 in. long ; the 

 spikelets presenting a feathery ap- 

 pearance from the extreme narrow- 

 ness of the glumes and paleae. Leaves, 

 upwards of 1 ft. long and about in. 

 across, finely channelled on the back, 

 and roiigh with very minute teeth. 

 South of Europe. 'Borders, in ordi- 

 nary soil. Division. 



Calamintha glabella (Tom Thumb 

 Calamint). A very charming minute 

 herbaceous plant, forming compact 

 and neat little tufts about 3 in. high. 

 Flowers, in summer ; lilac-purple, tubu- 

 lar, scented, very numerous and large 

 for the size of the plant. Leaves, linear- 

 lance-shaped, sessile. The rock- 

 garden, in sandy loam, and among the 

 very dwarf est plants. Division and 

 seed. 



Calandrinia umbellata (Brilliant (7.) 

 A very dwarf evergreen herb, with 

 much- branched stems, half shrubby 

 at the base v 3 to 4 in. high. Mowers, 

 in summer ; magenta-crimson, in a 

 terminal corymb, on erect, naked 

 stems. Leaves, very narrow, hairy, 



acute. Chili. Rockwork, margin 



of the mixed border, small beds, or 

 edgings ; always in a fine sandy or 

 peaty soil. It is better to sow it every 

 year, as young plants flower more 

 continuously than old established 

 tufts. 



