202 



PHYTEUMA PLUMBAGO. 



Phyteuma spicatum (Spiked P.) A 

 species variable in the colour of its 

 flowers and the smoothness or pubes- 

 cence of its leaves and stems ; 1 ft. to 

 20 in. high. Flowers, in summer; 

 numerous, white in lowland districts, 

 blue on the mountains, in a lengthened 

 egg-shaped spike which often becomes 

 somewhat cylindrical. Leaves, smooth 

 or pubescent ; root and lower stem- 

 leaves stalked, oval-acute, broad, and 

 heart-shaped at the base, notched ; 

 the upper ones narrower, some of 

 them nearly linear. South of Europe, 



in woods and meadows. Borders, 



in ordinary soil. Division. 



Phytolacca decandra (Pigeon Berry}. 

 A very vigorous and remarkable- 

 looking plant, with a rather unplea- 

 sant odour, and a large fleshy root, 

 often as thick as a man's leg ; 3 to 

 10 ft. high. Flowers, in summer ; 

 white, with green ovary, in terminal 

 racemes, succeeded by a long raceme 

 of dark purple berries which ripen in 

 autumn. Leaves, ovate, nearly 6 in. 

 long, and about 2 in. broad, changing 

 to purple in autumn ; stem often pur- 

 ple, erect, divided at top. Native of 

 Southern Europe, Barbary, and North 



America. Naturalization in woods, 



copses, and coverts, and also as iso- 

 lated plants, or in groups in pleasure 

 grounds, in deep sandy loam. Division. 



Pinguicula grandiflora (Irish But- 

 terwort) . A very handsome dwarf bog 

 herb, the flower-stems attaining a height 

 of from 3 to 6 in. Flowers, in early 

 summer; fine violet-blue, on leafless 

 stalks springing from the root ; corolla 

 1 in. or more long, and about 1 in. 

 wide, spurred like those of the Horned 

 Violet, with a broad open mouth. 

 Leaves, in rosettes, light green, fleshy, 

 and glistening, oval or oblong, obtuse, 

 broadest in the middle. Bogs and 

 wet heaths in the South-West of Ire- 

 land. Moist, half -shady spots, in 



the rock-garden, the artificial bog, or 



in pots or pans in a moist and cool 

 frame, in peat or moist vegetable soil. 

 Increased by means of small green 

 bulb-like buds, which are thrown off 

 freely at the bottom of the stem. 



Pinguicula longifolia (Long-leaved 

 P.) A very ornamental variety of P. 

 grandiflora, with flower- steins from 

 3 to 6 in. high. Flowers, in sum- 

 mer ; large, violet (rarely rose), soli- 

 tary, terminal, usually larger than 

 those of the type. Leaves, all radical, 

 elongated-elliptical, 4 to 5 in. long, 

 attenuated towards the base, of a 

 yellowish -green colour, fleshy and mu- 

 cilaginous. Central Pyrenees. 



Rockwork, on slopes and ledges with 

 a northern aspect, in a slightly shaded 

 position, in peat and grit, wet, but well- 

 drained. Seed. Sows itself freely. 



Pisum maritimum (Sea Pea). La- 

 fhyrus maritimus. An interesting and 

 ornamental native prostrate plant, 

 with sharply 4-angled stems ; 14 

 to 2 ft. long. Flowers, in summer ; 

 bluish-purple, in clusters of 6 or 8 on 

 axillary stalks. Leaves, alternate, 

 composed of 5 or 6 pairs of oval, ob- 

 tuse, entire, sessile leaflets ; stipules 

 2 together, acute, toothed at the base, 

 smaller than the leaves. Southern 

 coasts of England, of Kerry, in Ire- 

 land, and many other sea-coasts in 

 Europe, Asia, and America. Bor- 

 ders and fringes of shrubberies, in 

 deep sandy soil. In the College 

 Botanic Gardens, at Dublin, this forms 

 a very free and handsome plant, per- 

 haps from its proximity to the sea, 

 and from its being rooted in a rich 

 marine deposit. Division and seed. 



Plumbago Larpentae (Hardy Blue P.) 

 A very ornamental perennial; 1 

 to If ft. high. Flowers, in autumn; 

 deep blue, changing to violet, in dense 

 bouquets on the summit of the stem, 

 and in the axils of the leaves ; bracts 

 oval, smooth, shining, ciliated. Leaves, 

 oboval, pointed, attenuated at the base, 



