276 polemoniace;k. 



2. POLEMONIUM, Tourn. Greek Valerian. 



Name employed by Dioscorides, from polcmos, war ; of doubtful application. 



Calyx bell-shaped, 5-eleft. Corolla bell-shaped-rotate ; 

 tube very short, closed by the hairy appendages at the bases 

 of the 5 filaments. Capsule few, several-seeded. — Low 

 branching herbs, with alternate pinnate leaves, and blue or white. 

 Jlowers, in nearly braclless corymbs. 



1. P. reptans, L. Greek Valerian. Jacob's Ladder. 



Smooth, diffusely branched: leaves 7 to 11-foliate ; lea/lets ovate-lanceolate or ob- 

 long, acute, entire; corymbs few-flowered; flowers nodding. 



Moist woods and shady river banks. May. Per. A handsome plant often cul- 

 tivated, 12 to IS inches high, with a weak and fleshy stem. L a/Uti mostly 7, sub- 

 opposite, smooth, as well a-? the common petiole. Flowers blue, ia sniaif nodding 

 corymbi at the end of the branches. 



2. P. CCERULEU.M, L. Greek Valerian. 



Stem smooth, simple, erect; leaves pinnately 11 tol7-foliate: segments acuminate; 

 flowers erect; caUjx as long as the tube of the corolla; cells of capsule 6 to 10-seed- 

 eJ. Native of England. Bienniel. Stems clustered, several from the same root, 

 about 2 feet high, hollow, stout, each dividing at top into a corymbose panicle. 

 Leasees mostly radical, on long grooved petioles. Flowers blue, about \/^ inch in 

 diameter, terminal, suberect. 



CULTIVATED ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 



3. GILIA, Ruiz.& Pavon. 



Calyx 5-cleft, membranaceous, smooth or downy. Cor- 

 olla somewhat funnel shaped, 5 -parted. Stamens 5, in- 

 serted on the inner side of the tube of the corolla. Disk 

 cup-form. Capsule oblong or ovoid, 3-celled few-seeded. — 

 Showy annual or bienniel plants, with alternate pinnatifid leaves, 

 and blue or particolored Jlowers in close capitate clusters or scattered 

 panicles. 



1. G. tricolor, Benth. Tri-colored Gilia. 



Stem erect, nearly smooth; leaves twice or thrice pinnatifid. with narrow linear 

 ee^ments; cymes paniculate, 3 to 6 flowered; calyx shorter than the tube of the 

 corolla, downy ; corolla tricolored, with a very short tube. An elegant garden 

 plant native of California. July, Aug. Stem 6 to 12 inches high, with brigM 

 green shining leaves. Flowers numerous, the limb of the corolla pale lilac-blue, 

 •throat purple and tube yellow. Stamens ]/ 2 as lcD c °* tne corolla. 



2. G. AcniLLEiEFOLiA, Benth. Mill/oil- leaved Gilia. 



Stem erect, hairy ; le.ivcs pinnatifid, somewhat hairy toward the base, nearly 

 smooth at the extremety; Jlowers corymbed, more dense then in G. tricolor; calyo$ 

 shorter than the tube of the corolla. Native of California. July, Aug. Stem Id 

 to 15 inches high. Flowers bright purple. % inch in diameter. 



