LYTHEUM 



EVENING PBIMROSE ORDER 



EPILOBIUM 451 



to keep the Loosestrifes within, bounds 

 in the rougher parts of the garden or by 

 the banks of streams, lakes, ponds &c. 



L. alatum. — A pretty half-shrubby N. 

 American species 1-4 ft. high, with twiggy 

 4-angled branches. Leaves ovate oblong 

 acute, rather lobed at the base, sessile, 

 or nearly so. Flowers in summer and 

 autumn, beautiful piirple. 



Culture dc. as above. 



L. Salicaria [Ooinmon Purple Loose- 

 strife). — A native plant 2-5 ft. high, with 

 lanceolate leaves lobed at the base. 

 Flowers in July, reddish-purple, in 

 whorled leafy spikes, almost sessile, 

 petals 6-7. There are two fine varieties, 

 roseum and superhum. 



Culture dc. as above. This hand- 

 some plant is excellent at the sides of 

 streams, ponds &c. 



L. virgatum. — A native of Siberia 2-3 

 ft. high, with lance-shaped leaves, nar- 

 rowed towards the base. Flowers in 

 summer, purple, in threes, distinctly 

 stalked. 



Culture dc. as above. 



PUNICA (Pomegranate). — A genus 

 with only 1 species, here described with 

 the generic characters : — 



P. Granatum. — A handsome deciduous 

 tree 15-30 ft. high, native of Cabul and 

 Persia, with oblong or lance-shaped entire 

 leaves. Flowers from June to September, 

 red, 2-5 together, almost sessile, near the 

 ends of the branches. Calyx persistent, 

 thick, fleshy, 5-7-lobed. Petals 5-7 in- 

 serted in the throat of the calyx, lance- 

 shaped, crumpled. Stamens several. 

 The double variety flore pleno is hand- 

 some ; and na/na is a much smaller plant 

 than the type. 



The imported fruit of the Pomegranate 

 is well known. It is remarkable in being 

 composed of 2 sets of carpels, one above 

 the other, and the seeds are embedded in 

 a pellucid pulp. 



Culture and Propagation. — Only in 

 favoured spots or on sheltered walls does 

 the Pomegranate produce its flowers in 

 this country, and very seldom its leathery 

 skinned fruits. It thrives in a rich loamy 

 soil, and when not trained against a south 

 wall, or grown as a bush, it is sometimes 

 treated as a pot or tub plant like Oranges, 

 and kept in a greenhouse during the 

 winter. It may be increased from seeds 

 sown in gentle heat ; by cuttings of the 

 half-ripened shoots in gentle heat under a 

 bell-glass ; or by layers, suckers, or graft- 

 ing, the latter process being reserved for 

 fine coloured varieties. 



XLVIII. ONAGRARIEiE— Evening Primrose Order 



An order with over 20 genera and 300 species of annual or perennial scent- 

 less herbs, rarely shrubs, or trees. Leaves opposite and alternate, usually 

 entire, dentate or serrate. Stipules none. Flowers usually hermaphrodite, 

 regular, axillary and solitary, or spicate, or racemose, near the ends of 

 the branches. Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary ; limb, with usually 2-4 large, 

 valvate, frequently coloured lobes. Petals often 2-4, rarely none, fugacious, 

 twisted. Stamens 1-8, very rarely 5, 6, or 12. Ovary inferior, 1-6 very 

 often 4-celled. Fruit various, capsular or berry-like. 



EPILOBIUM (Willow Heeb).— A 

 genus with 50 species of erect, decumbent, 

 or creeping herbs or undershrubs, having 

 alternate and opposite, entire or toothed 

 leaves. Calyx tube slender, scarcely pro- 

 duced beyond the ovary, linear, 4-angled 

 or roundish ; limb 4-parted, deciduous. 

 Petals 4, obovate or obcordate, erect or 

 spreading. Stamens 8, alternately short 

 and lorig. Ovary 4-celled ; style thread- 

 like, with an oblique club-shaped or 4- 



lobed stigma. Capsule 4-angled, opening 

 between the cells. 



Cultii/re and Propagation. — The 

 kinds mentioned below are the only ones 

 of any garden value. They thrive in 

 any garden soil, and in any situation, and 

 require to be kept in check, or they will 

 soon choke choicer plants in a border or 

 shrubbery. They may also be used with 

 effect near water. Easily increased by 

 seeds sown in thp open border as soon as 



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