FERULA. 



127 



perennials, and isolated in the grass 

 near the margins of shrubberies. It 

 and all the species grow in ordinary 

 soil, but attain greatest perfection in 

 deep, rich, and sandy ones. Seed, to 

 be sown soon after it is gathered, or 

 careful division of well - established 

 tufts. 



Ferula communis (Common Giant 

 Fennel). A noble species, with much- 

 divided, spreading, shiny green leaves ; 

 6 to 10 ft. high or more. Flowers, in 

 summer ; yellow, in a large compound 

 terminal umbel, the central umbel 

 nearly sessile,- the side ones stalked ; 

 involucre wanting. Leaves, repeatedly 

 subdivided ; segments linear-seta- 

 ceous, flaccid ; sheaths of upper ones 

 very large ; lower ones spreading more 

 than two feet each way. Hills on the 



Mediterranean coast. The same 



positions and treatment as for the 

 preceding. This, however, being much 

 more easily procured, should be 

 naturalized here and there, as its 

 foliage, starting up before the earliest 

 spring flowers, produces a finer effect 

 than the choicest ferns. 



Ferula Ferulago (Broad-leaved F.) 

 This has leaflets nearly as broad as 

 those of F. tingitana, but longer and 

 of a darker green ; stems striped, 6 to 

 8 ft. high. Flowers, in early summer; 

 yellow, in a large terminal umbel. 

 Leaves, many times divided; leaflets 

 pinnatifid, spreading ; segments 

 linear, somewhat acute. Hills and 

 exposed places in the Mediterranean 



Islands. The cultural remarks, 



etc., applied to F. asparagifolia^ suit 

 this equally well. 



Ferula glauca (Glaucous Giant 

 Fennel). Another valuable and im- 

 posing kind, 4 to 6 ft. high or more. 

 Flowers, in summer ; yellow, in a 

 terminal compound umbel ; central 

 umbel stalked; side ones on longer 

 stalks ; involucre wanting. Leaves, 

 supra-decompound, shining above, 



glaucous beneath ; segments linear, 

 lengthened, flat ; stalks of upper leaves 



widened. Southern Europe. The 



same treatment and positions as for F. 

 asparagifolia. 



Ferula persica (Persian Asafcetida). 

 Like the other species mentioned, 

 has very handsome foliage, but 

 with a very powerful asafcatida-like 

 odour ; 3 to 6 ft. high. Flowers, in 

 early summer ; in umbels ; the invo- 

 lucre and involucels wanting. Leaves, 

 ternately supra-decompound j leaflets 

 rather distant; segments lance- 

 shaped, widening and cut at the apex ; 

 stem tapering gradually upwards, 

 glaucous. Persia and the Caucasus. 



This may be used for the sake of 



its leaves, like the other kinds, while 

 it is also interesting for the medicinal 

 garden. I only remember seeing it in 

 cultivation in the College Botanic 

 Gardens at Dublin. Division. 



Ferula sulcata (Furrowed F.) A 

 somewhat slender species with an angu- 

 lar, furrowed stem, 2 ft. high. Leaves, 

 supra- decompound ; segments pinnati- 

 fid ; lobes linear, pointed ; leaflets of in- 

 volucrum very numerous, oblong-linear, 

 reflexed. On sunny hills of Genoa, 



Naples, Sicily, and North Africa. 



Borders, and on grassy banks, in 

 warm sandy soil. Division. 



Ferula tingitana (Tangier F.) 

 Another noble hardy "foliage plant," 

 6 to 8 ft. high. Flowers, in summer ; in 

 umbels, the terminal ones on short 

 stalks ; side ones few, on longer 

 stalks; involucre wanting. Leaves, 

 repeatedly subdivided, shining; seg- 

 ments broader than in any other 

 kind, oblong or lance-shaped, deeply 

 toothed. Spain and North Africa. 



Like F. glauca and F. communis, 



this would form a splendid object 

 naturalized in half wild places, where 

 its great fern-like vegetation would 

 look superb among the earlier flowers, 

 while it may be used in the garden 



