LYCHNIS 



CARNATION OBDEB 



LYCHNIS 255 



LYCHNIS (EOSE Campion).— A genus 

 containing about 30 species of beautiful 

 annual or perennial herbs, often erect, 

 with the habit of Silene, from which it 

 differs chiefly in the flowers having more 

 numerous styles — 5 instead of 3. Calyx 

 inflated, ovoid, or club-shaped, tubular, 

 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Petals 5, narrow- 

 clawed, with entire 2-cleft or laciniated 

 blades, often with 2 scales at the base. 

 Stamens 10. Styles 5, rarely fewer 



Culture and Propagation. — The Cam- 

 pions are easily grown and thrive in a 

 light, rich, loamy soU. They may be in- 

 creased by dividing the rootstocks in 

 autumn or spring, or by seeds. They are 

 brilliant objects in the border, and are very 

 useful for the great quantity of flowers 

 they afford for cutting. 



The species described below are all 

 perennial except where otherwise men- 

 tioned. 



L. alpina. — A smooth British and 

 European plant, 4-6 in. high, with crowded 

 narrow Unear-lance-shaped leaves 1-2 in. 

 long. Flowers in early summer, about 

 J in. across, rosy -pink, in compact heads ; 

 petals narrow, deeply cleft. 



Culture do. as for L. chaleedonica. 

 Best increased from seeds and with more 

 difficulty by division. This dwarf plant 

 is excellent for carpeting patches in the 

 rockery. It likes partially shaded spots 

 and light sandy soil. 



L. chaleedonica. — A handsome and 

 striking species 1^-3^ ft. high, native of 

 Eussia. Leaves lance-shaped, somewhat 

 heart-shaped at the base, hairy, stem- 

 clasping. Flowers in summer, bright 

 scarlet, in dense heads ; calyx round, 

 club-shaped, ribbed. There is a white- 

 flowered form called alba, and also a 

 double-flowered one called Jiore pleno. 



Culture and Propagation. — There 

 are many varieties of this fine species, 

 including double red and double white 

 forms. The single -flowered varieties are 

 on the whole best increased from seeds, 

 although they may be also multiplied by 

 division. The seeds raay be sown as soon 

 as ripe out of doors in the milder parts of 

 the kingdom, or in cold frames in unfavour- 

 able localities. The same remarks apply 

 to spring sowing, but if the plants are 

 required to bloom the same year, it is 

 better to sow the seeds in gentle heat, and 

 have the seedlings grown on and hardened 

 off, so as to be fit for planting in the open 



border by the end of May or begmning of 

 June. 



The double-flowered forms — both scar- 

 let and white — can only be increased by 

 dividing the plants, as they very rarely 

 produce any seeds at all. Division is best 

 done in early autumn, before the end of 

 September, or in mild weather in spring. 



The double-flowered kinds are some- 

 what less vigorous than the single-flowered 

 ones, and are best left undivided if doing 

 well, for at least two or three years, or 

 even more according to circumstances. 

 Splendid tufted plants are produced on 

 well-manured and well-drained loamy 

 soil. 



L. Coeli-rosa (.4grros/emma Cceli-rosa). 

 Bose of Heaven. — An annual species 

 about 1 ft. high, native of the Levant. 

 It has tufts of much-branched stems 

 clothed with bright green linear lance- 

 shaped leaves. Flowers during summer, 

 delicate rose, bright purple in the type, 

 with obcordate petals having white scales 

 at the base. 



The variety fimbriata (also known as 

 nana) grows about 9 in. high, and has 

 fimbriated petals. There is also a form 

 of fimbriata called Ulacea having pale 

 lilac blossoms, the plant itself densely 

 tufted and very free-flowering. The white- 

 flowered form resembles the type in every 

 way, with the exception of colour. The 

 variety purpurea is compact in habit, 

 with deep purple flowers. 



Culture and Propagation. — Being an 

 annual, the Eose of Heaven and its varie- 

 ties are raised from seed sown annually, 

 either in early autumn in cold frames, or 

 in the open border about April and May, 

 according as early or late flowering is 

 required. The seedlings may be thinned 

 out about 6-8 in. apart when the seeds 

 are sown out of doors in the flowering 

 patches. 



L. coronaria [Agrostemma coronaria). 

 A species 2-3 ft. high, native of S. 

 Europe, with broadly lance-shaped, 

 leathery leaves, 3 in. long, covered with a 

 whitish woolly down. Flowers in July 

 and August, about 1 ^ in. across, crimson- 

 red, calyx somewhat bell-shaped, ribbed, 

 petals notched. The variety atroian- 

 guinea has fine dark crimson-red flowers. 

 White-flowered and double red-flowered 

 forms are sometimes seen. 



Culture and Propagation. — L. coro- 

 naria and its varieties are excellent border 



