656 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS gentiana 



which grows 9-12 in. high, and has erect 

 blue flowers. 



Culture do. as above. They all like 

 deep, moist, or half boggy situations in the 

 rockery, and may be increased by careful 

 division or seeds. 



G. punctata. — A native of the Alps 

 1-2 ft. high, with somewhat 4-angled 

 stems, and ovate acutish leaves, lower 

 ones stalked, upper ones tapering. Flowers 

 in June, large, beU-shaped, in whorls ; 

 corolla yellow, dotted with numerous 

 purple spots, and 6-8-lobed. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. purpurea. — A European species 

 1-2 ft. high, with faintly 4-angled stems. 

 Lower leaves ovate, passing upwards into 

 ovate lance-ahaped and broadly lance- 

 shaped, united and sheathing at the base. 

 Flowers in June and July, 3-8 at the ends 

 of the branches, sohtary in the leaf axils ; 

 coroUa purple, Hned and dotted inside, 

 leathery in texture, beU-shaped ; tube 

 striped with greenish-yeUow. O. gau- 

 diniana is supposed to be a hybrid be- 

 tween this species and O. punctata. It is 

 a native of Switzerland, and is a more 

 vigorous plant than G. purpurea. The 

 flowers are lurid purple, with more pointed 

 corolla-lobes. 



Culture do. as above. 



G. pyrenaica. — A pretty Pyrenean 

 species, about 3 in. high, with procumbent 

 or trailing stems branching at the base, 

 the flowerless ones being densely leafy. 

 Leaves lance-shaped linear, the lower 

 ones in rosettes, the upper ones united 

 at the base and sheathing. Flowers in 

 April, solitary at the ends of the branches ; 

 ooroUa funnel-shaped, pale green outside, 

 deep blue within, 5-lobed, with smaller 

 oblong obtuse orenulate segments alter- 

 nating. 



Culture dc. as for G. verna. 



G. quinqueflora. — AN. American 

 species about IJ ft. high, with stem-clasp- 

 ing, deltoid, heart-shaped, 8-5-nerved 

 leaves. Flowers in October, lilac, 3-5 

 together in clusters at the ends of the 

 branches ; corolla narrowly funnel-shaped, 

 calyx very short, acute-lobed. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. Saponaria {G. Catesbcei). — A native 

 of Carolina with roundish minutely 

 downy stems, 6-18 in. high, and short, 

 elliptic-ovate, acute leaves with roundish 

 edges. Flowers in August, pale blue, in 



terminal clusters ; corolla bell-shaped, 

 5-lobed, somewhat inflated in the middle, 

 with 5 jagged teeth between the lobes. 

 There is a white-flowered variety. 



Culture Sc. as above for G. Andrewsi. 



G. septemfida. — A pretty Persian 

 species 6-18 in. high, with simple erect 

 4-angled, purplish stems. Leaves united 

 at the base, shining green, bluntly lance- 

 shaped, 3-nerved, and about 3 in. long. 

 Flowers in June and July, in clusters in 

 the axils of the leaves, and at the ends of 

 the branches ; coroUa bright blue, vrith a 

 white crescent-shaped blotch at the base of 

 each segment at the mouth of the funnel- 

 shaped tube. The variety cordifolia 

 (often cultivated as G. gelida) has ovate 

 heart-shaped 5-nerved dark green leath- 

 ery leaves and compact heads of deep blue 

 flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 flourishes in sandy soil in the rockery or 

 flower border in fairly sunny positions. 



G. tibetica. — A distinct Himalayan 

 species about 2 ft. high, remarkable for its 

 large bright shining green leaves about a 

 foot long and 3 in. broad. The flowers 

 appear in July and August, and are grey- 

 ish-white. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. verna. — A charming species 1-3 

 in. high, found on the mountain pastures 

 of Central and S. Europe, and in the 

 northern parts of England, and the West 

 of Ireland. Leaves ovate acutish, lower 

 ones crowded, upper ones in pairs. Flowers 

 in April and May, brilliant blue, soUtary 

 at the tips of the simple stems ; corolla 

 salver - shaped, 5 - cleft, with 5 small 

 alternatmg bifid scales. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species flourishes in deep sandy loam, 

 with which pieces of limestone rock may 

 be mixed. It loves open sunny places 

 away from taller overhanging plants, and 

 a plentiful supply of moisture during the 

 summer months, and whilst making its 

 new growths. It is a particularly suit- 

 able rock plant, but may also be grown 

 on the edges of flower borders in moist 

 deep sandy loam, kept together by means 

 of stone or challv rock. Seeds may be 

 sown as soon as ripe, or the plants may 

 be very carefully divided in early spring. 



G. Walujewi. — A native of Turkestan, 

 with solitary or twin stems arising from 

 the rosettes of lance-shaped leathery 

 leaves narrowed into stalks ; the upper 



