CHLOEA 



GENTIAN OBDEB 



BKYTHKJi!A 651 



6-10) lobes or segments. Corolla gamopetalous, hypogynous, funnel-, salver-, 

 or bell-shaped, or rotate, with 4-5 (rarely 6-12) lobes mostly twisted in bud. 

 Stamens equal in number to the corolla lobes, and inserted on the tube 

 with free filaments. Ovary superior, sessile or rarely stalked, composed of 

 2 carpels, 1- or partly 2-celled, many-seeded. Style simple, 2-lobed. Capsule 

 membranous or hard, rarely fleshy. 



There are over 500 species of herbaceous plants in this order distributed 

 over almost all parts of the world, from the snowy mountain tops of Europe 

 to the hot sands of S. America and India. 



CHLORA (Yellow Wort). — A 

 small genus consisting of erect giaucesoent 

 annuals or biennials with opposite and 

 mostly connate leaves, and yellow flowers 

 in loose terminal corymbose cymes. Calyx 

 6-8-parted. Corolla with a short rotate 

 tube, deeply 6-8-cleft with oblong twisted 

 lobes. Stamens 6-9. Capsule 2-valved, 

 with numerous wrinkled seeds. 



C. grandiflora. — A pretty glaucous 

 biennial 6-12 in. high, native of Corsica 

 and Sardinia, having sinaple or slightly 

 branched stems, with elliptic oblong or 

 triangular acute leaves, the lower ones 

 narrow, the upper ones connate (i.e. 

 united) at the base. Flowers in summer, 

 bright golden-yeUow, in forked clusters. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species flourishes in light sandy soils 

 with a httle manure or leaf-mould, and 

 makes a pretty border plant, although it 

 is also useful for pot-culture. It may be 

 increased by seeds, which are very small, 

 and may be sown in a cold frame or in 

 pots in spring without being covered. 

 The seedlings are pricked out as usual, 

 and by June the plants are ready for 

 planting out, or growing on in the con- 

 servatory. The seeds may also be sown 

 when ripe in .cold frames, in order to ob- 

 tain larger and sturdier plants for the 

 open border the following spring. 



C. perfoliata. — A pretty European 

 annual about 1 ft. high, found growing in 

 a whd state in chalky pasttires, or banks, 

 and limestone and clayey soUs. The 

 cylindrical stems are forked and bear at 

 the base rosettes of oval leaves, those up- 

 wards near the middle being oval lance- 

 shaped, while the rest are perfoliate, that 

 is, as ii the stems passed through them 

 as shown in the Glossary, p. 13. Flowers 

 in July, golden-yellow, in forked corymbs. 



Culture dc. This may be grown lilte 

 the larger-flowered C. grancbifiora, and 

 increased by seeds sown in spring to flower 



in summer, or in autumn in cold frames 

 to flower in early summer. 



C. imperfoUata and C. serotina are 

 other yellow-flowered species, or varieties 

 of the above seldom seen. 



ERYTHR/EA (Centaury). — A genus 

 containing about 80 species of erect 

 stif6sh or dwarf annuals or perennials 

 with opposite stalkless and stem-clasping 

 leaves. Flowers rose, yellow, or rarely 

 white, borne in forked cymes at the ends 

 of the shoots. Calyx tubular more or less- 

 deeply 5- or 4-cleft with keeled lobes. 

 Corolla with 5, rarely 4, spreading lobes,, 

 twisted in bud. Stamens 5, rarely 4, 

 attached to the slender corolla tube, and 

 often protruding. Ovary 1-celled; style 

 filiform, 2-cleft at apex. Capsule oblong 

 or narrow. 



Culture and Propagation. — These are 

 pretty little rock plants and look effective 

 if grown in rather bold masses. They 

 flourish in hght sandy soil either exposed 

 to full sunshine or in partially shaded 

 situations. The annual kinds may be 

 raised from seeds sown in gentle heat 

 about March, or in the open air in April. 

 The perennial kinds may also be increased 

 in the same way as well as by dividing the 

 tufts in spring. 



E. Centaurium {Little Centaury). — 

 A pretty little British plant 6-18 in. high, 

 the lower leaves of which are oblong 

 spoon-shaped or ovate, the upper ones 

 sometimes linear. Flowers from June to 

 September, about J m. across, red or pink, 

 borne in forked clusters. There are several 

 forms of this species, one of the best being 

 littoralis (or UnarifoUa) found on sandy 

 shores. It grows 4-6 in. high, and has 

 bright pink flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. These plants 

 may be grown in dry light soils, in hot 

 sunny places. 



E. Massoni [E. diffusa). — A native 

 of the Azores, 4-6 in. high, with smooth 



