PART II.] 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



293 



plant, distinguished by its large 

 flowers from the common British Self- 

 heal, which is unworthy of cultivation. 

 There is a white as well as a purple 

 variety, both handsome plants, that 

 thrive in almost any ground, but 

 prefer a moist and free soil and a 

 position somewhat shaded. They are 

 apt to go off in winter on the London 

 clay, at least on the level ground. A 

 native of continental Europe ; flower- 

 ing in summer, but this and other 

 kinds are only of secondary use in the 

 rock-garden and among shrubs on 

 banks. 



PULMONARI A (Lungwort). 

 These plants are more fitted for borders 

 than for the rock-garden. The beauti- 

 ful plant for many years known as P. 

 virginica is now Mertensia. 



PUSCHKINIA SCILLOIDES 



(Striped Squill). A fascinating little 

 plant, and the most delicately beauti- 

 ful among early mountain flowers. 

 The flowers white, striped, and tinged 

 with blue, the small prostrate leaves 

 concave ; easily grown, it does not last 

 long in flower, but few spring flowers 

 do. The best position for this is on 

 low banks, in the rock-garden, or in 

 positions where its flowers may be 

 seen somewhat beneath the eye, 

 associated with dwarf Primulas and 

 other diminutive spring flowers. A 

 native of the Caucasus, flowering in 

 spring, easily increased by division of 

 the root, and flourishing best in very 

 sandy light soil. 



PYROL A ( Wintergreen). Dwarf 

 evergreen he r bs, inhabiting mountain 

 woods or copses, moors, and wet 

 places among sand dunes. They are 

 not difficult to cultivate in moist peat 

 or sand, associated with the right sort 

 of plants as to stature and wants. 



Pyrola rotundifolia (Larger Winter- 

 green). A native plant, inhabiting woods, 

 bushy, and reedy places ; with leathery 

 leaves, and handsome drooping racemes of 

 white fragrant flowers, ^ inch across, ten 

 to twenty flowers, on a stem from 6 

 inches to a foot high. Pyrola rotundifolia, 

 var. arenaria, is another very graceful 

 plant, found on sea-shores, and differing 

 in being dwarfer, deep green, and smooth. 

 Both are beautiful plants for shady mossy 

 flanks of rock in free vegetable soil, and 

 flourish more readily in cultivation than 

 any species of their family. In America 

 there are varieties of this plant with 

 flesh-coloured and reddish flowers, none 

 of which are in cultivation with us, and 

 several of the American kinds seem to me 

 well worthy of being brought over. 



Pyrola uniftora, media, minor, and 

 secunda, are also interesting plants, of 

 which the first, a very rare one in our 

 Flora, is the prettiest. P. elliptica, a 

 native of North America, is also in our 

 gardens, though rare. 



PYXIDANTHERA BARBULATA 



(Bearded P.). A curious and minute 

 American plant, plentiful in sandy dry 

 "pine barrens" from New Jersey to 

 North Carolina. It is an evergreen 

 shrub, yet smaller than many mosses ; 

 the leaves narrow, awl-pointed, and 

 densely crowded; the flowers are 

 placed singly, and are stalkless, but 

 very numerous, rose-coloured in bud, 

 white when open. The effect of the 

 rosy buds and five-cleft white flowers 

 on the dense dwarf cushions is 

 singularly pretty. Generally found in 

 low, but not wet, places, and usually 

 on little mounds, it is a gem for the 

 rock-garden, on which it should be 

 planted in pure sand and vegetable 

 mould, fully exposed. Flowers in 

 early summer ; increased by division. 



RAMONDIA (Rosette Mullien). 

 Dwarf plants found on steep and some- 

 what shady rocks, and, according 

 to Ramond, exclusively in valleys 



