760 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS abbonia 



lobed. Stamens 1 or more, hypogynous. Fruit a 1-celled, 1-seeded utricle 

 enclosed in the enlarged often hardened tube of the perianth. 



MIRABILIS (Maktel of Peru). — 

 A genus containing about 10 species of 

 smooth or glandular, downy, tuberous- 

 rooted herbs, with 2-3 forked branches, 

 and opposite leaves, the lower ones 

 stalked, the upper ones sessile. Flowers 

 white, scarlet, or variously coloured, 

 fragrant or scentless. Involucre 1- or 

 more ilowered, calyx-like, 5-lobed. Peri- 

 anth tube elongated, contracted above 

 the ovary; limb more or less salver- 

 shaped, 5-lobed, plaited. Stamens 5-6, 

 unequal, protruding ; filaments united 

 into a ileshy cup at the base. Fruit 

 an obovoid leathery utricle. 



M. Jalapa (Common Marvel of Peru). 

 A beautiful bushy Peruvian herb 2-4 ft. 

 high, with tuberous roots and large entire 

 smooth, oval, acute leaves, heart-shaped 

 at the base. Flowers late in summer, 

 funnel-shaped, nearly 2 in. long, fragrant, 

 variously coloured, red, ^yhite, or yellow, 

 or striped and blotched with 2 or more 

 colours, 3-6 in a terminal cluster. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — This 

 species may be treated hke DahUas in 

 the autumn. The tuberous roots may be 

 lifted and stored in a dry, airy, frost-proof 

 place until the following May. Seeds 

 which usually ripen freely, one to each 

 flower, may also be sown in heat about 

 February and March, the young plants 

 being transplanted at the end of May. 



The Marvel of Peru flourishes in 

 ordinary good garden soil, especially in a 

 mellow sandy loam. It makes an excel- 

 lent flowering bush, and is very orna- 

 mental in the herbaceous border. Besides 

 the ordinary variously coloured and 

 streaked forms, all of which may be 

 obtained from a packet of mixed seed, 

 there is also one having the leaves varie- 

 gated with a yeUowish-green which is 

 very curious. There is also a semi-dwarf 

 strain in which the plants rarely exceed 

 18 in. high, having variously coloured 

 flowers as in the type. Then there is a 

 distinctly dwarf strain which grows little 

 more than a foot high, and is said to 

 come fairly true from seeds. These are 

 suitable more particularly for the edges 

 of borders, beds &c., and have a great 

 variety of colour. 



M. longiflora. — A pretty Mexican 

 species with blackish turnip-shaped roots 



and much-branched clammy downy stems 

 2-3 ft. high, furnished with broad heart- 

 shaped taper-pointed clammy leaves, the 

 upper ones almost stalkless. Flowers in 

 July and August, long and tubular, ex- 

 haling a sweet agreeable odour, varying 

 in colour from white and pink to violet. 

 Warm sunny borders in good soU. 



Culture (tc. as above. Eequires simi- 

 lar treatment to M. Jalapa. 



M. multiflora. — A beautifnl downy 

 species 18-24 in. high, found wild from 

 Mexico to Cahfornia, and having opposite 

 ovate leaves. Flowers in late summer, 

 bright purple, with a tube about 2 in. 

 long, borne in terminal panicles each of 

 which is enclosed in a cup- or calyx-like 

 involucre. 



Besides the species described above, 

 a race of hybrids between M. Jalapa and 

 M. longiflora, and perhaps also M. multi- 

 flora, has appeared in France, and is 

 said to be intermediate in character be- 

 tween the parents. There is no doubt 

 these plants will readily respond to the 

 attentions of the hybridist if taken 

 seriously in hand. 



Culture dc. as above. 



ABRONIA (Sand Verbena). — A 

 genus containing about 10 species of 

 trailing glandular downy herbs with 2-3 

 forked branches and opposite entire 

 stalked fleshy leaves. Flowers fragrant, 

 rosy, downy, in Verbena-hke clusters. 

 Perianth salver - shaped, or narrowly 

 funnel-shaped, with 5 obcordate or 2-eleft 

 lobes, and a long tube contracted above 

 the ovary. Stamens 3-5. Ovary 

 obliquely ovoid. Fruit 1-5-ribbed, or 

 3-winged. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 species described below axe aU natives 

 of CaUfornia. They flourish in light 

 sandy soil in exposed sunny situations 

 and may be planted in the rockery or at 

 the base of a south wall. They may be 

 increased by seeds when obtainable. As 

 they sprout rather slowly it is advisable 

 to peel off the outer coat and even to soak 

 them for a few hours in warm water. The 

 seeds may be sown either in August or as 

 soon as ripe, or in spring in pots of light 

 sandy soil. At whatever season sown, 

 the seedlings must be protected under 



