240 ALPINES AND BOG-PLANTS 



where in Italy, is a thrifty, vigorous little plant, tufted, 

 spiny, silvery as Boydi, but evidently more vigorous and 

 solid. The flowers, too, are larger than those of Boydi, 

 freely borne, and of a pure, exquisite, lemon yellow. So 

 far Paulinae is very rare and very wee ; when it has 

 grown larger I can foresee it will claim high royal rank 

 among its kin. Another novelty is pretty Petrarchae, 

 also an Italian — like rochelliana in flower, and like Boydi 

 in growth. Obristii has not flowered yet, nor has the 

 hybrid Jaeggecma, but Obristii is clearly a cousin of 

 coriophylla. Corymhosa is simply luteo-viridis, dalmatica 

 is a twin to aretioeides, and beautiful Burnati is worthy 

 of his parents — aeizbon and cochlearis. 



The sad tale of Gentiana bavarica has been told already ; 

 and the same sad tale lies against pyrenaica, imbricata, 

 and rare little pumila, with four cleft flowers of sombre 

 sapphire ; and there are but few Gentians that will help 

 to glorify the ordinary bog. Pneumonanthe will lift its 

 deep blue trumpets on stiiF wiry stems in the heathier, 

 drier corners ; arvernensis, being the same plant, but 

 magnifled, will do likewise in the same conditions; 

 septemfida cordifolia, prostrate, with its clusters of 

 immense blue blossoms, will flop happily about on a 

 damp, well-drained ledge, in any light, rich soil ; verna 

 and acaulis, in really dry and torrid districts, find their 

 only chance of life in the bog, though in nature, and with 

 me, in my Alpine air, they would both abhor it and refuse 

 to grow; and the glory of asckpiadea has received its 

 due place in the larger bog-garden. 



Nor have the Gentians many relatives adapted for the 

 marsh ; the one noticeable branch of cousins are the 

 Swertias. And these are poor relations indeed. The 

 essential splendour of the Gentians, of course, is their 

 blue; and the Swertias, on leafy stems about a foot 

 high, carry loose spikes of starry flowers which are of 



