S1LYBUM SOLIDAGO. 



Silybum marianum (Milk-thistle). 

 A native biennial or annual plant, 

 with large and handsome shining 

 green leaves, brilliantly variegated 

 with white ; 4 to 5 ft. high. Flowers, 

 in summer ; purple, in large globose 

 heads ; involucrum formed of leafy, 

 spiny scales. Leaves, alternate, very 

 large, oblong-lance-shaped, spiny, 

 clasping ; those of the root pinnatifid, 

 of a lively shining-green, usually 

 variegated with large white marblings. 



Britain, in waste places. In groups 



of fine-foliaged hardy plants, and in a 

 wild state in rough and waste places, 

 in ordinary soil. Seed. 



Sisyrinehium grandiflorum (Spring 

 Satin-flower}. A beautiful early 

 spring -flowering perennial ; 6 to 10 in. 

 high. Flowers, in spring ; deep pur- 

 ple, with red style and filaments, and 

 yellow anthers (or pure white, with 

 transparent style and white filaments), 

 issuing from a 2-flowered spathe with 

 a thin transparent margin. Leaves, 

 shorter than the flower-stem, the 

 upper ones linear-sword-shaped, 

 sheathing at the base, erect and 

 spreading at the ends ; lower leaves 

 reduced to the dimensions of mere 

 scales. Root, fibrous, creeping. N.W. 



regions of North America. The 



rock-garden, and borders, in light 

 peaty soil or very sandy loam, and in 

 warm positions; also a" charming sub- 

 ject for growth in pots in cold frames, 

 whence it may be removed to the 

 greenhouse when in flower in early 

 spring. Careful division. 



Soldanella alpina (Alpine S.) A 

 beautiful dwarf alpine plant, 2 to 4 in. 

 high. Flowers, in spring ; of a vivid 

 blue, bell-shaped, with five divisions, 

 finely fringed, and having in the 

 throat five incised scales, from 2 to 6 

 blossoms gracefully drooping from the 

 top of each stem. Leaves, rounded, 

 kidney-shaped, entire, leathery, faintly 

 and broadly crenated, of a lively green. 



Stems reddish and downy. Tyrol and 



Switzerland. The rock-garden, in 



fine, moist, and very sandy loam, also 

 in pots or pans, and in raised borders, 

 surrounded by half- buried stones. 

 Division. The same treatment will 

 do for all the kinds, the two largest 

 S. alpina and S. montana being those 

 most suited for choice borders. 



Soldanella minima (Small Solda- 

 nella). Another alpine gem about 

 14 in. high. Flowers, late in spring ; 

 solitary, dark lilac, streaked with 

 purple on the inside ; corolla divided 

 for one-third of its length into spread- 

 ing segments, naked at the throat, or 

 furnished with very small scales. 

 Leaves, roundish. Stems covered with 

 a very short glandular down. Alps 

 of Switzerland, Tyrol, and Carinthia. 

 Culture, etc., as for S. alpina. 



Soldanella montana (Large S.} 

 This plant very much resembles S. 

 alpina. It is, however, larger in all 

 its parts ; the flower- stalks and calyx 

 also are covered with down of greater 

 or less length, instead of glandular 

 tubercles as in S. alpina ; the scales of 

 the corolla are equal in length to the 

 filaments of the stamens and not joined 

 to them, are of oval-oblong form, as 

 long as they are broad, indented, and 

 with entire lobes. The Pyrenean 

 plant is moreover paler in hue, and 

 rather more villous than that of the 



Tyrol. Lower Pyrenees. Culture, 



etc., as for S. alpina. 



Soldanella pusilla (Fragile S.) 

 Another beautiful and minute kind 

 about 2 in. high. Flowers, late in 

 spring ; solitary, blue, divided into a 

 fringe for only J of its length, and 

 without scales in the throat. Leaves, 

 kidney-shaped, with a heart-shaped 

 base ; pedicels tubercled. Alps of 

 Dauphiny and the Pyrenees. Cul- 

 ture, etc. as for S. alpina. 



Solidago canadensis (Canadian Golden 

 Rod). A vigorous Composite, from 



