MOLTKIA 



FOBQET-ME-NOT OBDEB 



AENBBIA 679 



L. graminifolium {Molfkia graw/imi- 

 folAa). — A tufted, grass-like species from 

 N. Italy with linear acute leaves. Flowers 

 from June to August, deep blue, droop- 

 ing, in terminal clusters on wiry scapes 

 6-12 in. high. 



Culture So. as above. Sunny parts of 

 the rookery in rich sandy soil. 



L. hirtum (Batsehia Qmelini). — A 

 rare perennial about 6 in. high, native 

 of the S. United States. Leaves linear 

 lance-shaped, obtuse, 2-3 in. long. 

 Flowers from May to July, orange - 

 yellow, rather hairy outside. 



Culture dc. as above. Warm sheltered 

 nooks in the rock garden in well-drained 

 sandy loam. 



L. prostratum (L. fruticosum). — A 

 beautiful S. European dwarf trailing 

 evergreen with prostrate spreading hairy 

 stems, woody at the base. Leaves 

 sessile, linear lance-shaped, roughly 

 hairy. Flowers in early summer, bright 

 Gentian blue, about ^ in. across, with 

 reddish-violet stripes. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — This fine 

 free-flowering species is well suited for 

 the rook garden, where its trailing stems 

 can ramble over the rooks and display to 

 advantage the brUliant flowers. On dry, 

 rich, sandy soils it is also an excellent 

 border plant forming rounded masses 1 

 ft. or so high. It is diflicult to increase 

 except by cuttings from the previous 

 year's growth inserted in fine sandy peat, 

 under a beU-glass or handlight, and kept 

 shaded and cool for a few weeks. 



L. purpureo-cseruleum. — A handsome 

 perennial with creeping stems and erect 

 flower-stalks about 1 ft. high. It is 

 found wild occasionally in the south of 

 England in copses on limestone and 

 chalk. Leaves l|-3 in. long, nearly 

 sessile, narrow lance-shaped, and softly 

 hairy. Flowers in June and July, about 

 J in. across, bright bluish-purple. 



Culture d-c. as above. Suitable for 

 borders, rockeries, the edges of shrub- 

 beries, copses &c. in any soil except a 

 clayey one. Increased by seeds and 

 division. Other British species are L. 

 arvense, with creamy-white flowers, and 

 L. officinale, with yellowish-white ones, 

 and much more common than L. pur- 

 purea - ccerulewm. 



MOLTKIA. — A genus containing 6 

 or 7 species of more or less downy peren- 



nial herbs often tufted and sometimes 

 woody at the base. Leaves alternate, 

 narrow. Flowers blue or yeUow, in one- 

 sided spikes at the ends of the branches. 

 Calyx deeply 5- cleft or parted, with linear 

 segments. Corolla tubular, funnel-shaped, 

 with a naked or hairy throat, and 5 obtuse 

 erect or scarcely spreading lobes. Sta- 

 mens 5, protruding. Nutlets often solitary 

 by abortion. 



Culture amd Propagation. — Moltkias 

 are closely related to the GromweUs 

 (Lithospermum) and may be grown under 

 somewhat similar conditions and treat- 

 ment. They flourish in ordinary good 

 garden soil of a rather sandy nature 

 and fairly well exposed to the sun. The 

 plants may be increased by seeds sown as 

 soon as ripe in cold frames, or by means 

 of cuttings inserted in sandy soil in cold 

 fi?amee or under hand-lights during the 

 summer. 



M. caerulea. — A somewhat shrubby 

 species about 1 ft. high, native of Asia 

 Minor. Leaves oblong lance-shaped, 

 acute, rather sUky. Flowers in April, 

 bluish-purple, in spikes 4-6 in. long with 

 lance-shaped bracts. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



M. petrsa (Lithospermum petrcBum). 

 A pretty Dalmatian dwarf shrub 6-8 in. 

 high, like a small Rosemary bush, with 

 greyish, narrow, oblong linear leaves 

 1-1^ in. long. Flowers from May to 

 July, at first pinkish-purple, afterwards 

 rich violet-blue, about i in. across, in 

 dense clusters on simple or forked 

 racemes. This species is also known as 

 Lithospermum rosmarvnifoUum. 



CiUture and Propagation. — Flour- 

 ishes in deep, well-drained sandy soil in 

 sunny sheltered parts of the rock garden. 

 It is usually increased by cuttings 

 inserted in summer in sandy soil in a 

 cold frame or under handlights, and 

 kept close and shaded for a few weeks. 



A totally different plant — Erodium 

 petrcswm — belonging to the Geranium 

 Order (p. 284) has been confused with 

 this species. 



ARNEBIA (Peophet or Mohammed's 

 Flower). — A genus containing about 12 

 species of pretty perennial or annual 

 hairy herbs, erect or spreading in habit, 

 with alternate leaves. Flowers yellow 

 or violet, almost stalkless, in simple 

 racemes or leafy branched cymes. Calyx 



