244 



SWERTIA TANACETUM. 



Borders, and fringes of shrub- 

 beries, or the rougher parts of the 

 rock-garden, in ordinary soil. Divi- 

 sion. 



Swertia perennis (Marsh Swertia). 

 A singular - looking perennial with 

 erect, simple, slightly 4 - cornered 

 stems, about 1 ft. high. flowers, in 

 summer ; dull greyish - purple, in 

 erect spikes ; corolla rotate, 5-parted, 

 dotted with black, and with bristly 

 pores at the edge. Leaves, stalked, 

 ovate or elliptic, entire, smooth. 

 Europe and Siberia, in mountain 



bogs. One of the most interesting 



subjects for the artificial peat-bog ; 

 also in moist spots near the rock-gar- 

 den, or naturalized in marshy places. 

 Division. 



Symphyandra pendula (Pendulous S.) 

 A dwarf Campanula-like herb with 

 large flowers almost hidden amongst 

 the leaves ; about 1 ft. high, flowers, 

 in summer ; cream-coloured, droop- 

 ing, in a loose panicle ; peduncles 1- to 

 3-flowered ; corolla funnel - shaped, 

 velvety, 5-lobed at the apex. Leaves, 

 ovate, acute, toothed, velvety ; stems 

 branched, pendulous, pilose. Cau- 

 casus, in rocky places. Borders 



and among the more easily-grown 

 plants in the rock-garden, in ordi- 

 nary soil. Seed and division. 



Symphytum asperrimum (RougkS.) 

 A tall and vigoroiis perennial clothed 

 with short sharp prickles ; 4 to 6 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; red before 

 expanding, afterwards blue, in termi- 

 nal twin racemes ; corolla downy out - 

 side, bell - shaped ; calyx 5-parted ; 

 sepals sharply pointed. Leaves, broad, 

 very rough, hairy, ovate-heart-shaped, 

 taper-pointed, upper ones nearly op- 

 posite. Caucasus and Tauria. One 



of the most suitable plants for natu- 

 ralizing in rough places and among 

 the coarsest herbaceous vegetation. 

 Almost too rampant in habit for bor- 

 ders. Division and seed. 



Symphytum bohemicum (Bohemian 

 Comfrey). A very handsome and 

 brilliantly coloured perennial, proba- 

 bly a variety of S. officinale ; 1 to 1-4 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in early summer ; 

 brilliant reddish-purple, in erect twin 

 racemes. Leaves, alternate, ovate- 

 lance-shaped, decurrent ; stems winged. 



Bohemia. Borders, and fringes of 



shrubbery, in ordinary soil, also a 

 pretty subject for naturalization in 

 rather open sunny places. Division. 



Symphytum caucasicum (Caucasian 

 Comfrey}. A beautiful free-growing 

 perennial, 1 to 2 ft. high. Flowers, 

 in spring and early summer; hand- 

 some blue, in terminal twin racemes ; 

 corolla cylindrically bell-shaped ; ca- 

 lyces hispid, obtuse. Leaves, clothed 

 with soft hairs, greyish beneath, 

 slightly decurrent, ovate-lance-shaped, 

 gradually narrowing at the base ; 

 upper ones opposite ; stem hairy, 

 angular, branched at the apex. Native 



of the Caucasus. An admirable 



plant for naturalization in shrubberies, 

 copses, or in almost any position, and 

 in any soil ; also good for borders, but 

 seen to far greater advantage in the 

 positions first named. Division. 



Symphytura officinale (Comfrey). A 

 branching, rough-leaved plant, from 

 1 to 2 ft. high. Flowers, in summer; 

 yellowish -white or purple, tubular, 

 about 1 in. long, in pendent clusters. 

 Leaves, alternate, oval-lance-shaped, 

 rough; stem-leaves decurrent. Bri- 

 tain and Europe. The variegated 



form is the only one fitted for the 

 garden proper ; the purple variety 

 will be worth planting in wild places, 

 copses, or hedgebanks, in any soil. 

 Division. 



Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy). A 

 well-known native plant, 2 to 4 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; yellow, 

 numerous, in corymbose heads. Leaves, 

 smoothish, twice - divided. Europe 



