HELIANTHUS 



DAISY OBDEB 



VBBBESINA 517 



H. orgyalis. — A species with smooth, 

 purplish, glaucous stems 6-10 ft. high. 

 Leaves alternate narrow and recurved, 

 5 8 in. or more long, entire or slightly 

 toothed. Flowers late in autumn, nu- 

 merous, about 2 in. across, deep golden- 

 yellow, with a purple centre. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 division. 



H. petiolaris. — A rather rare annual 

 species, native of Texas, 2-3 ft. high, with 

 hairy stems and leaves, and yellow 

 flowers 3-4 in. across. The variety 

 canescens is covered with a hoary down. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds sown in the open border in April 

 and May, or in gentle heat in March. 



H. rigidus. — A well-known but very 

 variable species 3-5 ft. high, with roughish 

 or hairy purplish rigid stems, and broadly 

 lance-shaped pointed 3-nerved leaves, 

 alternate above, opposite below. Flowers 

 from July to September, bright yellow, 

 about 4 in. across, with a deep or dull 

 purplish centre. 



There are several varieties of this 

 species all superior to the ordinary form, 

 ^stivus, grwndAflorus, and elegans have 

 pvirplish centres ; latifoUus has broad 

 leaves and grows 6-7 ft. high. Miss 

 MelUsh is a very free strong-growing 

 variety about the same height, with 

 orange-yellow flowers 4-5 in. across, and 

 one of the best kinds to grow for Septem- 

 ber blooming ; semiplenus has numerous 

 ray florets and a purplish disc. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 division. 



H. scaberrimus. — A distinct CaUfor- 

 nian annual, with stout branching stems 

 2-3 ft. or more high, furnished with broad, 

 oval, coarsely toothed leaves, and having 

 large deep yellow flowers in summer. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds sown in the open border in April 

 and May, or in gentle heat in March. 



ACTINOMERIS.— A small genus 

 of perennial herbs with ovate or lance- 

 shaped serrated leaves, and flowers in 

 corymbose heads. 



A. squarrosa (Verbesina Coreopsis). — 

 A pretty N. American perennial with 

 square, winged stems, about 3 ft. high. 

 Leaves decurrent, broadly lance-shaped, 

 coarsely toothed. Flowers in July and 

 August, yellow, 2 in. or more across. 

 The plants known as aUernifolius and 



helianthoides are forms of this, if not 

 identical. There are two other species, 

 both N. American, one alata, about 3 ft. 

 high, the other ^rocera, about 8 ft. high. 



Culture amd Propagation. — These 

 ornamental plants grow well in loamy 

 soil, and may be increased by dividing 

 the roots in autumn or spring, or by seeds 

 sown in the open border or in cold 

 frames at the same periods. 



VERBESINA, (Crown Beard).— A 

 genus containing about 50 species of more 

 or less tender annual or perennial herbs, 

 having opposite (or the upper alternate) 

 leaves, stalked or sessile, toothed, lobed, 

 or rarely entire. Flower-heads yellow, or 

 the ray florets white, ligulate, spreading, 

 entire or 2-3-toothed. Receptacle flat, 

 convex or conical, with chaffy scales. 

 Aohenes flattened with two bristle_-like 

 awns. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants are sometimes used for outdoor 

 effect, more for the appearance of the 

 foliage than for the flowers. They thrive 

 in rich soil, and may be raised from seeds 

 sown in heat about March. The seed- 

 lings are pricked out into nice rich soil 

 and gradually hardened off in cooler 

 quarters so as to be ready for the open 

 air about June. The perennials may be 

 divided, or cuttings may be taken in 

 spring, as with Montanoas, from the old 

 rootstocks which have been placed in 

 gentle heat and kept sprinkled every day. 

 They nearly all require greenhouse shelter 

 in winter. 



V. alata. — A West Indian species, 



2 ft. high, with nearly glabrous, wavy and 

 sinuately toothed leaves, and orange- 

 yellow flowers. It derives its speciflo 

 name from the fact that the stems are 

 winged. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. encelioides. — A Mexican annual 2- 



3 ft. high, vnth ovate or oblong coarsely 

 toothed leaves, having broadly winged 

 stalks, lobed at the base, and yellow 

 flowers in August. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. gigantea. — A native of Jamaica, 

 about 6i ft. high, with beautiful large 

 glistening green leaves with winged stalks, 

 and yellow flowers in summer. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. pinnatifida. — A bold Mexican per- 

 ennial 3-4 ft. high, with broad deeply 



