PHYSALIS PHYTEUMA. 



201 



the south sides of houses, walls, etc. 

 It is generally rather tender, but 

 thrives very freely in mild districts, 

 in light, sandy loam, or vegetable 

 soil ; in warmer countries it thrives 

 on walls, and stony or gravelly places. 

 Division. 



Physalis Alkekengi ( Winter Cherry}. 

 A curious perennial, bearing scarlet 

 berries in winter ; 12 to 18 in. high. 

 Flowers, in summer ; dull white, soli- 

 tary, on slender stalks, springing from 

 the axils of the leaves ; corolla rotate; 

 calyx ovate, coloured, enclosing the 

 berries, which are the size of a small 

 Cherry, smooth, and round. Leaves, 

 in pairs, entire, acute, of various 

 shapes, some ovate, others angled, on 

 long footstalks; stem slightly branched 

 at bottom; root creeping. Southern 



Europe. In warm borders, among 



low shrubs, etc., in sandy soil. Divi- 

 sion and seed. 



Physostegia denticulata (Toothed P.] 

 A handsome perennial ; 1 to 1 1 ft. 

 high. -Flowers, in autumn ; rosy- 

 purple, spotted with red on the lower 

 lip, arranged in opposite pairs ; throat 

 inflated. Leaves, opposite, decussate, 

 obovate-lanceolate, distantly toothed. 

 North America. Borders, in ordi- 

 nary soil. Division. 



Physostegia imbricata (Imbricate 

 P.] A tall and handsome perennial ; 

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

 pale purple, the lower lip of a lighter 

 colour, marked with purple spots ; 

 upper lip much arched ; throat open ; 

 calyx globular and inflated when in 

 fruit. Leaves, of the root oval-lance- 

 shaped, toothed, reddish underneath, 

 stalked, arranged in rosettes ; stem 

 leaves opposite^ sessile, lance-shaped, 

 acute ; distinguished from P. vir- 

 giniana by its stems being higher and 

 slenderer, its leaves broader, its calyx 

 globular, and not egg-shaped, and its 

 Sowers of larger size, and of a deeper 



colour. Texas. Borders and natu- 

 ralization, in sandy loam. Division. 



Physostegia virginiana (Virginian 

 P.) A smooth perennial, with erect 

 stems, 1 to 4 ft. high. Flowers, in 

 summer ; flesh-coloured or purple, 

 showy, crowded in terminal racemes ; 

 corolla 1 in. long, upper lip slightly 

 arching, nearly entire, lower one 3- 

 lobed, spreading, the middle lobe 

 broadest, notched ; calyx inflated 

 when the fruit is ripe. Leaves, stalk- 

 less, lance-shaped, acute, or oblong- 

 ovate, very sharply toothed or nearly 



entire. North America. Borders, 



or naturalization, in moist loam. 

 Division. 



Phyteuma comosum (Rock P.) A. 

 dwarf distinct alpine plant, with sea- 

 green leaves and flattish heads of 

 flowers, very large for the size of the 

 plant ; 2 to 8 in. high. Flowers, in 

 summer; blue, on very short stalks, 

 in simple terminal umbellate heads; 

 bracts very large, oboval, coarsely 

 toothed. Leaves, of the root, round- 

 ish - heart - shaped, on long stalks ; 

 stem-leaves short-stalked, oval-lanceo- 

 late, acute; stems smooth, procumbent, 

 spreading. The Alps. The rock- 

 garden, in dry sunny spots, in well- 

 drained, very sandy or calcareous soil. 

 I have seen this plant growing from 

 small chinks in arid cliffs, where pro- 

 bably no other plant could exist. Seed. 



Phyteuma orbiculare (Round-headed 

 P.) A dwarf perennial, with small 

 flowers in dense heads, 6 in. to 1 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; numerous, 

 small, blue, in heads which are at first 

 spherical, but become egg-shaped in 

 the course of flowering. Leaves, alter- 

 nate, leathery, smooth, or velvety, 

 notched, obtuse; the lower ones 

 stalked, almost heart-shaped, lanceo- 

 late or oval-oblong; the upper ones 

 sessile, lanceolate, narrow. Southern 



Europe. Borders, in ordinary soil. 



Division and seed. 



