6fi 



SIDERTTIS SCORDIOIDES. 



This plant is not introduced on account of its beauty, for to that it has 

 certainly no pretension. At the same time it has an air of neatness and sim- 

 plicity that is particularly pleasing, while it will prove a subject of no small 

 interest to the botanist. The floral leaves are large and spiny, which is very 

 characteristic of the species of the section " Eusideritis " of Mr. Bentham, to 

 which our plant belongs, inasmuch as it differs in that respect from all the rest 

 of the labiatse. The anthers, style, and stigma, if examined with a moderate 

 lens, will afford much interest to the curious observer, as their structure is very 

 singular. 



Our plant was raised from seed sent to the Birmingham Botanic Garden by 

 J. Hunneman, Esq., and marked " Sideritis alpini we are disposed however to 

 consider it an alpine variety of S. scordioides. Mr. Bentham says indeed that the 

 species of this section run very much into each other ; and as we have not had 

 access to the true plant of Linneus, we must leave the question for the present 

 unsettled. 



This species, and nearly all the others, are natives of Spain. 



It requires a light sandy or peaty soil to ensure its preservation in wet winters. 

 It may be increased by dividing in spring ; or by seeds, which are sometimes 

 perfected in abundance. 



Fig. 1, calyx ; 2, corolla laid open to shew the insertion of the stamens within 

 the tube ; 3, the 4-lobed ovarium, with the style and bifid stigma. 



