ASTEANTIA 



SEA HOLLY OBDHJR 



MYKEHIS 467 



cold frames as soon as ripe, and the seed- 

 lings may be transplanted in mild weather 

 the following spring. 



A. carniolica. — A pretty species, 6-12 

 in. high, native of Carniola. Lower leaves 

 with 5-7 oblong-pointed, unequally ser- 

 rated lobes. Flowers in May, white. 

 Bracts 12-13, entire, white, with a central 

 green line tinged with red. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



A. helleborifolia {A. maxima). — A 

 native of the E. Caucasus, 1-2 ft. high. 

 Lower leaves with 3 ovate-lance-shaped, 

 unequally serrated lobes. Flowers in 

 June,piiJ£,with 12-13 ovate-lance-shaped, 

 bristly bracts of the same colour, some- 

 what exceeding the umbel. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. major. — A very distinct and pretty 

 European species 1-2 ft. high, now natura- 

 lised in woods near Ludlow and Malvern. 

 Leaves with 3-7 ovate-lanoe-shaped, 

 rather 8-cleft, bristly serrated lobes. 

 Flowers in June and July, white or pink, 

 with 15-20 linear lance-shaped, entire 

 reticulated bracts, white beneath, dark 

 green tinged with pink above. 



Culture cBc. as above. 



A. minor. — An interesting little peren- 

 nial 6-9 in. high, native of the Alps and 

 Pyrenees. It has leaves pahnately cut 

 or divided into 7-9 lance-shaped acute 

 toothed lobes. The small rosy-white 

 flowers appear in June and July, the 

 heads being surrounded by 12-15 whitish 

 bracts. 



Culture do. as above. 



HACQUETIA. — A genus containing 

 only the species described below : — 



H. Epipactis (Dojidia Epipactis). — A 

 curiously pretty perennial 3-6 in. high, 

 native of Carinthia and Carniola. Lower 

 leaves stalked, palmate, with 3 wedge- 

 shaped, 2-3-cleft leaflets. Flowers in 

 spring, greenish-yellow, polygamous, on 

 short pedicels, with an involucre of 5-6 

 obovate bracts, longer than the umbels. 

 Calyx teeth very sharp. Petals notched. 



Culture and Propagation. — Being 

 rather slow in growth it is safer not to 

 divide the plant until strong healthy 

 clumps have been formed. Spring is the 

 best time for division. The plant likes a 

 good rich loam, and may be used in the 

 rockery, edges of borders, banks &c. 



MOLOPOSPERMUM. — A genus 

 containing only one species here de- 

 scribed : — 



M. cicutarium. — A very ornamental 

 perennial 3-6 ft. high, native of the 

 mountains of Central Europe. The 

 strong hollow and furrowed stems are 

 furnished with large handsome leaves 

 pinnately divided and cut into irregularly 

 toothed lance-shaped segments. The 

 yellowish-white polygamous flowers are 

 borne in May in many-rayed umbels, and 

 have oblong or wedge-shaped petals with 

 incurved or slightly reflexed tips. 



Culture amd Propagation. — This 

 plant makes an elegant bush of dense 

 irregular growth, with finely divided Fern- 

 like foliage that renders it suitable either 

 for grouping on grass or for the wilder 

 and more picturesque parts of the garden. 

 It flourishes in ordinary good garden soil 

 with plenty of moisture in summer, and 

 may be increased by division of the roots 

 in early autumn or spring ; or by seeds 

 sown in cold frames when ripe, afterwards 

 transferring the seedlings in mUd weather 

 in spring. 



BUPLEURUM (Hare's Ear). —A 

 genus containing 60 species of quite 

 smooth shrubs or rigid annual or peren- 

 nial herbs, with mostly entire leaves. 

 Flowers usually in compound many- 

 rayed umbels. Calyx teeth obsolete. 

 Petals flat, incurved at the apex. Pniits 

 flattened. 



B. fruticosum. — A Spanish shrubby 

 species 3-6 ft. high, with purplish branches 

 and oblong, leathery, sea-green stalkless 

 leaves narrowed at the base. Flowers 

 in July, yellowish, with long involucral 

 bracts. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species grows readily in ordinary soil, 

 and may be increased fcom seeds sown as 

 soon as ripe in cold frames, or in spring, 

 afterwards pricking the seedlings out 

 when large enough for transferring to the 

 open border. Or the plants may be more 

 readily increased by dividing the roots in 

 early autumn or spring. 



There are other species such as fruU- 

 cescens, gra/m/i/rvifoUum, falcatum, ro- 

 tufidA/folium &c., but they are not gener- 

 ally grown except in botanic gardens. 



MYRRHIS (Myrrh ; Sweet Cicely). 

 A genus with 2 species of hairy peren- 

 nials, with finely cut, pinnate leaves and 

 white polygamous flowers. Calyx teeth 



hh2 



