1 64 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part II. 



and border plant. The white and white-and-blue varieties being 

 somewhat slower in growth than the common one, are most 

 worthy of a position on the rockwork. 



CAMPANULA OBNISIA.— Afo^/ Cenis Harebell. 



An alpine plant growing at very high elevations. I have found 

 it abundantly among the fine Saxifraga biflora, at the sides of 

 glaciers on the high Alps, scarcely ever making much show 

 above the ground, but, like the Gooseberry bush in Australia, 

 very vigorous below, sending a great number of runners under 

 the soil. Here and there they send up a compact rosette of 

 light-green leaves. The flowers are solitary, blue, somewhat 

 funnel-shaped, but open, and cut nearly to the base into five 

 lobes. I have little experience of its culture in the open air in 

 this country, and cannot say that it is so showy as some of the 

 other species, but it is sufficiently interesting to merit a place on 

 the rockwork. It should have a sandy or gritty and moist soil, 

 and be somewhere near the eye if the rockwork be on a large 

 scale. Easily increased by division, and perfectly hardy. A 

 native of various pkrts of the Alps of DaUphiny, Provence, 

 Savoy, and other Alps, as well as the particular mountain after 

 which it is named. 



CAMPANULA 'F'RKGIX.IS.— Brittle Harebell. 



Those who have increased this by division will probably bear 

 witness to the unusual aptness of the specific name, as, in handling 

 it, the leaves and stems break off almost as freely as if made of 

 the slenderest ice. It is a desirable and useful kind, the root- 

 leaves on long stalks heart-shaped in outline, and bluntly and 

 shortly lobed j those of the stem more lance-shaped, the rather large 

 pale blue open flowers somewhat bell-shaped, profusely borne 

 on half prostrate stems, and making a pleasing show in summer. 

 The whole plattt rarely reaches six inches in height,,and is per- 

 fectly smooth and rather fleshy. A native of the South of Italy ; 

 it is valuable for the rockwork in well-drained chinks into which 

 it can root deeply without being too wet in winter. Probably on 

 li^ht soils it would not require this precaution. C. fragilis 

 hirsuta is a variety quite covered with hair or stiff down in all its 

 parts, so much so as to look almost woolly. It is of about equal 

 value with the normal smooth form. 



