272 ALPINE FLOWERS. • Part 11. 



at least those of the variety cultivated about London, rarely rise 

 more than a foot high ; leaves lance-shaped and quite entire, 

 the lower ones with a stalk, the upper stalkless. Few plants 

 are more easily increased by division of the root. Flowers in 

 early summer. A native of North- West America and the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



PENTSTEMON ^COVlSE&l.—Scouler's P. 



A SHRUBBY species, with a somewhat spreading compact habit, 

 narrow sharply notched leaves, the upper ones entire, and with 

 large, pale Ulac-purple flowers. It is very hardy, grows freely in 

 ordinary soil, and flowers in summer. It is said to attain a 

 height of between two and three feet, but I have not seen it 

 nearly so tall. Propagated by seeds or cuttings, and well suited 

 for extensive rockworks associated with small shrubs and .the 

 finest types of herbaceous vegetation. 



In addition to the preceding, there are various large Pent- 

 stemons more fitted for borders than rockwork, but also useful 

 in this way where there are very large rock-gardens, especially 

 the . fine and somewhat tender Pentstemon Jeffreyanus, with 

 gentian-blue flowers, the free-flowering lilac-rose Pentstemon 

 diffusus, the white and the red varieties of P. Hartwegi (= P. 

 gentianoides), and its other innumerable and beautiful forms. 



PETROCALLIS PYEENAICA.— ^^aw/y of the Rocks. 



Truly a " rock beauty ! " as everybody must confess who 

 sees its fresh light-green tufts, not more than an inch 

 high, and cushioned snugly amidst the broken rocks. From 

 these stains of light green spring in April peculiarly innocent- 

 looking flowers, reminding one of Lilliputian " Ladies' Smocks,'' 

 and supported on stems that rise little more than half an inch 

 pver the thrice-divided leaves, except where the plant is in a 

 shady position, when they push up a httle taller, and are more 

 attenuated. When well grown, its faintly-veined pale-Ulac 

 flowers seem to form a little cushion, so cold and deUcate- 

 looking that I have known people to grow and admire it for 

 years without ever suspecting it to be capable of emitting an 

 odour of any kind ; but it breathes a delicious, if faint and 

 dehcate, sweetness. Only suited for careful culture on the 

 well-made rockwork, being of a fragile nature, though perfectly 



