ANDROSACE. 



343 



and come singly just above the little cushion 

 of hoary leaves covered with star-like hairs. It 

 is a lovely little plant, pretty at all seasons, of easy 

 culture in crevices of sandy soil. Alps. 



A. pyrenaica. — One of the same mossy 

 group, with tiny grey rosettes in dense tufts, 

 one flower from every centre, white like hel- 

 vetica but less pure, not so well formed, and 

 upon short stems. It is not easy to grow well 

 but does best in deep fissures between upright 

 rocks ; it may also be grown on the flat, in peat 

 and sandy loam between buried stones. Central 

 Pyrenees. Syn. Aretia pyrenaica. 



A. Raddiana. — A biennial species from the 

 Caucasus, worth growing for its rosettes of 

 finely toothed leaves, and heads of pretty rosy 

 flowers. Seed. 



A. rotund if o Ha. — A Himalayan plant rare- 

 ly well grown in gardens, very distinct, with 

 rounded kidney-shaped leaves, deeply cut at 

 the edges, and flowers of lilac or dull purple in 

 crowded heads. Nepaul. Syns. A. cordifb/ia, 

 and incisa. A form known as macrocalyx is more 

 robust, softly hairy all over, with heads of pale 

 rose flowers and a spreading calyx. 



A . sarmentosa. — A useful and pretty rock- 

 plant from the Himalayas, with several forms 

 linking it with others of the Indian kinds. Its 

 leaves are silvery with hairs, arranged in dense 

 rosettes, from which spring a few larger spoon- 

 shaped leaves around the base of the flower- 

 stem, and slender runners which spread and 

 root in all directions. The flowers are in heads 

 of ten to twenty like a little rosy white-eyed 

 Verbena. This kind spreads fast, when kept 

 from damping by a layer of fine stones under 

 the shoots and a glass shade in winter. It thrives 

 in free limestone soil, firmly wedged between 

 masses of rock in a sunny spot. The runners are 

 easily layered and detached when rooted. There 

 are several named forms, including grandifolia, 

 JVatkinsi,a.nd primu/oides, but only the last, with 

 pretty pale lilac flowers, appears to be in culti- 

 vation. The plant usually known as var. Chumbyi 

 is now classed as a cross between sarmentosa and 

 villosa. It is of stouter habit, rooting quite as 

 freely from runners, less apt to damp, with 

 flowers of deeper colour and a crimson eye. 

 Himalayas. 



A. sempervivoides. — A rare plant, pretty, 

 easily grown, spreading by runners, and bear- 

 ing clusters of pink or purplish flowers upon a 



stout stem in May and June. Its tiny leaves curl 

 in dense cone-like rosettes, at times only half 

 an inch across, but often larger in gardens; the 

 new shoots only take this curled form as they 

 mature. This is one of the best of the Indian 

 kinds, quite hardy, and growing well upon 

 mounds of granite soil packed with stones. 

 Kashmir and Western Thibet, at i i ,000 feet. 



A. septentrionalis. — -A biennial species and 

 another of the few kinds found at lower levels 

 among the eastern Alps. Small flowers of 

 white or pink, with yellow throat. 



A.strigi/osa. — A quaint plant newly intro- 

 duced from China, with adense rosetteof rigid, 

 spiny leaves, and heads of pretty pink flowers 

 in May. It yields no runners and few offsets, 

 but may be raised from seeds and grown in 

 rich peaty soil, well drained, and in full sun. 



ANDROSACE VILLOSA. 



A. villosa. — A plant of wide range, from 

 the Alps and Pyrenees eastward to Kashmir 

 and the Himalayas, where it occurs at eleva- 

 tions of 12,000 to 17,000 feet. The western 

 : form is tiny, with neat rosettes of shaggy leaves 

 so thickly set with white or pale pink flowers 

 that for the time the plant lies hidden. The 

 Indian variety is of larger growth and blooms 

 later, its leaves silvery with long white hairs, 

 and loose heads of flowers with a raised ring 

 of darker colour at the centre. Well grown 

 this is a gem upon sunny ledges in the rock- 

 garden, planted in rich free soil, with lime 

 rubble and sandstone fragments to keep it well 

 drained ; it will also do well in flat borders when 

 the ground is prepared. The downy leaves need 

 shields of glass in winter. Syns. A. capitata and 

 penicillata. Seed and runners. 



A. villosa var. Chamcejasme. — A pretty 



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