AUUATIC PLANTS. 



331 



and two of them, at least, belong to a distinct 

 section, with persistent sepals. C. paludtris and 

 varieties flower from IMarch to May. Ramimulacece. 



Cardamine. — Several kinds are suited to moist 

 places in the bog garden. There is a double form 

 of C. pratemis, the Cuckoo Flower, worth the dis- 

 tinction of being planted in it. C. rotundifolia, of 

 North America, and the European C. asarifolia, are 

 cultivated species, which also love moisture ; these 

 have roimd undivided leaves. The Cuckoo Flower 

 was known to Shakespeare as the Lady-smock, and 

 he writes — 



" When Lady-smocks, all silver-white. 

 Do paint the meadows with delight." 



Love's Labour 's Lost. 



It flowers fi'om May to June. Cruciferce. 



Carex acuta variegata. — This is a very pretty and 

 not coarse plant, with long narrow leaves effectively 

 variegated. It is the best of the variegated forms. 

 Several of the Sedges are ornamental, and desirable 

 for the rougher borders of a pond ; specially so is 

 our British C. pendida, with broad leaves and tall 

 panicles of drooping slender spikelets, from three 

 to five inches in length. C. Fseudo-eyperus is also 

 a good kind. Of exotic species we should include C. 

 Fraseri and C. Grayi, the first being very curious, with 

 broad short leaves and white inflorescences, while 

 the latter has large ball-like spikelets. Cyperacece. 



Crinum capense. — The merits of this noble and 

 perfectly hardy bulb entitle it to a position in the 

 bog g-arden, since it loves moisture well, though it 

 will grow in the driest soil. It attains a height of 

 about three feet ; the leaves are broad and ornamental, 

 the flowers funnel-shaped, of considerable size, from 

 ten to fifteen in each umbel, and pink or white 

 in colour. It is said even to grow in water, but we 

 should plant it rather on ground through which the 

 water percolates. For this a conspicuous position 

 should be chosen, and, like many other fine plants, we 

 should grow it in masses. There are several varieties, 

 and the white one is one of the best. Seeds are 

 freely produced, and they should be carefully sown, 

 as they perish if left on the ground. They grow 

 very easily if potted in a frame. A cut is given 

 in " The English Flower Garden." Cape of Good 

 Hope. Flowers in July. Amaryllidacece. 



Cyperus longus (Galingale). — Of very elegant ap- 

 pearance from the long leafy bracts which radiate 

 fi'om the umbel. The habit of the plant is orna- 

 mental, and it attains a height of from four to five 

 feet. C. vegetus is also good, and both are suited 

 for planting close to the water, but not among 

 small-growing plants. Cijperacece. 



Darlingtonia californica. — Undoubtedly the best 

 place for this Pitcher -plant is under glass, where it 

 is grown with the most complete success ; but out of 



doors also it is worthy of trial, and we should plant 

 it in a spongy mixture of fibrous peat with Sphag- 

 num, which should be in good condition so that it 

 may grow. A sheltered position open to the full sun 

 should be chosen, and where Sphagnum grows well 

 this may be expected to succeed. The pitchers are 

 about two feet high, hooded at the top, and the 

 mouth opens downwards, bearing a divided leafy 

 appendage, like two ribbons ; in colour the pitchers 

 are green below, but crimson-red above. A bell- 

 glass may be used to protect it from cold w^inds, 

 w^hich injure the young kaves. At Glasnevin we 

 have seen it gTowing satisfactorily. It is increased 

 by removing carefully the side-shoots which are 

 produced in well-established plants, and seeds are 

 also raised. It is figured in the Botanical Maga- 

 zine, t. 5920, and a cut is given in " The Enghsh 

 Flower Garden." California. Sarraceniacece. 



Brosera rotundifolia (Sundew).— This is the most 

 familiar of the British species, which alone are 

 grown out of doors, and it is perhaps the prettiest of 

 them. The leaves are beautiful and remarkable 

 on account of the glandular hairs or tentacles 

 with which they are fxirnished. They secrete a 

 clear mucus, which glistens in the sun, and on 

 account of which the popular name w^as given. 

 Many insects are caught in it. This plant is insecti- 

 vorous, and the tentacles bend over upon the victim, 

 and by a digestive process take up its nutritive 

 matter.. So exquisitely sensitive are these ten- 

 tacles that they respond to influences unfelt by the 

 most sensitive parts of the human body. The 

 millionth part of a grain is weight sufficient to 

 excite their movement. The exceeding beauty of 

 this little plant claims for it a place in the bog 

 garden, where it must be planted with Sphagnum, 

 in a wet but well-drained spot. The leaves of this 

 kind are round and spreading, but of B. anglica 

 and B. intermedia, the two other British kinds, 

 they are narrow and erect. They flower in July and 

 August. Broseracece. 



Epipactus palustris. — Interesting as one of the 

 most easily cultivated of British Orchids. It re- 

 moves safely from the wild, and succeeds if planted 

 in ordinary soil near w^ater, or better if planted in 

 spongy peat with Sphagnum. The flowers are duU 

 in colour, the sepals green and purple, and the lip 

 white streaked with red. It is slender, with lanceo- 

 late leaves, and grows about one foot high. Flowers 

 in July. 



Bquisetum maximum {E. Telmateia). — This is the 

 finest of the British Horse-tails, and it produces a 

 splendid effect when well established. The barren 

 stems grow from three to six feet high, and from 

 base to apex ha%'-e whorls of slender, slightly di-oop- 

 ing branches, which are extremely graceful. In a dell 



