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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS valekiana 



CRUCIANELLA (Crosmoort). — K 

 genus containing about 26 species of an- 

 nual or perennial hairy herbs, with 4 or 

 more linear lance-shaped leaves in a whorl. 

 Flowers in spikes or fascicles ; corolla 

 funnel-shaped, with a. long slender, tube. 



C. stylosa. — A pretty dwarf procum- 

 bent plant, 9-12 in. high, native of the 

 Caucasus and Persia. Leaves 8-9 in » 

 whorl. Flowers in summer, pale rose, 

 small, freely produced in dense terminal 

 heads, style much protruding beyond the 

 mouth of the corolla. There is a scarlet- 

 flowered form called coccinea and also 

 one caileA. purpurea with purple blossoms. 



Culture wncL Propagation. — This plant 

 is suitable for borders, bare banks, or 

 rockeries, in sandy or chalky soil. It 

 makes large masses or tufts and requires 

 to be either divided or cut back to be kept 

 within bounds. It is easily increased by 

 division in early autumn or spring, and 

 by means of seed sown in cold frames as 

 soon as ripe, or in the open border about 

 April ; or in gentle heat about March. 



MITCHELLA.— A genus with a few 

 species of smooth or downy creeping 

 herbs, with opposite, shortly-stalked, ovate 

 roundedleaves, and white fragrant flowers. 

 Calyx tube ovoid; limb 3-6-toothed. 

 Corolla funnel-shaped, bearded in the 

 throat ; limb 3-6-lobed, recurved, valvate. 

 Fruit scarlet. 



M. repens. — A pretty little North 

 American plant with small reddish leaves 

 often marked with whitish lines. Flowers 

 in summer, white, tinged with purple, 

 fragrant, usually two on each steiH. 



Culture and Propagation. — A useful 

 plant for rockwork in ordinary soil. It 

 may be increased by division in early 

 autumn or spring; or seeds may be sown 

 in cold frames when ripe, or in gentle 

 heat in March, afterwards transferring 

 the seedlings to the open about the end of 

 ■ May. 



NERTERA. — A small genus of 

 slender smooth or sUghtly hairy creeping 

 herbs with small, opposite, sessile or 

 stalked, more or less ovate lance-shaped 

 leaves. Flowers inconspicuous, sessile 

 axillary, hermaphrodite, or one-sexed by 

 abortion. Calyx tube ovoid 4-5-toothed. 

 Corolla tubular or funnel-shaped with a 

 smooth throat, and 4 sub-erect lobes. 

 Stamens 4, protruding. Ovary 2-ceIIed; 

 style 2-branched. Fruit a fleshy red 

 ovoid or globose 2-stoned drupe. 



N. depressa {Bead Plant). — A charm- 

 ing New Zealand plant forming dense 

 tufts or masses of small ovate rather fleshy 

 bright green leaves. Flowers minute, 

 greenish or pinkish, succeeded by great 

 numbers of juicy bright orange-red round- 

 ish berries about half the size of Peas. 



Culture and Propagation. — This in- 

 teresting little plant has been called the 

 Flowering or Fruiting Duckweed, but it 

 has no affinity at all with the true Duck- 

 weed, which is nearer the Arrowheads 

 (p. 806) and Flowering Rushes (p. 806). 

 It prefers light sandy loam and a little 

 leaf mould, and makes a bright show in 

 the rock garden if it can be grown in a 

 cool place facing north. It must have 

 plenty of light without strong sunshine, 

 and also an abundance of water during 

 the summer months. Grown in shallow 

 pots or pans under similar conditions in 

 cold frames, the plants may be used in a 

 variety of ways, and are very effective in 

 cold greenhouses. They may be increased 

 by dividing the tufts in early spring and 

 placing the pieces in smaE pots in light 

 soil plunged in a little heat nntU esta- 

 blished. Afterwards they should be re- 

 moved to cooler quarters and hardened 

 off as much as possible. Seeds may also 

 be sown as soon as ripe in a, cool damp 

 shaded frame, afterwards pricking the 

 tiny seedlings out into pans of finely 

 sifted soil. 



LX. VALERIANEiE— Valerian Order 



An order comprising 9 genera and about 300 species of annual or perennial 

 herbs, or undershrubs, with opposite entire or pinnatifid leaves and small 

 .flowers in forked cymes. Flowers hermaphrodite or sometimes dioecious by 

 abortion. Calyx superior, limb lobed or feathery. Corolla funnel-shaped, 

 tube often spurred at the base; lobes 3-5, unequal. Stamens 1-5, often 

 protruding. Fruit dry, indehiscent. 



VALERIANA.— A genus of perennial 

 herbs or undershrubs, the lower leaves 



of which are entire or toothed, the upper 

 ones pinnately divided, or twice or thrice 



