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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS febula 



minute or absent. Petals wedge-shaped, 

 obovate or oblong, incurved at the tip. 

 Fruit flattened, shortly beaked. Carpo- 

 phore 2-cleft. 



M. odorata. — A graceful native plant 

 2-3 ft. high, with ternately decompound 

 leaves, having pinnately out leaflets. 

 Flowers in May, white, sweet-scented, 

 with involucres of many lance-shaped 

 ciliated bracts. Fruit about 1 in. long, 

 with 5 prominent ribs, usually clothed 

 with minute rigid hairs. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species is suitable for naturalising near 

 woodland walks, shrubberies, and wild 

 places generally. It may be increased 

 by division in early autumn or spring or 

 by seeds sown out of doors as soon as ripe 

 in prepared spots, afterwards pricking the 

 seedlings out in spring. It was once used 

 as a pot herb in this country. 



FCENICULUM (Fennel).— A genus 

 of 3 or 4 species of tall, smooth, biennial 

 or perennial herbs, with finely divided, 

 pinnate leaves, and yellow flowers in 

 compound umbels. 



F. dulce and F. vulgare (or officinalis) 

 are best known. The former, although a 

 biennial, is considered by some to be 

 merely a form of the perennial P. vulga/re, 

 a native of Britain and S. Europe. 



Cultwre and Propagation. — Although 

 useful as pot herbs, the Fennels have 

 such graceful feathery foliage that they 

 are worth a place on any waste bank. 

 They will thrive in ordinary soU, and 

 may be easUy increased by seeds sown in 

 spring out of doors or by division of the 

 roots early in autumn. 



MEUM. — A genus with only one 

 species : — 



M. athamanticum (Spignel). — An 

 elegant and fragrant native perennial 

 6-18 in. high, chiefly found in northern 

 alpine pastures. The oblong leaves are 

 pinnately divided and cut into numerous 

 Fern-like leaflets, and the white or purplish 

 flowers are borne in compound umbels in 

 June and July. 



Culture amd Propagation. — This 

 graceful perennial is chiefly valuable for 

 its finely divided elegant foliage, and is a 

 suitable plant for the border or rock- 

 garden. It flourishes in ordinary garden 

 soil, but likes plenty of water during the 

 summer months to keep it in a fresh- 

 looking condition. It may be increased 

 by dividing the roots in early autumn or 



spring ; and by seeds sown in the open 

 border or cold frames when ripe. 



ACIPHYLLA. — A genus containing 

 about 20 species of curious perennial 

 herbs with pinnately divided and much- 

 cut leaves. Flowers white, often poly- 

 gamous-dioecious, borne in compound 

 umbels. Calyx teeth usuaEy conspicuous. 

 Petals acute or tapering, concave or 

 slightly inflexed at the tip. 



A. Colensoi. — This is a native of New 

 Zealand and forms a roundish spiny bush 

 4-8 ft. high in its native country. A. 

 LjalU is very similar in habit but is 

 smoother in all its parts, the leaves being 

 pinnately divided into sharp spiny seg- 

 ments. A. squarrosa, known as the 

 ' Bayonet Plant,' is the best known species 

 and is similar to the others in habit and 

 appearance. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants flourish in well-drained sandy soil 

 and are suitable for warm sunny parts of 

 the rock garden. They may be increased 

 by dividing the roots in early autumn or 

 spring, or by sowing the seeds in cold 

 frames when ripe. 



FERULA (Giant Fennel). — A genus 

 with 60 species of glaucous smooth herbs, 

 with large, finely divided leaves, and tall 

 branched flower stems. Umbels com 

 pound, many-rayed. Fruit almost flat 

 winged at the sides. 



Culture and Propagation. — The Gianc 

 Fennels are noble-looking plants, especi- 

 ally if grown in deep rich soil. They are 

 easily grown, and should be planted in 

 positions in which they are not likely to 

 be disturbed for a few years. Either 

 singly or in small groups near a shrubbery, 

 or on a lawn or grass land, they have a 

 graceful effect, especially in early spring 

 when their deep green beautiful foliage 

 is seen to great advantage. 



The plants have thick roots, and should 

 be very carefully divided when aa increase 

 is desired. They are easily raised fi-om 

 seed, which should be sown as soon as 

 ripe in a prepared spot, and afterwards 

 carefuUy transplanted the following spring 

 in mild showery weather. 



The following are best known : — 



F. communis. — A noble plant 8-12 

 ft. high, native of the Mediterranean 

 region, with finely out, needle-like, flaccid 

 leaves, the upper ones with very large 

 sheaths. Flowers in June, yellow ; een- 



