336 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 



growing from seed, it is advised that the sowing should take place as 

 soon as the seed is ripe and that the pans be placed in a cool structure. 

 In the spring the seedlings will be nice young plants, well adapted for 

 planting out and for flowering in their first summer. The old plants 

 may be left in the gi'ound during winter, but they should be cut down 

 in late autumn, and the roots and stumps covered deeply with ashes. 

 The new shoots in spring may be used for cuttings if desired. Well- 

 grown, these taller plants present a very brilliant and dazzling effect, 

 but to be well-grown they must be planted in deeply-dug, rich, but light 

 soil, and neatly tied to sticks as they grow. This is especially necessary 

 where they are exposed to wind, as much of their effect depends upon 

 their stately erect bearing. Plenty of water during the period of growth, 

 varied with draughts of manure-water as the flowers prepare for un- 

 folding, are also factors towards success. L. cardinalis is a good plant 

 for the waterside or bog-garden. 



Description of Plate 162. A. Lobelia Erinus: portion of stem with 



Piatesi62andi63.iea,ves and flowers. Fig, 1, enlarged section of flower; 2, 

 upper part of staminal tube enclosing style ; 3, seedling ; 4, seed, natural 

 size and enlarged. B. Isotoma longiflora (see below). 



Plate 163. Lohelia cardinalis. Fig. 1, detached flower ; 2, section 

 of same enlarged ; 3, summit of style with frill of hairs. 



ISOTOMAS 



Natural Order Lobeliacej5. Genus Isotoma 



Isotoma (Greek, isos, equal, and tome, a cutting). A small genus 

 comprising about eight species formerly included in Lohelia, but diff'ering 

 from that genus in several important particulars. The mouth of the 

 corolla is not divided into two lips as in Lohelia, but the five lobes are 

 spreading and nearly equal, and the tube is only slightly cleft or not 

 cleft at all. The stamens are attached to the upper part of corolla-tube. 

 The species are natives of Australia and the West Indies, and require 

 greenhouse or stove treatment. 



Principal Species. I^^^TOMA AXILLARIS (axil-flowered). Stems 1 foot high. 



Leaves stalkless, pinnately cut and toothed. Flowers 



purplish blue with long greenish white corolla-tube ; August to October. 



Perennial. Introduced from New Holland, 1824. Plate 162 B. There 



IS a var. sub-jnnnat ifida having the lobes of the leaves longer and 



sometimes again pinnately cut. 



