:826 



PBAGTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS agapanthus 



.as ripe, and grown under glass until the 

 following spring, when the seedlings may 

 be planted out 9-12 in. apart. 



A. Hookeri {Bulhinella and Chryso- 

 ■bactron Hookeri). — A beautiful Kew 

 Zealand plant 1-3 ft. high, with linear 

 sheathing leaves 9- 12 in. long, and bright 

 yellow flowers about i in. across, freely 

 produced in erect racemes in early sum- 

 mer. This species likes a rich deep moist 

 Boil. C. Rossi, probably not in cultiva- 

 tion, is a much finer plant and remarkable 

 for having yellow unisexual flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. Liliago (Phalangium and Wat- 

 sonia LiKago). — St. Bernard's Lily. — A 

 very free-flowermg species from S. Europe 

 cultivated for more than 300 years. It 

 has tufts of narrow channelled leaves 12- 

 18 in. long, gracefully recurving, and erect 

 loose spikes of pure white flowers 1-1 J in. 

 across, borne well above the foliage from 

 May to August. The variety major is a 

 more robust form with larger flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. ramosura {A. graminifoUum). — A 

 quick-growing species from Southern 

 Europe, with flat, linear, grass-like leaves 

 .and strong erect flower-stems about 2 ft. 

 high, branched at the top, and bearing 

 trusses of white starry flowers from June 

 to August. 



Culture dc. as above. 



Closely related to the Anthericums is 

 a well-known S. African plant Chloro- 

 phytum elatum variegatum, which has 

 beautiful silvery-white and green striped 

 foliage, but is too tender out of doors 

 for any except the mildest parts of the 

 kingdom. 



Culture dc. as above. 



PASITHEA. — A genus with only one 

 species here described: — 



P. cserulea. — A distinct Chilian peren- 

 nial with distichously imbricating grass- 

 like leaves and loose pyramidal clusters 

 of blue starry flowers produced in sum- 

 mer, each blossom having 6 narrow 

 segments, 6 stamens, and a 3-celled 

 ovary. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 not a well-known plant although it has. 

 been in cultivation at intervals for many 

 years. It flourishes in well-drained 

 ; sandy loam and leaf-soil, and may bo 

 increased by division in early autumn or ' 



spring, or by 

 cold frames. 



seeds sown when ripe in 



APHYLLANTHES.— A genus with 

 only one species here described with the 

 generic characters : — 



A. monspeliensis. — A pretty rush-like 

 perennial with a short somewhat branch- 

 ing rootstock, native of Southern Prance, 

 and remarkable for the absence of leaves. 

 The latter are replaced by very slender 

 leaf - like scapes, with membranous 

 sheaths at the base, and small heads of 

 deep blue flowers on top in summer. 

 The 6-cleft funnel-shaped perianth is 

 about an inch across, and has 6 stamens 

 adhering to the base of the clawed 

 segments. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 rare and pretty plant likes a good sandy 

 peat, in warm sunny parts of the rock 

 garden, where its deep blue flowers are 

 very attractive about June and July. In 

 severe winters, especially in naturally 

 cold parts of the kingdom, the plant 

 should have protection with a little fitter, 

 fern, dry leaves &c., or a handlight may 

 be placed over it. 



New plants are obtained by dividing 

 the roots in spring during mUd weather. 

 Seeds may also be sown in pots or pans 

 as soon as ripe, in a cold frame or green- 

 house. The seedlings are pricked out 

 and grown on for planting out the follow- 

 ing June, or they may be grown in pots 

 the first year. 



AGAPANTHUS (African Lily).— 

 This genus contains ornamental plants 

 with short rhizomes emitting thickish 

 fleshy roots, and having radical, broadly 

 linear or strap-shaped leaves. The blue 

 or rarely white pedicellate flowers are 

 borne in large umbels on the top of a 

 stoutish naked scape. Perianth ftinnel- 

 shaped with a short cylindrical tube, and 

 6 nearly equal erect or spreading lobes. 

 Stamens 6, attached to the throat of the 

 tube ; capsule oblong, angled, containing 

 many ovules, which, however, never or 

 rarely ever become seeds in this country. 



Culture and Propagation. — There is 

 practically only one species of AMcan 

 Lily grown in gardens, all the others being 

 more or less distinct varieties of it. In 

 mild winters they are practically hardy 

 south of the Thames in warm sheltered 

 localities, but the plants are mostly 

 sheltered in a cool greenhouse or an old 

 shed during the winter months. This is 



