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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS cimicifuga 



ACT^A (Banebeery ; Hbeb Chris- 

 topher). — Asmall genus of erect perennial 

 herbs, with alternate, 2-3-ternate leaves, 

 and long erect racemes of small whitish 

 flowers which are succeeded by poisonous 

 berried fruits. Sepals 3-5, almost equal, 

 petal-like, deciduous. Petals 4-10, small, 

 clawed, spoon-shaped, flat. Stamens 

 numerous, longer than the sepals. 



Culture and Propagation. — For the 

 ornamentation of moist, half-shady spots 

 of the rockery or flower border, the Actmas 

 are very useful. They Uke a rich, moist, 

 loamy soil with the addition of peat, leaf- 

 mould and sand, the latter being essential 

 to keep the whole light and porous. The 

 plants may be increased by sowing seeds 

 as soon as ripe about the end of July or 

 August, either out of doors in a shaded 

 place, or in cold frames in a compost of 

 sandy peat and loam. The seedHngs are 

 pricked out when large enough to handle, 

 and if sturdy they may be planted in 

 their flowering quarters, by the end of 

 September or October. It is perhaps better, 

 on the whole, however, to wait until 

 spring. 



Actseas may also be increased by 

 dividing the blackish roots in autumn or 

 in spring. 



A. alba (White Baneberry).- — A North 

 American species 12-18 in. high, with 

 ovate-lanceolate, toothed or cut leaves, 

 and simple racemes of white flowers in 

 May and June. Berries white ovoid- 

 oblong on red stalks. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



A. spicata {Common Bcmeberry or 

 Herb Christopher). — A native plant about 

 1 ft. high found on Umestone copses. It 

 has a stout black rootstock and leaves 

 2-3-ternately-pinnate and toothed. The 

 white flowers appear in May, and are 

 replaced by black, oblong, poisonous 

 berries. 



The variety rubra is a very handsome 

 variety from N. America. It differs from 

 the ordinary Baneberry in having bright 

 red berries in dense clusters overtopping 

 the leaves. 



Culture dc. as above. 



CIMICIFUGA (BuGWORT ; Bug- 

 bane). — A genus of ornamental herbaceous 

 perennials resembling the Baneberries in 

 habit and foliage. Flowers in racemes 

 somewhat offensive in odour. Sepals 4-5, 

 subequal, petal-hke, deciduous. Petals 



1-8, small, clawed, 2-lobed, or absent. 

 Carpels 1-8, separate, becoming follicles 

 when ripe. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants are easily grown in ordinary 

 garden soil, preferably in a moist shady 

 place, and may be used in masses. They 

 may be increased by dividing the root in 

 spring, or from seeds sown as soon as 

 ripe in the same way as recommended 

 for Aotisa above. 



C. ainericana. — A native of Carolina, 

 2-4 ft. high, with tripinnate leaves, and 

 beautiful feathery panicles of whitish 

 sweet-scented flowers in August and 

 September. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. cordifolia. — Also a native of North 

 America, 2-3 ft. high, with bitemate 

 leaves, having 4-5-lobed, toothed leaflets, 

 heart-shaped at the base. Flowers in July 

 and August in white racemes. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. elata. — This is a fetid-smelling herb 

 about 2 ft. high, native of N. America and 

 Siberia, in which latter country it is used 

 on account of its offensive smell for dri- 

 ving away bugs. The leaves are ternate 

 or biternate, with ovate oblong deeply 

 toothed leaflets, and the panicled racemes 

 of whitish flowers appear in June and 

 July. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. fcetida. — A beautiful European 

 species 2-3 ft. high, resembling C. amen- 

 cana in habit and foliage, and bearing 

 panicles of white flowers in July which 

 are remarkable for their evil smell, as ai"e 

 also the green seed pods. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. japonica. — A Japanese species 3 ft. 

 high, with large ternate leaves cut into 

 5-7 heart-shaped lobes. The white un- 

 stalked flowers appear in summer on long 

 spikes. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. racemosa (C serpentaria ; Actcea 

 racemosa). — This is the ' Black Snake- 

 root ' of N. America, and grows from 3 to 5 

 ft. high, with 8-ternate leaves, having 

 serrated or cut leaflets. The white flowers 

 are borne on very long compound racemes 

 in July and August. 



Culture dc. as above. 



XANTHORHIZA.— A gemis with 

 only one species described below : — 



