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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



CELSIA 



rarely concave, with 5 broad nearly equal 

 lobes. Stamens 5 attached to the base 

 of the corolla, the filaments of the 3 

 upper or all woolly-bearded. Capsule 

 globose oblong or ovoid with numerous 

 wrinkled seeds. 



Culture and Propagation. — The Mul- 

 leins are as easy to grow as the Foxgloves, 

 and once they have been introduced into 

 a garden wiU usually take care of them- 

 selves, appearing year after year. They 

 flourish in any ordinary garden soil, in 

 which seeds may be sown in spring or in 

 autumn when ripe. The following are a 

 few of the best MuUeins for the garden: — 



V. Chaixi (Nettled-leaved Mullein). — 

 A pereimial species native of Central 

 and S. Europe, about 3-10 ft. high, with 

 green Nettle-like crenate leaves woolly 

 beneath, the lower ones stalked, wedge- 

 shaped at the base, upper ones sessHe, 

 rounded. Flowers in summer, yellow 

 with purple filaments in the centre, in 

 loose many-flowered clusters on paniculate 

 racemes. 



Culture do. as above. Increased by 

 seeds or division of the roots, and may be 

 used with effect in borders or in groups 

 in wild grassy parts. 



V. nigrum (Dark Mullein). — A pretty 

 British and European perennial 2-3 ft. 

 high, with angular stems and stalked 

 ovate-oblong, or oblong lance-shaped, 

 often heart-shaped crenate leaves, the 

 lower ones sometimes 1 ft. long. Flowers 

 from Jmae to October, ^| in. across, 

 yellow, with bearded purple filaments, 

 borne in almost simple racemes, many in 

 each bract-axil. There is a handsome 

 form album with pure white flowers, and 

 an Alderney variety, tomentosum, has 

 woollier leaves and smaller flowers than 

 the type. 



Culture dc. as above. May be grown 

 and increased like F. Chaixi. 



V. olympicum. — A splendid pereimial 

 5-6 or even 10 ft. high, native of the Le- 

 vant. Leaves broadly lance-shaped, taper- 

 pointed, woolly beneath, and in rosettes at 

 the base. Flowers in summer, about 1 J 

 in. across, bright golden-yellow. 



Culture dc. as above. Eequires same 

 treatment as V. Chaixi. 



V. phlomoides. — A handsome S. Euro- 

 pean Mullein 3-9 ft. high in deep rich 

 soU. Leaves at the base oblong doubly 

 incised or crenate ; upper ones short blunt. 



or the intermediate ones somewhat angu- 

 lar and decmrent. Flowers in summer 

 almost till the frost, bright yellow, in clus- 

 tered racemes. 



Culture dc. as above. A fine plant for 

 groups on the grass in pleasure grounds. 



V. phoeniceum {V. ferruginewrn). — A 

 biennial species native of S. Europe, 3 ft. 

 or more high, with ovate or oblong stalked 

 entire or coarsely crenate leaves, smooth 

 above, downy beneath, the upper ones 

 being few and small. Flowers from May 

 to August, about 1 in. across, very variable 

 in colour — white, violet, lilac, rose, purple 

 and red forms being in existence. A 

 bronzy-coloured form named cwprev/m is 

 a hybrid between this species and an 

 orange-flowered one called ovaUfolium. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. pyramidatum. — A pretty Caucasian 

 species 3 ft. or more high with doubly 

 crenate leaves, the lower ones large 

 stalked, narrowed at the base, the upper 

 ones sessile, lobed at the base. Flowers 

 yellow, clustered, in hoary pyramidal 

 panicles 1-2 ft. long. 



Culture dc. as above. There are 

 several other Mulleins to be seen occasion- 

 ally in botanic gardens, where they are of 

 interest as showing the variation in the 

 genus. 



CELSIA. — A genus containing about 

 30 species of Mullein-like tall or dwarf, 

 woolly or smooth, biennial or perennial 

 herbs. Leaves alternate crenate, sinuate 

 toothed, deeply incised or cut. Flowers 

 yellow, purple, or red in simple or rarely 

 branched racemes or spikes at the ends 

 of the shoots. Calyx deeply 5-cleft. 

 Corolla spreading rotate with 5 broad 

 lobes. Stamens 4, 2 long and 2 short, or 

 nearly equal, attached to the base of the 

 corolla, the filaments often bearded. 

 The Celsias resemble the Mulleins very 

 much in appearance, but may be always 

 distinguished from the latter by the 

 blossoms having 4 instead of 5 stamens. 



Culture arid Propagation. — Celsias 

 flourish in the milder parts of the 

 kingdom in ordinary good and well- 

 drained garden soU, but like most other 

 plants they respond to good cultivation. 

 In southern parts they may be raised 

 from seeds sown in the open air when 

 ripe, or in spring, but in less favoured 

 spots plants may be raised from seeds 

 sown in gentle heat about March. In 



