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PBACTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS lytheum 



Petals as many as the lobes or teeth of the calyx, rarely fewer or none, often 

 crumpled and clawed. Stamens definite or rarely numerous. 



CUPHEA (CiGAE Plant).— A genns 

 with 90 species of herbs or small shrubs, 

 often clammy and smooth - stemmed. 

 Leaves opposite or whorled, rarely alter- 

 nate. Calyx and tube elongated, ribbed, 

 coloured, produced below into a spur, with 

 6 primary teeth, and 6 secondary smaller 

 ones. Petals usually 6, clawed, the two 

 upper ones usually larger. Stamens 11, 

 the upper one missing, enclosed or pro- 

 truding. 



Culture and Propagation. — Cupheas 

 are not strictly hardy plants, but as they 

 are used so much for beds and borders in 

 summer, they deserve notice here. They 

 are increased by cuttings in brisk bottom 

 heat in spring, or better still, seed may 

 be sown in January or February in heat, 

 and pricked out and potted on until plant- 

 ing-out time at the end of May. If grown 

 in rich sandy soil they will be good plants 

 by that time. The kinds mentioned below 

 are best known. They should be planted 

 in masses, each plant being 9 to 12 in. or 

 thereabouts apart. In this way they will 

 assist each other in producing a glowing 

 effect. 



C. eminens (C. joruUensis). — A grey- 

 ish-green or whitish-looking Mexican 

 plant about 2 ft. high with oblong lance- 

 shaped acute leaves covered with down. 

 The numerous flowers are borne in long 

 terminal spikes in summer, and the 

 velvety hairy calyx is of a bright orange- 

 red colour. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. ignea (C. platycentra). — A native 

 of Mexico about 1 ft. high, with deep ruby 

 stems, lance-shaped-pointed leaves, and 

 bright scarlet, cylindrical flowers in July 

 and August, with a black and white ex- 

 panded limb, the whole flower resembling 

 a miniature cigar with an aahy tip. 



Culture itc. as above. 



C. lanceolata. — A pretty branching 

 Mcxiciui annual 12-18 in. high, with 

 alternate or opposite ovate lance-shaped 

 downy ] caves. The flowers appear in 

 summer, and vary a good deal in colour 

 from bright rose to purple or carmine and 

 scarlet, the two upper and larger petals 

 sometimes having a deep purple blotch at 

 the base. There is a dwarf variety called 



noma, which does not often exceed 9-12 

 in. in height. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. miniata, — A Mexican perennial 

 about 2 ft. high, with ovate-pointed leaves 

 covered with white bristles. Flowers 

 from June to September, pale vermUion. 

 The variety Llavea has larger leaves, and 

 bright purple, ' cylindrical, hairy tubes, 

 with crumpled oblong petals, and woolly 

 stamens. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. silenoides. — A Mexican annual 

 12-18 in. high, closely resembling C. 

 lanceolata. The conspicuous flowers 

 appear from June to October, and have a 

 rosy-purple calyx with deeper coloured 

 stripes, and purple-brown petals, while 

 the throat of the calyx tube is furnished 

 with rosy- white hairs. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. strigillosa {C. cyanea). — A much- 

 branched Mexican species 12-18 m. high, 

 with downy oval oblong acute leaves, and 

 clusters of yellow and red flowers in 

 summer. The clammy calyx is red at the 

 base, and yellowish at the apex, while the 

 petals are pxu'ple-red. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. Zimapani. — A beautiful Mexican 

 species about 2 ft. high. Flowers in 

 autumn, deep rich purple, with a paler 

 border. 



Culture dc. as above. 



LYTHRUM (Loosestrife). — A 

 genus containing 12 species of smooth 

 or downy herbs or undershrnbs, with 

 4-angled stems. Leaves opposite, rarely 

 whorled or alternate. Flowers in the 

 axils of the upper leaves, solitary or 

 cymose. Calyx tube cylindrical, 8-12- 

 ribbed, straight, 4-6-toothed. Petals 4 6, 

 obovate, sometimes unequal or none. 

 Stamens 8-12, rarely fewer. 



Culture and Propagation. — Lythrnms 

 are easily grown in ordinary garden .soil, 

 and may be increased by division in 

 autumn or spring. If left undisturbed in 

 a few years thcj* spread over large areas 

 and stifle other plants near them with 

 their rather rank growth. The seeds are 

 shed, and often masses of seedlings may 

 be seen shooting up in spring all aroimd 

 the parent plant. It is necessary therefore 



