COLEUS 



LAVENDEB OBDEB 



LAVANDULA 743 



opposite or whorled, without stipules, entire, toothed, or variously dissected, 

 often furnished with imjaiersed glands of fragrant aromatic oil. Mowers 

 hermaphrodite usually irregular, in the axils of the leaves or bracts, solitary 

 or in pairs, or in clustered cymes forming false whorls by their union in 

 pairs. Calyx inferior, persistent, gamopetalous, ribbed, 5-10-toothed or 

 2-lipped. Corolla gamopetalous, usually 2-lipped and 4;-5-lobed. Perfect 

 stamens 4, didynamous or rarely equal, or 2. Ovary superior 4-lobed or 

 parted, seated in a fleshy disc. Pruit usually composed of 4 (rarely fewer) 

 1-seeded nutlets enclosed in the persistent calyx. 



This order contains about 140 genera and 2600 species, and includes such 

 well-known plants as Basil, Horehound, Sage, Lavender, Marjoram, Mint, 

 Patchouly, Eosemary, Savory and Thyme. All the members of the order 

 bear a striking resemblance to each other in having 4-angled stems, opposite 

 or whorled leaves, and irregular 2-lipped flowers. 



COLEUS. — A genus of herbs, bushes 

 or shrubs mostly natives of the Tropics, 

 and chiefly remarkable for their beautiful 

 and brilliantly coloured leaves. The 

 flowers are small and of little account, 

 usually borne on terminal spikes or loose 

 cymes. Calyx bell-shaped, 5-toothed or 

 2-lipped. Corolla with a slender tube 

 and a 2-lipped limb ; upper lip 3-4-lobed, 

 the lower one entire, often concave and 

 enclosing the 4 didynamous stamens. 



C. Blumei. — A perennial species 12-18 

 in. high, native of Java. Leaves rhom- 

 boid-ovate deeply and coarsely serrate, 

 taper-pointed, pale green, marbled or 

 spotted with dark purple or red. Flowers 

 small, purple and white, in long whorled 

 spikes or racemes. C. Verschaffelti is a 

 deep blood-red leaved variety. 



Culture wnd Propagation. — Prom this 

 species and its variety most of the garden 

 Ooleuses have been developed, and there 

 are now a vast number of forms remiark- 

 able for the briUiant shades, colours, 

 blotches, and variegations of the leaves. 

 Most of them are too tender for open-air 

 cultivation, the old C. Verschaffelti being 

 still the best for outdoor gardens. They 

 flourish in ordinary garden soil and are 

 effective in the border from the end of 

 May to October. Young plants are easily 

 raised by means of cuttings in spring 

 and summer. They root readily in moist 

 sandy soil, those taken in early spring re- 

 quiring a little bottom heat to make them 

 root more quickly and to prevent them 

 rotting. 



New varieties can always be obtained 

 by sowing seeds about February or March 

 in moist heat about 70° Fahr. As soon 



as the seedlings have made a pair or two 

 of leaves they must be pricked out either 

 singly into small pots, or several 2-3 in. 

 apart in pans, pots, or boxes, and grown 

 on into various sized pots as the season 

 advances. 



LAVANDULA (Lavender).— This 

 genus contains about 20 species of peren- 

 nial herbs, bushes, or shrubs, having 

 opposite, entire, or toothed leaves, those 

 near the base clustered and sometimes 

 pinnately dissected. Flowers blue or 

 violet, small, on long-stalked spikes. 

 Calyx ovoid, tubular, 13-15-ribbed, un- 

 equally 5-toothed. Corolla tube protrud- 

 ing, a httle dilated at the throat, and 

 having a 2-lobed upper and a 3-lobed 

 lower lip. Stamens 4, didynamous. 



L. vera (L. Spied). — Common Laven- 

 der. — A very variable shrubby species 2- 

 3 ft. high, native of S. Europe. Leaves 

 oblong lance-shaped, entire, hoary on both 

 sides, and having somewhat revolute edges. 

 Flowers in summer, blue, rarely white, on 

 long erect spikes, 6-10 small flowers in a 

 whorl. 



The flower spikes of this species are cut 

 and dried on account of their fragrant odour 

 which lasts for a long time. When the 

 flowers are fuUy open, the spikes may be 

 cut and hung up to dry in a cool, dry, 

 airy place. Lavender is extensively grown 

 for its flowers near Mitcham in Surrey, 

 and at Hitchin in Hertfordshire. The 

 broad-leaved Lavender is supposed to be 

 L. Spica, and the narrow-leaved Lavender 

 L. angustifolia. 



Culture and Propagation. — The com- 

 mon Lavender may be considered as 



