AC^NA 



BOSE OBDEB 



ACiENA 381 



Tribe VI. PoTBEiEffi. — Herbs or shrubs. Petals often absent, 

 ire. Carpels 1-3, enclosed by the calyx tube. 



Stamens 1 or 



ALCHEMILLA (Lady's Mantle).— 

 A genus with 30 species of erect or 

 decumbent Tierbaceous perennials, with 

 alternate, lobed, or palmate leaves. Calyx 

 persistent, S-lO-lobed. Petals none. 

 Stamens 1-4, inserted in the throat of the 

 calyx. Carpels 1-4. 



A. alpina. — A British plant 8-9 in. 

 high, more or less clothed with silky 

 hairs, except the upper surface of the 5-7- 

 parted, roundish kidney-shaped leaves. 

 Flowers from June to August, smaU, 

 yellowish-green, in spiked and panicled 

 cymes. 



Culture and Propagation. — ■ Alche- 

 millas grow well in ordinary but well- 

 drained soU, and are suitable for rock 

 gardens chiefly on account of their silky 

 foliage. They may be increased by 

 dividing the roots, or from seeds sown in 

 spring. 



A. sericea. — A Caucasian species 

 about 6 in. high, larger in every part 

 than A. alpina, but otherwise very 

 similar. 



Oultxire do. as above. 



MARGYRICARPUS. — A genus 

 with 8 species of rigid branching shrubs. 

 Calyx persistent, 4-5-lobed. Petals none. 

 Stamens 2-3. Carpel 1, enclosed in the 

 calyx tube. Fruit a leathery aohene. 



M. setosus. — A native of the Andes, 

 2-4 ft. high, with oddly pinnate leaves, 

 and deep green, awl-shaped, reflexed 

 leaflets. Flowers throughout the sum- 

 mer, green, minute, axillary, stalkless, 

 succeeded by small white fruits which 

 form the chief attraction of the plant. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 pretty Httle evergreen is a good rock 

 plant, and its masses of white fruits 

 look charming against a dark back- 

 ground. It thrives in rich sandy loam 

 with leaf mould, and may be increased by 

 cuttings in summer, in sandy soil under 

 a glass ; or by layering the branches. 



ACiENA. — A genus with about 30 

 species of somewhat creeping or decum- 

 bent, smooth or silky perennials with alter- 

 nate, oddly pinnate, deeply toothed, or 

 much cut leaves. Flowers at the ends 

 of the branches or spicate, small. Calyx 



3-7 -lobed, persistent. Petals none. Sta- 

 mens 1-10. Carpels 1-2, enclosed in the 

 calyx tube. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Acaenas on account of their compact 

 habit and creeping character are chiefly 

 useful for clothing rockwork, or dry parts 

 of the flower border. They grow well in 

 ordinary soil, and may be increased by 

 seeds, divisions, cuttings, or portions of 

 the creeping rootlets. Besides the species 

 described below there are many others to 

 be found in botanical collections. 



A. adscendens. — A Patagonian species 

 with long creeping stems and ascending 

 branchlets clothed with pinnate leaves 

 which are silky beneath, and divided into 

 elliptic obovate toothed leaflets j-1 in. 

 long. The roundish flower heads are dark 

 purple, borne on long stalks in summer. 



Culture Sc, as above. 



A. microphylla {A. Novce Zealamdice). 

 A small creeping evergreen herb, 1-2 in. 

 high. Leaves 1-2 in. long, with 2-6 pairs 

 of ovate toothed leaflets. Flowers in 

 summer, inconspicuous, in close heads, 

 with long crimson spines, which look very 

 attractive. Native of New Zealand. 



Culture dc. as above. In severe 

 winters this is apt to get injured in ex- 

 posed situations, but as a rule it soon 

 recovers with the advent of mild weather. 

 It is an excellent plant for covering the 

 face of rockwork. 



A. millefolia. — A distinct species with 

 very finely cut, pale green leaves, and 

 dullish spikes of inconspicuous flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. myriophylla. — A Chilian Fern-hke 

 plant 6-12 in. high, deeply cut, with 

 slightly downy leaflets. Flowers in 

 summer and autumn, in small, dull- 

 coloured, rounded spikes. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. pulchella. — A pretty bronzy-leaved 

 species vnth inconspicuous flowers. It 

 grows rapidly and is well suited for 

 covering rockwork. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. sairmentosa. — A vigorous perennial 

 from Tristan d'Acunha with sUky -haired 



