GENTIAN OBDEB 



MBNYANTHES 657 



ones on the stem being stalkless. Flowers 

 late in summer, whitish, dotted with pale 

 blue, and crowded at the ends of the 

 branches ; corolla ] in. across, with elliptic- 

 lanoe-shaped acute lobes. 

 Culture dc. as above. 



SWERTIA (Pelwokt). — A genus 

 containing about 40 species of erect 

 annual or perennial herbs with simple 

 or branching stems. Leaves opposite, or 

 radical in the perennial kinds, long- staEjed, 

 those of the stem sometimes alternate. 

 Flowers blue, rarely yellow, cymose or 

 loosely pedicellate, in raceme-like or 

 corymbose clusters. Calyx 4-5 - parted, 

 with Unear lance-shaped 1-3-nerved seg- 

 ments. CoroUa tube very short, rotate, 

 with 4-5 twisted lobes. Stamens 4-5 

 attached to the base of the corolla. Ovary 

 1 -celled. 



Culture and Propagation. — Only a few 

 species are of any garden value. The 

 annuals may be raised from seed sown in 

 gentle heat in March, the seedHngs being 

 transplanted at the end of May to the 

 open border where they are to flower. 

 The perennial kinds may be increased by 

 division in spring, or early autumn ; and 

 also by means of seeds sown when ripe, or 

 in spring in cold frames, and transplanted 

 in spring. Ordinary garden soil will suit 

 thep very well, but a mixture of peat and 

 sandy loam is preferable. The plants are 

 suitable for the rock garden or border, and 

 are best in damp and partially shaded 

 situations. 



S. alata (Ophelia alata). — An Indian 

 annual 1-2 ft. high, with 4-angled, often 

 4-winged stems, and ovate acute leaves. 

 Flowers in summer, bright greenish-yel- 

 low veined with purple, in large panicles. 



Culture dc. as above. 



S. angustifolia (Oy^eKa anguatifolia). 

 An Indian annual 1-2 ft. high with 

 narrow lance-shaped leaves. Flowers in 

 summer, usually white, dotted with blue 

 or black; sepals often longer than the 

 corolla. 



Culture So. as above. 



S. corymbosa {Ophelia corymhosa). 

 A 4-angled or 4-winged Indian annual, 

 8-20 in. high, with obovate, spoon-shaped 

 or ovate oblong leaves ^f in. long. 

 Flowers in May, pale blue, or white with 

 blue veins, in flat-topped corymbs. 

 S. trichotoma with elliptic lance-shaped 



leaves and white flowers is closely related 

 to this species. 



Culture dc. as above. 



S. paniculata {Ophelia paniculata). 

 A pretty Indian annual about 1 ft. high, 

 with oblong or lance-shaped leaves. 

 Flowers In summer, white with two purple 

 or bright green marks at the base of the 

 coroUa lobes. 



Culture dc. as above. 



S. perennis. — A distinct European 

 perennial about 9 in. high, with erect, 

 simple, slightly 4-angled stems, and 

 stalked, ovate, or eUiptic bluntish leaves. 

 Flowers in July, dull greyish-piu-ple with 

 dark spots, borne in erect spikes. 



Culture dc. as above. An interesting 

 perennial suitable for boggy or moist 

 peaty spots in the rock garden. It may be 

 raised from seeds sown in spring under 

 glass, or by dividing the roots. This is the 

 best known and most desirable species. 



S. purpurascens. — An Indian annual 

 1-3 ft. high, having oblong or lance-shaped 

 leaves about 1-J in. long. Flowers in 

 June, purple or dark-red, in many-flowered 

 leafy panicles. 



Culture dc. as above. 



MENYANTHES (Buck or Bog 

 Bean). — A small genus of aquatic or 

 marshy perennials with long, thiokish 

 creeping stems. Leaves alternate at the 

 base of the stems with sheathing stalks, 

 and composed of 3 entire or roundish 

 kidney-shaped leaflets. Flowers white or 

 blush, in racemes at the end of a scape 

 or long staUi. Calyx 5-parted with oblong 

 lance-shaped segments. Corolla shortly 

 funnel-shaped, 5-oleft to the middle, the 

 inner surface of the lobes being crested, or 

 fimbriated. Stamens 5, afiSxed to the 

 corolla tube, and having arrow-shaped 

 anthers. Glands 5, hypogynous. Ovary 

 1-celled ; stigma 2-lobed. 



Culture and Propagation. — The Bog 

 Beans are easily grown in shallow water 

 or very marshy soU. In water there 

 should be a good layer of muddy soil at 

 the bottom for the creeping roots to ram- 

 ble in. The plants may be easily increased 

 by dividing the rootstook, each portion 

 being pegged down in the mud so as to 

 induce new roots to develop more quickly 

 and thus establish the plant. 



M. Crista-galli {Villarsia Crista- 

 galli). — A North American marsh plant 

 with long-stalked kidney-shaped crenate 



u u 



