BHYNGIUM 



SEA HOLLY OBDEB 



EEYNGIUM 465 



regular, hermaphrodite, or often polygamous-monoecious, rarely 

 dioecious, in compound or simple umbels, or rarely capitate or whorled. 

 Calyx 5-lobed, or almost absent. Petals 5, epigynous, usually obovate or 

 obcordate, the tips usually incurved. Stamens 5, filaments incurved. 

 Ovary inferior, usually 2-celled ; styles 2, distinct, erect or recurved. Fruit 

 of 2 indehiscent, 1-seeded, flattened carpels or merioarps, with 10 more or less 

 prominent ridges or oil canals technically known as vittae. 



TRACHYMENE. — A genus with 

 about 14 species of usually hairy herbs, 

 having ternately dissected, or rarely 

 divided, toothed leaves, and flowers in 

 simple umbels. 



T. caerulea [DiMscus cceruleua). — A 

 native of W. Australia 1-2 ft. high, with 

 leaves once or twice three-parted ; lobes 

 linear wedge-shaped, trifid or incised. 

 Flowers in July and August, lavender-blue, 

 on long stalks, each bearing an umbel 

 1-2 in. across. There is also a white- 

 flowered variety rarely seen. 



Culture cmd Propagation. — This 

 annual is best raised from seeds sown in 

 heat in February or March, but care must 

 be taken not to keep the seedlings too 

 moist, or they may damp off. By the end 

 of May they wiU be strong enough for 

 planting out in rather good warm soil. It 

 may be noted that plants with blue flowers 

 are very rare in the Umbelhfer order, and 

 this rather tender annual is therefore 

 decidedly interesting. 



ERYNGIUM (Eryngo ; Sea Holly). 

 A genus containing over 100 species of 

 usually spiny, perennial, Thiatle-lijce herbs, 

 with spiny-toothed, lobed or dissected 

 leaves, rarely entire and stifHy ciliated. 

 Flowers sessile, in dense heads or spikes, 

 surrounded by a whorl of spiny bracts. 

 Calyx teeth rigid, acute or pungent. 

 Petals erect. Disc dilated. Fruit ovoid 

 or obovoid, scarcely compressed, with 

 a broad commissure. 



Culture and Propagation. — Many of 

 the Eryngiums are now very popular 

 garden plants, and are more valued for 

 the appearance of the bracts than for the 

 flowers themselves. Some of the more 

 highly coloured species like B. amethysU- 

 num when grown in masses or beds by 

 themselves are very effective. They 

 thrive in a light, well-drained, sandy 

 loam, and may be increased by very care- 

 ful division early in autumn or in spring. 

 If not carefully done the divided plants 

 may, and often do, die. They are per- 

 haps better raised from seeds sown as 



soon as ripe, and kept in a cold frame 

 until spring, when they will germinate. 

 By September the seedlings will be fit for 

 planting out, or if the season be unfavour- 

 able, they may be planted the following 

 spring. The chief point to remember in 

 the cultivation of Sea Hollies is the fact 

 that they dislike moist or wet situations, 

 and enjoy warm and thoroughly well- 

 drained soil. 



The following are a few of the best for 

 garden purposes, although many others 

 are to be found in botanical collections : — 



E. alpinum. — A native of the Alpine 

 pastures of Switzerland, 1^2 ft. high. 

 Lower leaves long-stalked, heart-shaped, 

 toothed, undivided, the upper ones stem- 

 clasping, palmately lobed, and serrately 

 fringed. Flowers in summer, blue or 

 white, in oblong heads ; bracts 10-20, ol 

 a beautiful deep blue, the outer ones 

 pirmatifid, the inner ones deeply serrate- 

 ciliate. Theerroneous name oiccelestinv/m 

 has recently been applied to this plant by 

 some growers and may lead to confusion. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 likes a rather chalky well-drained soil. 

 Increased by seeds or division. 



E. amethystinum. — A beautiful but 

 rather straggling species 1-1^ ft. high, 

 native of Dalmatia and Croatia. Lower 

 leaves pinnatifid, with cut spiny lobes. 

 Flowers in July and August, amethyst- 

 purple, in rounded heads, with 7-8 long 

 lanceolate toothed bracts and brUHant 

 violet-purple stems. 



CvXtu/re dc. as above. This species 

 is often confused with E. oUverianum, a 

 much taller and more vigorous plant. It 

 is easily raised from seed. 



E. Bourgati. — This is the ' Ohardons 

 bleus ' of the Pyrenees, and grows 1-2 ft. 

 high. Lower leaves roundish, 3-parted, 

 with pinnatifid or forked lobes. Flowers 

 from June to August, bluish, Ln ovoid 

 heads, with 10-12 beautiful long, lance- 

 shaped, prickly bracts of a striking bluish 

 sea-green colour. 



Culture dc. as above. 



