CHOICE HARDY BORDER PLANTS. 



85 



type, both in size and colour. C. pubens is a recent 

 introduction from Central Europe, and bears pink 

 flowers. It is a plant that must have shade during 

 the hottest part of the day : it does best in a mix- 

 ture of sandy loam and peat, and can be success- 

 fully grown in pots. The Cortusce can be increased 

 by division of the roots. 



Corydalis [Fumeworts) , — The generic name 

 comes from korydalos, "a lark," the spur of the flower 

 resembling that of the lark. All are beautiful hardy 

 plants, mainly perennial. One of the best known is 

 C. lutea, the Yellow Corydalis, a native of Southern 

 Europe, and naturalised on old walls in various 

 countries. It is a somewhat dwarf-growing but 

 graceful plant, with Fern-like foliage, forming close 

 tufts, abundantly dotted with yellow flowers in early 

 summer. C. nobilis is the handsomest of this family, 

 bearing rich golden-yellow flowers in early spring ; 

 a grand plant for a moist, shady spot. This is 

 a native of Siberia, and is known as the Noble 

 Corydalis. C. solida is a popular free spring-bloom- 

 ing species, bearing purplish-rose flowers ; a charm- 

 ing plant for the open border, making a good edging 

 plant for taller subjects. C. cava albiflora is also a 

 pretty spring-flowering Fumitory, with spikes of 

 pleasing white flowers, growing best in a moist loam 

 having stones mingled with it. C. Lcdebouriana and 



C. eximia (correct name Diccntra eximia) are also 

 valuable and useful garden plants, doing well in good 

 garden soil. 



Dielytra. — The Dielytras are also Fumeworts, 

 and are allied to Corydalis. They are more properly 

 Dicentras, but the name Dielytra will cleave to many 

 of the best-known forms for many years to come. 

 They may be classed with the hardy perennials, 

 though not altogether hardy. There have been 

 species in English gardens for years past : all 

 spring-flowering herbaceous plants. One species, 



D. formosa, is an old inhabitant of our gardens, but 

 though a pretty, graceful plant, is altogether eclipsed 

 by D. spectabilis, the Mountain Dielytra, introduced 

 into England in 1846 from the North of China, and 

 now holding as high a place in the estimation of 

 English gardeners as it has ever enjoyed among the 

 mandarins of its native province. 



The genus Dielytra, from the Greek dis, "two," 

 and elytron, "a pouch or purse," is so named from 

 the inflation of the two outer petals at their base. 

 D. spectabilis is one of the most useful hardy plants 

 added to our collections for many years. This plant 

 was described by Linnaeus from dried specimens, 

 and named by him Fumaria spectabilis, but was not 

 seen alive by any European until sent to this country 

 by the late Mr. Robert Fortune. It is largely grown 



in Holland and Germany, and sent to this country 

 for forcing purposes in the autumn and winter 

 months. It is a spring-flowering, deciduous, herba- 

 ceous plant, with large fleshy roots. The stalks and 

 leaves rise to two or more feet ; the flowers are pro- 

 duced in spikes from four to six inches long, and 

 hang down gracefully from the under side. It grows 

 in any soil, but does best in a fine deep sandy loam. 

 It also makes an excellent pot plant for forcing into 

 flower in early spring. 



There is a white variety of D. spectabilis which ia 

 equally useful, though of course not so showy. The 

 Dielytra is known as the Ladies' Locket, from the 

 beautiful shape of the flowers. D. cucullaria, a native 

 of North America, is the Dutchman's Breeches of 

 the early New England settlers. It is a very grace- 

 ful and interesting plant for half -shady nooks in the 

 rock garden among dwarf shrubs, or the margins of 

 shady beds. The flowers are white, tipped with 

 yellow, borne on stalks nine inches in height ; it does 

 best in a peaty soil. D. eximia is now regarded as 

 D. formosa ; it is a charming spring-flowering plant, 

 having delicate light green Fern-like foliage, and 

 racemes of drooping reddish -purple flowers : an ex- 

 cellent plant for spring decoration. It is a native 

 of the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. 



We may remark that the hardiness of the Dielytra 

 is in a great measure determined by the nature of 

 the soil in which it grows. When planted in a dry 

 sandy loam, it is rarely injured by the severest winter 

 weather; but, on the other hand, long-continued 

 frost and snow will completely destroy the plants 

 that grow in a deep, strong, moist loam. If the 

 soil be of this character, then the Dielytra should be 

 grown in pots, and not trusted to the open air, unless 

 it can be protected at the proper time. 



D. spectabilis furnishes the most obvious example 

 of the remarkable economy of the sexual organs of 

 its race. The flowers of Fumitories never open, and 

 their peculiar construction seems to offer no means 

 for the pollen to escape ; but, by a peculiar con- 

 trivance connected with the parts, fecundation is 

 effectually and simply brought about. 



Digitalis (Foxglove). — Almost every one knows 

 the common Foxglove, D. purpurea, and its white 

 variety, alba, as it is so common in pastures, hedges, 

 dry banks, and walls, on a gravelly or sandy soil, 

 but almost unknown in the lime-stone districts. The 

 name of Digitalis is derived from digitate, " a finger- 

 stall;" or, as Dr. Turner interprets it, "Thimble- 

 wort," which refers to the form of the flower, as 

 purpurea does to its colour. It is said that the 

 generic name was given to the Foxglove in 1542 by 

 Fuchs, who remarked that hitherto the flower had 

 remained unnamed by the Greeks and Romans. 



