PIPTANTHUS 



LABURNUM AND. BROOM ORDER baptisia 323 



by means of the yellow and green stripes 

 on the bark. Closely related is P. tomen- 

 tosus from China, which, however, may 

 be distinguished by the silky down which 

 covers the leaves and branches. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 plant is best on sheltered walls in the 

 milder parts of the country, in rich sandy 

 loam, although in favourable places it 

 may also be grown as a bush like the 

 Laburnum. It is only in severe winters 

 that the tips of the shoots are likely to 

 be injured. It is easily increased by 

 seeds which ripen in this country. 

 They may be sown under glass as soon as 

 ripe, or in spring, afterwards pricking the 

 seedlings out and growing on for a season 

 or two in pots until the plants are large 

 and strong enough to be placed out of 

 doors. Cuttings of the ripened shoots 

 will also root, and layers may be made in 

 autumn. 



THERMOPSIS.— A genus contain- 

 ing about 12 species of perennial herbs, 

 with alternate digitately 3-foliolate leaves, 

 and free leafy stipules. Flowers in 

 terminal racemes, or opposite the leaves. 

 Calyx more or less bell-shaped with 

 nearly equal lobes or teeth. Standard 

 almost equal to the oblong wings, re- 

 flexed at the sides ; keel almost equal to 

 ■or longer than the wings. Stamens 10, 

 free. Pods almost sessile or slightly 

 stalked. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants succeed best in light rich well- 

 drained soil, and are most surely increased 

 from seeds, sown either as soon as ripe, 

 or in spring, in cold frames or in gentle 

 bottom heat. When the roots are divided 

 the plants not unfrequently die. 



T. barbata. — A Himalayan perennial 

 1 ft. or more high, with sessile smoothish 

 often opposite leaves, and oblanceolate 

 leaflets, and similar stipules. Flowers in 

 June, deep purple, 1 in. long. 



Culture da. as above. 



T. corgonensis. — A plant 1-2 ft. high 

 native of the Corgon Alps. Leaves 

 sessile or very shortly stalked, with ovate 

 acute leaflets, which with the leafy 

 stipules make a half-whorl. Flowers in 

 summer, twin, yeUow, almost stalkless. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



T. lanceolata {Podalyria lupinoides). 

 A native of Kamtschatka about 1 ft. 

 high. Leaves almost stalkless with 



oblong lance-shaped leaflets having siUiy 

 down on both surfaces ; stipules half as 

 long as the leaflets. Flowers in summer, 

 twin, yeUow, with large bracts. 

 Culture Sc. as above. 



T. montana (T. fabacea). — ^A beautiful 

 silky-haired N. American perennial 1-2 ft. 

 high. Leaves stalked with broadly ovate 

 leaflets, and broadly ovate blunt stipules. 

 Flowers in summer, yellow, alternate. 



Culture do. as above. 



BAPTISIA {False Indigo). — A genus 

 with about 14 species of herbaceous 

 perennials, all natives of N. America. 

 Leaves alternate digitately 3-foliolate, or 

 simple and sessile, or perfoliate. Stipules 

 usually small, or rarely large and leafy. 

 Flowers white, yellow or blue in terminal 

 racemes, or opposite the leaves on a 

 stalk. Calyx obtuse or somewhat beU- 

 shaped. Petals almost equal, the standard 

 being roundish, reflexed at the sides ; the 

 wings oblong, and the keel slightly 

 curved upwards. Stamens 10, free. Pod 

 stalked, ovoid or nearly globose, swollen, 

 often leathery. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Baptisias grow freely in rich loamy soil, 

 and may be easily increased from seeds 

 sown in cold frames as soon as ripe, or 

 out of doors in mild weather in spring ; or 

 by dividing -the rootstock very carefully 

 in early aiitumn, or in spring as growth is 

 commencing. 



B. alba. — A pretty perennial about 2 

 ft. high. Leaves stalked, smooth, with 

 elliptic oblong blunt leaflets. Flowers in 

 June, white. 



Culture if-c. as above. 



B. australis. — A fine species 4-5 ft. 

 high, with spreading branched smooth 

 stems. Leaves glaucous, stalked, smooth, 

 with blunt oblong wedge-shaped leaflets 

 and lance-shaped acute stipules twice the 

 length of the leaf stalk. Flowers in June, 

 purple or blue, with white keels. 



Culture dc. as above. This is the best 

 and most generally grown species, and 

 when grown in large masses produces 

 a fine effect. There is a variety called 

 versicolor. 



B. confusa. — A plant 1-2 ft. high, with 

 smooth - stalked leaves, oblong wedge- 

 shaped leaflets, and linear lance-shaped 

 stipules twice the length of the leaf stalk. 

 Flowers in June, dark blue. 



Culture dc as above. 



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