LYTHRUM MALYA. 



173 



tliough it is not unfrequently seen in 

 borders, in moist ordinary soil. Division. 



Lythrum alatum ( Winged-stemmed 

 L.) An elegant half- shrubby, smooth 

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

 summer; fine purple, small, solitary 

 in the axils of the leaves, almost stalk- 

 less ; petals 6 ; stamens 6. Leaves, 

 opposite, ovate-oblong, acute, slightly 

 heart-shaped at the base, stalkless, or 

 on very short stalks ; branches twiggy, 

 tetragonally winged. Southern parts 



of N. America. Borders and fringes 



of shrubbery, in sandy soil. Division. 



Lythrum Salicaria (Loosestrife). 

 A vigorous native herb, with erect, 

 slightly - branched, reddish stems ; 

 smooth, 4-angled below, pubescent, 

 and 5-angled above ; 2 to 5 ft. high. 

 Flowers, in summer ; reddish-purple, 

 almost stalkless, in whorls in the axils 

 of the leaves, forming a handsome, 

 long, leafy, terminal spike; petals 

 6-7 oblong, about 4 in. long, stamens 

 12-14. Leaves, about 3 in. long, 

 lance-shaped, entire, Willow-like, op- 

 posite, 3 or sometimes 4 in a whorl, 

 clasping the stem at the base. Europe 



and Britain. The finely-coloured 



variety known in gardens as L. roseum- 

 superbum is, well-worthy of a place by 

 the margin of every stream and lake ; 

 it also thrives in borders, in any soil. 

 Division. 



Lythrum virgatum (Twiggy Purple L. ) 

 Allied to the previous species but 

 smoother, of a looser habit, and with 

 the flowers in threes ; 2 to 3 ft. high or 

 more, flowers, in summer ; purple, in 

 spikes about the same size as those of 

 the common L. Leaves, opposite, entire, 

 smooth, lance-shaped, gradually ta- 

 pering at the base, 1^ to 2 in. long. 

 Austria, Germany, Siberia, Russia, 



and North America. Borders, in 



sandy loam. Division. 



Malva Alcea (Hollyhock Mallow). 

 A vigorous -growing perennial, up- 

 wards of 3 ft. high. Flowers, in sum- 



mer ; pale rosy-purple, about 2 in. 

 across, in terminal and axillary 

 clusters. Leaves, palmate, with in- 

 cised divisions, long - stalked, light 

 green, thinly overspread, as are the stem 

 and leaf-stalks, with a short roughish 



down. France. Borders, margins 



of shrubberies, and naturalization, in 

 sandy loam, or ordinary calcareous 

 dry soil, in almost any position. Seed 

 or division. 



Malva campanulata (Bell - flowered 

 Mallow). An interesting kind, with 

 ascending stems from 1 to 1^ ft. high. 

 Flowers, late in summer ; small, about 

 | in. across, bell-shaped, light pur- 

 plish rose-colour, in a long, lax, ter- 

 minal spike. Leaves, large, irregular 

 in outline, deepty lobed ; lobes twice 

 subdivided ; both leaves and stem 

 covered with very short thin down. 



Chili. The rock-garden, or banks, 



in well-drained sandy soil. It perishes 

 on the level ground in winter, and is 

 probably only hardy in the mildest 

 parts of Southern England. Seed or 

 cuttings, 



Malva Morenii (Moren's Mallow}. 

 An herbaceous perennial, 2 to 3 fb. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; very 

 large (nearly 2\ in. across) ; pink-rose, 

 axillary, solitary, and in terminal and 

 axillary clusters. Leaves, 3-lobed, 

 variously cut and toothed, for the 

 most part resembling the leaves of the 

 common Oak in appearance and colour. 



Italy. Borders, or naturalization, 



in ordinary soil. Seed or division. 



Malva moschata (Music Mallow). A 

 vigorous native perennial, 2 to 2| ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer; showy, 

 delicate rose-colour (sometimes white), 

 about 2 in. across, in terminal and 

 axillary clusters. Leaves, of the lower 

 part of the stem roundish, incised ; the 

 upper ones much divided, all with a 

 strong musky odour. The white 

 variety is very fine. Britain and 

 Europe in calcareous and gravelly 



