276 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 
elegans is one of the parents. They are esteemed on account of the 
variety of tints of their flowers and the long period during which they 
are in bloom, the ray-florets retaining their form and colour until the 
seeds have ripened. 
ZINNIA ELEGANS (elegant). Stem erect, hairy, 2 feet 
igh. Leaves long-oval, stalkless, stem-clasping. In a 
natural condition the flower-heads are some shade of scarlet, but the 
cultivated forms, of which a few are shown in Plate 138, vary from 
white, through yellow and buff to scarlet, crimson, rose, and purple ; 
about 2 inches across; June to September. 
Principal Species, h 
Z. HAAGEANA (Haage’s) is very similar to the last, but not quite so 
tall. The flower-heads have ray-florets of an orange or deep-yellow 
tint. Stem and leaves covered with hairy down. Introduced 1862. 
Also known as Z. Ghiesbrechtii. g 
Z. LINEARIS (linear-leaved) forms neat little bushes, 1 foot high, 
with a profusion of golden flower-heads, a couple of inches across; and 
very slender, dark-coloured leaves. Introduced 1887. 
Z. MULTIFLORA (many-flowered) has scarlet ray-florets, whilst those 
of the disk are yellow. The leaves oval-lance-shaped, obscurely stalked, 
and the branching stems are but slightly hairy, 2 feet high. 
cus The species mentioned are all annuals, and must be 
vation, 
raised from seed. This should be sown on slight bottom 
heat towards the end of March, and as soon as the seedlings are large 
enough they should be pricked out and covered with a frame. By June 
they will be nice plants fit for transplanting into beds or borders - 
sunny positions, where they will soon bloom. Ordinary garden soils 
that are not very damp will suit Zinnias, but a light rich loam is the 
best for them. They should be planted about nine inches apart. — 
— of Cultivated varieties—Z., eleguns: Fig. 1, the fruits; 2, 
‘ seedling. The flower-heads here depicted give a fair 
idea of the colour variation. 
SUNFLOWERS 
Natural Order Composit x, Genus Helianthus 
HELIANTHUS (Greek, helios, the sun 
about fifty tall-growing, 
rough, undivided leaves, 
always yellow, the disk 
,» and anthos, a flower). A genus of 
coarse, annual or perennial herbs, with large, 
and very large flower-heads. The ray-florets 
-florets purple or violet. All the species are 
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