206 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



ABABIS 



with yeUowish - white, that render it at- 

 tractive as an edging plant. 

 Culture dc. as above. 



A. androsacea. — A pretty, dense- 

 growing species, about 2 in. high, from 

 Mt. Taurus in Asia Minor, at an elevation 

 of 7000 or 8000 ft. The lower leaves are 

 linear-oblong or lanceolate obtuse in com- 

 pact rosettes ; the upper ones stalkless, 

 linear or linear-ovate, slightly toothed. 

 Flowers in summer, white with ovate 

 petals. 



Culture Sc. as above for A. albida. 



A. arenosa. — A native of Central 

 Europe, 6 in. high, with branched hairy 

 stems. Leaves hairy, the lower ones 

 pinnatifid, the upper ones deeply toothed. 

 Flowers from April to July, rose, rarely 

 white or purple, sUghtly fragrant. 



Culture cmdPropagation. — This species 

 being a biennial or annual is best raised 

 from seeds annually. They should be sown 

 as soon as ripe out of doors, or in bleak parts 

 of the country in cold frames. The seed- 

 lings are pricked out in light soil about 

 1 ft. apart each way, about the end of 

 September. If wintered in frames the 

 plants should have plenty of light and 

 air on all possible occasions, and may be 

 planted out at the first favourable oppor- 

 tunity in spring. 



A. blepharophylla. — A Californian 

 species 3-4 in. high, with lower leaves 

 spoon-shaped, upper ones oblong, sessile, 

 aU being edged with stiff hairs. Flowers 

 rosy-purple, varying a good deal. 



Culture <tc. as for A. albida. Best 

 raised from seeds annually, as it is often 

 killed in winter. 



A. lucida. — ^A pretty rock plant native 

 of Hungary, 4-6 in. high, with shining, 

 obovate, thickish leaves, clasping the 

 stem. The white flowers appear in 

 summer. 



The variety va/riegata is a superior 

 plant with light green yeUow-edged 

 leaves. It is a very beautiful rock plant 

 and is very effective in bold masses in 

 rocks or crevices. The flowers detract 

 from the appearance of the foliage, and 

 should be picked off. 



Culture do. as for A. albida. 



A. mollis. — A native of the Caucasus, 

 2 ft. high, with large-toothed somewhat 

 downy leaves, the lower ones roundly 

 heart-shaped, on long stalks, the upper 

 ones oval, heart-shaped and stem-olasping. 



The white flowers appear in terminal 

 racemes from May to July. 

 Culture dc. as for A. albida. 



A. petraea. — A British plant 3-4 in. 

 high, with smooth ciliated or rough leaves, 

 the lower ones simple or bifid on long 

 stalks entire toothed, the upper ones 

 oblong linear. Flowers white or purplish 

 with spreading broadly-clawed petals, ap- 

 pearing from June to August. 



Culture dc. as for A. albida. 



A. prscox. — A Hungarian plant 6-9 

 in. high, with smooth, entire, oblong acute 

 and stalkless leaves. The white flowers 

 with obovate wedge-shaped petals appear 

 from April to June. 



Culture dc. as for A. albida. 



A. procurrens. — A native of Servia, 

 about 9 in. high, with creeping stems. 

 Leaves ovate, entire, smooth, with hairy 

 edges, the lower ones narrowed into a 

 stalk, the upper ones stalkless and pointed. 

 In May and June the white flowers with 

 obovate petals appear. The variegated 

 form of this species is a very pretty rook- 

 plant or for edgings. 



Culture dc. as for A. albida. 



A. rosea. — A native of Calabria, 12 in. 

 high. The upper leaves are oblong, some- 

 what heart-shaped, more or less stem- 

 clasping, scabrous with branched hairs. 

 The rosy-purple flowers with oblong 

 wedge-shaped petals are produced from 

 May to July. 



Culture dc. as for A. albida. 



A. verna. — A pretty annual 3-6 in. 

 high, from S. Europe. The upper leaves 

 are heart-shaped, stem-clasping, toothed 

 and roughish with 3-parted hairs. Flowers 

 in May and Jime, small, purple, with 

 clawed petals. 



Culture Sc. as above for A. arenosa. 



STREPTANTHUS.— Alittle known 

 genus containing about 20 species of 

 smooth annual or perennial herbs, having 

 entire leaves, or the lower ones lyrate pin- 

 natifid, the upper ones stalkless or stem- 

 clasping. Flowers purple, rarely white 

 or yellow, rarely with bracts, sometimes 

 drooping. Of the 4 sepals, 2 or all are 

 saccate at the base, often coloured, some- 

 times very broad. Petals having a 

 straight or twisted claw. 



Culture and Propagation. — The two 

 species described below are annuals, and 

 may be raised from seeds sown about 

 March or April out of doors, or earlier on 



