ONOSMA 



FOBGET-ME-NOT OBDEB 



ONOSMA 681 



blunt, sometimes widened at the base. 

 Flowers from June to August, 1 in. 

 across, dark bluish-purple, with stamens 

 slightly protruding, and borne in spread- 

 ing curved cymes 4-6 in. long. 



Culture dc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds sown annually. 



E. vulgare (Viper's Buglosa). — A 

 British biennial 2-4 ft. high. Lower 

 leaves stalked, 4-8 in. long ; upper ones 

 sessile lance-shaped or oblong rounded 

 at the base. Flowers from June to 

 August, I in. across, reddish-purple in 

 bud, bright blue when open, rarely white, 

 4 stamens protruding, and borne in curved 

 panicled cymes. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 flourishes in light sandy soil in the border 

 or rough parts of the garden and may be 

 raised from seeds sown annually when 

 ripe or in spring. 



ONOSMA (Golden Drop). — A genus 

 containing about 70 species of more or 

 less hairy annual, biennial, or perennial 

 herbs or shrubs with alternate leaves. 

 Mowers yellow, rarely white or purple, 

 pedicellate or nearly sessile, borne in 

 simple one-sided curved racemes or 

 branched cymes. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 

 tubular, often narrowed at the base, often 

 widened about the centre, and again 

 contracted near the 5 very short tooth- 

 like lobes. Stamens 5, rarely protruding. 

 Style thread-like, protruding. Nutlets 4, 

 or fewer by abortion. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants thrive in rich deep sandy loam 

 which must be well drained. A little peat 

 or leaf-mould may also be added, and 

 during wet winters it is advisable to cover 

 the plants with a handlight or a sheet of 

 glass. The hairiness of the foliage retains 

 the moisture, and in cold winters this is 

 very injurious. They may be increased 

 by cuttings of the basal shoots taken in 

 summer, and inserted in moist sandy soil 

 under a close and shaded handlight. Too 

 much water must not be given, as the 

 hairy leaves are liable to rot off. 



O. albo-roseum. — A pretty little peren- 

 nial 3-6 in. high, native of Asia Minor. 

 It has tufts of grey-green hairy leaves, and 

 drooping tubular white flowers about 1^ in. 

 long, swollen near the top, and with a rosy 

 or reddish hairy calyx, the lobes of which 

 are about half as long as the white corolla 

 tube. 



Culture do, as above. 



O. bracteosum. — A distinct species 3-6 

 in. high, with hairy oblong oblanceolate 

 leaves, l|-2 in. long, and clusters of 

 drooping white tubular blossoms in June, 

 the hairy calyx segments being three- 

 fourths as long as the corolla tube. 



Culture do. as above. This species is 

 not yet well known but deserves to be 

 cultivated, although it appears to _ be 

 rather shy in blooming. It likes gritty 

 well-drained soil in sheltered parts of the 

 rockery, and should be protected with a 

 handlight or sheet of glass in winter to 

 keep off the heavy rains. 



O. echioides. — A native of S. Europe 

 with greyish-green oblanceolate leaves 

 4-5 in. long, covered with whitish 

 adpressed hairs. Flowers in May and 

 June, on leafy stems 6-9 in. high, bright 

 yellow, tubular, in drooping clusters. 



Culture do. as above. As this plant is 

 a biennial it is necessary to raise seeds 

 regularly every year to prevent it dying 

 out. 



O. pyramidale. — A rare Himalayan 

 species 1^-2 ft. high, covered with white 

 hairs. Leaves in dense tufts, 10-12 in. 

 long, narrow lance-shaped acute, the 

 upper ones shorter and more pointed. 

 Flowers in October, bright scarlet, fading 

 to lilac, drooping in short curved 

 racemes. 



Culture do. as above. Owing to the 

 unique colour of the blossoms every effort 

 should be made to increase this species. 



O. simplicissimum. — A Siberian species 

 about a foot high with linear leaves 

 covered more or less with sUky hairs. 

 The pale yellow flowers are usually borne 

 in twos at the ends of the shoots. 



Culture dc. as above. Although 

 figured many years ago in the ' Botanical 

 Magazine,' t. 2248, this species seems to 

 have dropped out of cultivation altogether. 



O. stellulatum. — A Macedonian peren- 

 nial about 6 in. high with linear oblong 

 leaves, the lower ones somewhat spoon- 

 shaped, the upper ones half stem-clasping. 

 The flowers appear in early summer and 

 vary in colour from white to yellow or 

 pale lemon. 



Culture dc. as above. 



O. tauricum. — A beautiful and distinct 

 evergreen perennial, 6-12 in. high, 

 native of the Caucasus, with dense tufts 

 of hairy linear lance-shaped acute leaves 

 with revolute edges. Flowers in summer, 



