CHOICE HARDY BOEDER PLANTS. 



241 



clear blue flowers with, white throats, which are pro- 

 duced in early spring — say March and April. In 

 the autumn it puts forth trailing shoots, which take 

 root at the joints, whereby the plant is most plenti- 

 fully propagated. When the plant is thoroughly 

 established it blossoms freely. The species under 

 notice is Omphalodes verna, which means " spring- 

 flowering." 0. Lucillce is a seldom-seen and a very 

 charming sister of the foregoing, but with a dwarf 

 crop of very glaucous smooth leaves, and with 

 flowers of bright sky-blue, having a faint stain of 

 something akin to the palest lilac. It is a native of 

 Mount Taurus. This plant is a little difficult to 

 manage ; it appears to do best in a raised and 

 sloping position, such as the fissures of rockwork. 

 Slugs are very fond of it, and eat its leaves greedily. 

 Both species are delightful subjects. 



Onosma. — This genus represents a group of 

 hardy herbaceous perennials ; the flowers tubularly 

 bell-shaped, and in all cases yellow or yellowish. 

 Onosma comes from onos, "an ass"; and osme, 

 " smell" ; the perfume of the plant, it is said, being 

 grateful to that animal. 0. Taurica is the Golden 

 Drop, a native of the Caucasus, a pretty evergreen 

 perennial, forming close compact tufts, composed of 

 linear, lance-shaped foliage above six inches long, 

 with tubular flowers, arranged in cymes of a bright 

 yellow colour, and very fragrant ; it is of dwarf 

 growth, and makes a very showy border flower. 0. 

 stellnlata is the Small-starred Hungarian Onosma, 

 about twelve inches in height, and producing yellow 

 blossoms ; but the first-named is by far the most 

 popular. It does best in a warm position, and in 

 well-drained sandy loam. 



Orobus {Bitter Vetch). — Orobus was the Grecian 

 name of a Pea-like plant, and supposed to be derived 

 from oro, " to excite " ; and bous, " an ox " ; the plant 

 being nourishing food for cattle. The Bitter Vetch is 

 supposed to represent the herb mentioned in a passage 

 in Pulci, which relates how an enchanter preserves 

 two knights from starvation, during a long journey, 

 by giving them a herb which, being held in the 

 mouth, answers all the purposes of food. This may 

 refer to the common Bitter Vetch, 0. tuberosus, a 

 native perennial plant, flowering in May and June. 

 The roots are creeping, swelling into tubers at 

 irregular intervals. " The Highlanders of Scotland 

 have a great partiality for them, and dry and chew 

 them to give a greater relish to their whiskey ; they 

 also regard them as good against chest complaints, 

 and say that by the use of them they are able to 

 withstand hunger and thirst for a long time. In 

 Breadalbane and Ross-shire, they sometimes bruise 

 and steep them in water, and make an agreeable 

 88 



fermented liquor with them. They have a sweet 

 taste, something like roots of Liquorice, and when 

 boiled are well- flavoured and nutritive ; and, in times 

 of scarcity, have served as an article of food. "When 

 well boiled a fork will pass through them ; and, 

 slightly dried, they are roasted and served up in 

 Holland and Flanders like Chestnuts" (Hogg's 

 "Vegetable Kingdom"). Many think that the 

 Bitter Vetch is the Chara mentioned by Caesar as 

 affording food to his famished soldiers at the siege of 

 Dyrrhachium, and the above description makes it 

 not improbable. 



The species and varieties of Orobus are all hardy 

 herbaceous perennials of moderate growth, and very 

 free-flowering; the few most generally cultivated 

 are : 0. Alpestris, the Hungarian Rock Bitter Vetch, 

 with purple flowers ; 0. Lathyroides, from Siberia, a 

 showy species, producing, in early summer, numerous 

 small blue flowers ; 0. lutetcs, the Yellow-flowered 

 Bitter Vetch, from Siberia; 0. niger, a British 

 species, with dark purple flowers, and a very pretty 

 border plant ; 0. vernus, the Spring Bitter Vetch, 

 one of the most charming border flowers, that opens 

 in early spring ; when in good soil and doing well, 

 from its black roots spring rich healthy tufts of 

 leaves, with two or three pairs of shining leaflets, 

 the flower-buds showing soon after the leaves, and 

 eventually almost covering the plants with beautiful 

 blooms, purple and blue, with red veins, the keel of 

 the flower tinted with green, and the whole changing 

 to blue. It is no fastidious Alpine beauty, that 

 when carried to our gardens sickens and dies for 

 want of the pure cool mountain air and moisture, 

 but a vigorous native of Southern and Central 

 Europe, well able to make the most of our warm, 

 deep, sandy loams, and perfectly hardy everywhere. 

 It flowers in April and May. Grows from ten 

 to eighteen inches high. It is of easy culture in 

 ordinary garden soil. 0. violaceus is regarded as a 

 variety of the foregoing. 



Ourisia coceinea. — This is a very handsome 

 creeping plant, having stems six to nine inches in 

 height, bearing panicled clusters of scarlet Pent- 

 stemon-like flowers in summer. It is a native of 

 Chili, and can be highly recommended for a 

 moist shady border in leaf-mould and sand. It is a 

 very showy and attractive subject. 



Phygelius Capensis. — This is the Cape of 

 Good Hope Phygelius, and it is a very effective 

 hardy autumn-flowering plant, growing from one 

 and a half to three feet in height, having pyramidal 

 spikes of long tubular flowers, of a rich vermilion 

 with a yellow throat. It is a very fine border plant, 

 and does best on the south sides of houses, walls, &c. 



