MULGEDIUM MUSCARI. 



179 



4 ft. high. Flowers, late in summer ; 

 deep blue, arranged in a corymb-like 

 cluster. Leaves, alternate, those of 

 the root lyrate-toothed, on long stalks 

 which are widely dilated at the base ; 

 stem furrowed almost simple. Alps. 



Among tall perennials by wood- 

 walks and in semi-wild places, in dry 

 soil. Division. 



Mulgedium Plumieri (Plumier'sM.) 

 Like the preceding but larger ; 6 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; purple, in 

 panicles almost like corymbs, with 

 short bracts. Leaves, broad, pinna - 

 tifid-runcinate, glaucous underneath. 



South of France. Similar uses, etc. 



to those for the preceding. 



Muscari botryoides (Sky - blue 

 Grape Hyacinth}. A charming bulb, 

 6 in. to 12 in. high. Flowers, in 

 spring ; of a lovely deep sky-blue, with 

 six diminutive white teeth or seg- 

 ments, arranged in a short, dense, 

 almost globose cluster, afterwards 

 elongated on short drooping pedicels, 

 which become horizontal as the fruit 

 ripens. Leaves, linear, channelled, 

 stiff, erect, slightly glaucous. Southern 

 Europe. Borders, in all sorts of po- 

 sitions, in sandy loam. It is readily 

 increased by division, and will be the 

 better for being raised and divided 

 every third or fourth year. 



Muscari commutatum (Changeable 

 Grape Hyacinth). Nearly allied to 

 M. racemosum, 6 in. to 10 in. high. 

 Flowers, in spring ; pitcher-shaped, at 

 first bluish, afterwards changing to 

 reddish -purple, in a very short ra- 

 ceme ; teeth of corolla inflexed, ap- 

 proaching. Leaves, linear, channelled, 

 flaccid, longer than the flower-stem. 



Native of Sicily and Apulia. 



Borders, in sandy soil. Division. 



Muscari comosum. monstruosum 

 (Feathery Hyacinth) . Hyacinthus mon- 

 struosus. A singular and ornamental 

 plant, 12 to 18 in. high. Flowers, 

 in early summer ; bluish - violet or 



amethyst-blue, all-sterile, composed 

 of slender, twisted, wavy, frizzled and 

 scaly divisions or filaments, and ar- 

 ranged in a large cluster 5 or 6 in. 

 long or more ; the clusters frequently 

 becoming so heavy, in proportion to 

 the sustaining power of the stem, that 

 they fall to the ground and require to 

 be propped up. Leaves, linear, ribbon- 

 like, channelled, toothed at the edges, 

 longer than the flower- stem. Bulb, 

 of medium size, covered with light 

 flesh-coloured or rosy, sometimes 

 brownish, coats. Southern Europe. 

 The variety named plumosum, differs 

 only in having the divisions of the 



petals finer and more feathery. 



Borders, fringes of shrubbery, or beds 

 in the spring-garden ; best in peat or 

 sandy loam. Division. 



Muscari Heldreichii (Greek Grape 

 Hyacinth}. A beautiful long-spiked, 

 and as yet rare, kind. Flowers, in 

 spring ; of a fine blue, somewhat like 

 those of M. botryoides, but nearly twice 

 as large, and arranged in a longer 



r'ke. Leaves, flat, like those of 

 commutatum, but not open at th 

 top like those of that plant. Greece. 

 The rock-garden and choice bor- 

 ders, at least till more plentiful, and 

 in deep sandy soil. Division. 



Muscari luteum( Yellow G. Hyacinth}. 

 A large yellow and fragrant kind, 

 about 6 in. high. Flowers, in spring ; 

 large, deliciously fragrant, of a dull, 

 dirty purple as they open, and chang- 

 ing slowly .to a clear waxy sulphur ; 

 about 20 blooms to a stem. Leaves, 



channelled, 8 to 10 in. long. 



Borders, and sunny banks, or the 

 bulb-garden, in sandy soil. Division. 



Muscari moschatum (Musk Hya- 

 cinth). Inconspicuous and dull-co- 

 loured but very sweet ; 8 to 10 in. high. 

 Flowers, in spring; purplish when 

 they first appear, but gradually be- 

 coming of an unattractive greenish- 

 yellow, slightly tinged with violet, 



