ABMEEIA 



THBIFT OBDEB 



AEMEBIA 603- 



S. speciosa. — A perennial species, 

 native of S. Eussia, wfth roundish or 

 oblong oboval leaves of a blue-green hue, 

 and rather abruptly narrowed at the 

 apex. The white or rosy flowers appear 

 from June to August, and are borne in 

 dense clusters on stif&sh fiat or angular 

 stems 12-18 in. high. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds or division. 



S. spicata. — An Asiatic annual about 

 6 in. high. Leaves in rosettes, oblong- 

 lance-shaped, entire or cut, smooth or 

 slightly hairy beneath. Flowers in sum- 

 mer, pink or white. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds in autumn or spring. 



S. SuvTorowi. — A beautiful annual 

 about 1 ft. high, native of Turkestan. 

 Leaves radical, oblong lance - shaped, 

 entire, or coarsely lobed and toothed. 

 Flowers in summer, soft lilac, in dense 

 masses. 



Culture do. as above. Increased by 

 seeds in autumn or spring. 



S. tatarica. — A native of S.B. Europe, 

 about 1 ft. high. Leaves tufted, 4-6 in. 

 long, oblong spoon- shaped, wavy. Flowers 

 in June and July to September, bright 

 ruby-red. There is a narrow-leaved 

 variety called angustifolia not often seen. 



Culture do. as above. Increased by 

 seeds or division. 



S. Thouini {8. agyptiaca). — A tender 

 rather glaucous annual about 1^ ft. high, 

 native of S. Europe and N. Africa, with 

 deeply cut and lobed leaves. Flowers in 

 May and June, yellow, numerous, on 

 forked scapes. 



Culture do. as above. Increased by 

 seeds in autumn or spring. 



ARMERIA (Thrift; Sea Pink).— 

 A genus containing about 20 species of 

 tufted perennial grassy herbs with entire 

 linear leaves, and flowers in dense solitary 

 heads. Calyx funnel-shaped, 10-ribbed, 

 and 5-toothed. Petals distinct or slightly 

 united at the very base, obovate or oblong, 

 entire. Stamens slightly adnate to the 

 petals at the base. 



Culture and Propagation. — Armerias 

 flourish in well-drained sandy loam and 

 leaf soil, and make excellent rock plants, 

 or edgings for borders. Several kinds are 

 easily increased by dividing the tufts in 

 spring or early autumn, and well watering 

 them into their new quarters. Seeds of 



the rarer kinds may be sown in cold 

 frames in autumn, and the seedlings 

 planted out in spring. 



A. csespitosa. — A pretty little Thrift, 

 native of the Spanish mountains. It 

 forms dense tufts of short narrow 3-sided 

 rigid and recurved leaves, and during the 

 summer months produces its small heads 

 of pale lilac flowers on downy stalks 1-2 

 in. high. 



Culture do. as above. 



A. dianthoides. — A native of S. Europe 

 with slightly downy spreading leaves, and 

 close heads of pale pink flowers in May 

 and June, on stalks about 6 in. high. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. juncea {A. setacea). — A native of 

 S. France with small erect roundish,, 

 pointed, deep green leaves. Flowers in 

 June, rosy-pink, in small heads on stalks 

 about 3 in. high. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. juniperifolia. — A densely tufted 

 Spanish species about 6 in. high, with 

 short stiff Juniper-like leaves. Flowers in 

 May and June, deep rose, in small dense- 

 heads. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. latifolia {A. Cephalotes; A. for- 

 mosa ; A. mcmritanica ; A. pseudo- 

 armeria). — A handsome perennial 6-18 in. 

 high, native of the Mediterranean regions. 

 Leaves broadly lance-shaped, 3-4 in. long, 

 smooth, acute, with channelled stalks. 

 Flowers in June, deep rose or crimson, in 

 large roundish heads or erect stalks. 



Culture dc. as above. This species is 

 rather difficult to divide successfully, and' 

 is on the whole best obtained by sowing 

 seeds as soon as ripe in cold frames as 

 recommended. 



A. maritima (Statice Armeria). — A 

 pretty tufted grass-like perennial 3-4 in. 

 high. Flowers from May to July, pink 

 or rose, in dense rounded heads on erect 

 stalks. The variety alba has larger heads 

 of pure white flowers, and is very hand- 

 some and quite as vigorous as the type ; 

 alpina is a dwarf alpine form; lauche- 

 ana has a very dense habit and deep pink 

 flowers on stalks about 6 in. high. Crim- 

 son Qem is a vigorous garden variety with 

 heads of bright crimson flowers on stalks- 

 about 9 in. high; and Ewart is a very 

 deep crimson-purple form that at once 

 attracts attention. 



Closely related to A. maritima is. 



