FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 
46 
from North America in 1796; D. spectabilis, the finest and best known, 
was brought from Siberia in 1810; D. eximia from North America in 
1812; D. canadensis in 1822; D. tkalictrifolia from the Himalayas in 
1831, and D. chrysantha from California in 1852. The genus is, perhaps, 
more popularly known as Dielytra ; but it appears to have been originally 
Dicentra, then to have been misprinted Diclytra, and to make sense of 
this it was deemed that the c was a mistake for e ; and so the etymology 
of this new word was explained as dis, two, and elytron, a sheath,— 
a derivation sufficiently backed up by reference to the outer petals of 
the flower. 
Dicentra canadensis (Canadian), 6 inches, is the 
species. gq U j rre i Com of the Americana It has glaucous leaves 
divided into very slender segments, and bears few flowers. These are 
white, with short blunt spurs, and appear in May. 
D. chrysantha (gold-flowered), 3 to 5 feet, has finely-divided 
glaucous foliage, and erect racemes of bright yellow flowers, which are. 
produced in September. The flower-stem is leafy. 
D. Cucullaria (hooded). 3 to 6 inches; a very dwarf species, with 
smooth, slender leaves, and flowers white, with yellow tips. Flower- 
stem leafless. This species is known in the United States as the Dutch¬ 
man’s Breeches, from the shape of the flowers, which appear in May. 
D. eximia (unparalleled). 1 to 1| foot; leaves small and few, with 
oblong lobes; flower-stem leafless; flowers reddish purple, drooping, in 
compound racemes; June and July. 
D. Formosa (beautiful). 6 inches; very like a dwarf form of eximia, 
but the flowers are broader, and of a brighter red; May. 
D. spectabilis (worthy of notice). 2 to 3 feet; with handsome foliage 
and leafy stems. The rather flexuous flower-stem bears from eight to 
twelve, or more, large rose and white flowers, an inch long. Flowers 
spring and summer. The popular names of Lyre-flower and Heart-flower 
have been applied to it. There is a var. alba, with flowers entirely white. 
D. thalictrifolia (thalictrum - leaved). 3 feet; with alternate, 
glaucous decompound leaves; flowers fragrant, yellow, with reddish 
mouth; August to October. 
Cultivation. ^ ttie species being quite hardy, and succeeding in 
any moderately rich, light soil, there is little difficulty in 
their cultivation. They should certainly find a place in the herbaceous 
border, and the larger kinds look well backed by a shrubbery. This 
last is especially the position for D. spectabilis and D. chrysantha ; the 
dwarf kinds will, of course, come more to the front. D. spectabilis is 
used as a pot-plant for gentle forcing very early in the year. For 
