NEW HERBACEOUS PLANTS 233 



this class of plants will withstand low winter tem- 

 peratures with immunity but summer drought is 

 fatal. They revel in regions where in summer hot, 

 sunny days are followed by cool nights and where 

 precipitation is even and ample. 



For the waterside and woodland the Senecio tribe 

 is full of good things. The genus is one of the largest 

 in the vegetable kingdom. It has a world-wide dis- 

 tribution and in China alone is represented by more 

 than a hundred distinct species. The majority of 

 these are weeds pure and simple and of no ornamental 

 value whatsoever. On the contrary, others such as 

 S. clivorum, S. Veitchianus, and S. Wilsonianus are of 

 striking beauty. These three species agree in having 

 bold, reniform-cordate dark green leaves each a foot 

 or more across, on long and stout stalks, but are 

 otherwise quite dissimilar. The first named has a 

 much-branched flattened inflorescence, from one and a 

 half to two feet across and raised well above the 

 luxuriant foliage and bearing masses of Aster-like 

 flowers, each from three to five inches in diameter and 

 of a peculiarly rich golden yellow color in shade un- 

 like that of any other plant in cultivation. Senecio 

 Veitchianus and S. Wilsonianus have erect spikes of 

 flowers from five to six feet or more tall. In the first the 

 spike is simple and tapering and the flowers are clear 



