VEKATEUM 



LILY OBDEB 



ZYGADBNUS 881 



hypogynous, sometimes as in P. quadri- 

 folia with the connective prodiaoed beyond 

 the anthers. Capsule a 4-5-valved berry. 



P. quadrifolia. —An interesting but 

 not very showy plant, native of Britain 

 and the northern parts of the Old World. 

 Its round stems 6-12 in. high have usually 

 a single whorl of 4 obovate oblong leaves 

 about 3 in. long, distinctly 3-5-neryed. 

 The flowers appear in May and June, and 

 are about 2 in. across, having 4 green 

 lance-shaped outer segments or sepals, 

 and 4 linear or thread-like yellowish 

 petals, and 8 stamens with the connective 

 much produced beyond the anthers. The 

 black 4-sided berry is very conspicuous 

 when the flowers wither. 



Culture and Propagation. — This plant 

 will grow in ordinary soil and may be 

 naturalised in moist shady spots near 

 water. Increased by dividing the root- 

 stocks, and sowing seed as soon as ripe. 



VERATRUM (False or White 

 Helieboee). — A genus of distinct look- 

 ing herbaceous perennials with thick creep- 

 ing very poisonous rootstocks, and erect 

 stems clothed with broad strongly nerved 

 or plaited leaves contracted into a broad 

 sheathing base. The purplish-green or 

 white polygamous flowers are borne in 

 branched panicles. The perianth consists 

 of 6 spreading lobes united at the base 

 into a short tube. Stamens 6, on the base 

 of the segments. 



Culture amd Propagation. — Vera- 

 trums have a bold appearance and are 

 useful for mixing with other fine foliaged 

 perennials in good masses in borders or 

 grassland. They like a somewhat shaded 

 position, and a rich loamy soil to which 

 may be added a little peat and leaf 

 mould. 



The plants may be increased by 

 separating the tufts about September or 

 October. Seeds may also be sown as soon 

 as ripe, but they sprout very slowly and 

 irregularly, and often do not appear until 

 the second year. When large enough, 

 the seedlings may be pricked out in light 

 rich soil 12-18 in. apart and allowed to 

 remain until large enough for flowering 

 often several years after the seeds have 

 been sown. 



V. album (White Sellehore). — A fine 

 perennial 3-5 ft. high, native of the 

 pasture land in the Caucasus and Altai 

 Mountains. The somewhat downy stems 

 are furnished with large alternate sessile 



broadly oval leaves 1 ft. or more long, 

 regularly folded or plaited. The flowers, 

 which are whitish within and greenish 

 outside, with spreading crisped denticulate 

 segments, appear in July in dense panicles 

 1-2 ft. long. The variety loheUanum 

 has wholly greenish flowers, with narrower 

 segments than in the type ; and the 

 varity viride {Helonias viridds) from N. 

 America has greenish flowers with lance- 

 shaped segments, in loose lateral racemes, 

 often reflexed. 



Culture do. as above. 



V. Maacki. — A native of Siberia with 

 slender stems about 2 ft. high, and lance- 

 shaped leaves about 6 in. long, the lower 

 ones being stalked, the upper ones sessile. 

 The dark purple flowers with oblong seg- 

 ments, blackish at the base, appear in July 

 in loose panicles 6-12 in. long. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. nigrum. — An ornamental plant 

 native of Central Europe with erect stems 

 2-3 ft. high, slightly bulbous at the base, 

 and clothed with oblong plaited leaves 1 

 ft. long and 6-8 in. broad, narrowed at 

 the base. The blackish-purple flowers, 

 with oblong blunt segments, are borne in 

 June in dense racemes 1-3 ft. long. 



Culture do. as above. 



ZYGADENUS.— A genus of her- 

 baceous plants having rhizomes or bulbs, 

 and long linear leaves radical or clustered 

 at the base of the erect simple stem, which 

 ends in a simple or branched raceme of 

 hermaphrodite or polygamous flowers. 

 The perianth consists of 6 segments, 

 sometimes united at the base into a very 

 short turbinate tube, sometimes distinct, 

 flat and rotately spreading. Stamens 6, 

 on the base of the segments, having 

 slender or stiffish filaments united round 

 the style. Capsule ovoid or oblong, many- 

 seeded. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants are not particularly showy but are 

 of an interesting character attractive to 

 many, especially those with a love of 

 quaint appearance and botanical interest. 

 They like a deep moist peaty soil, and 

 may be grown on the shaded fringes of 

 Ehododendron beds, or near water. The 

 plants are usually increased by division in 

 autumn or spring, and also by seeds 

 which are produced in this country, and 

 may be sown in cold frames as soon as 

 ripe. 



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