NOTES ON SOME AMERICAN WILD-FLOWERS 



iEAUTIES THAT WE HAVE 



MONG native flowers in our gar- 

 dens I notice catalogued with 

 other favorite annuals, rep- 

 resentatives of twenty native 

 genera. One species of ver- 

 bena ( y. Aubleiid), and the two 

 species of convolvulus from 

 which spring our choice morning-glories, are na- 

 tives of the southeastern states. Phlox Dntnimondii 

 and two gaillardias are native on both sides of the 

 lower Mississippi. The evening primroses are 

 found east and west. All the other genera are 

 western — California contributing at least five. The 

 Alleghany vine {Aii/iojiia cirrhosd) is an eastern 

 biennial. 



Choice native perennials are Verbena Montana, 

 phloxes, Baplisia australis, cardinal flowers, spider- 

 wort (Tradescantia Virginica), amaryllis, pancratium, 

 columbines, yuccas, lilies, Dutchman's-pipe [Aristolochia 

 sipho), the trumpet-vine, Virginia creeper, bittersweet, 

 clematis and passion-flower. 



Among our choice garden shrubs, eight eastern genera 

 are represented — including the azalea, rhododendron, 

 false syringa, sweet-scented shrub (calycanthus), etc. 

 The golden currant and other species of this genus are 

 western. 



Few states possess a larger native flora than my own 

 state of Michigan. A journey of a few miles reveals 

 astonishing changes. Many of the Michigan natives are 

 worthy of culture. Among annuals are the following : 



Gerardia tenitifolia (Narrow-leaved Gerardia). — A 

 slender plant, eight or ten inches high, bearing pretty 

 white or rosy purple flowers. August. 



Gerardia purpurea (Purple Gerardia). — Larger and 

 handsomer than the last variety. August and Septem- 

 ber. 



Polygala sangumca. — Slender, six to twehe inches, 

 bearing curious bud-like heads of purple flowers. A 

 pretty plant. August. 



Bidens cernua (Nodding Burr Marigold) — Nodding, 

 radiant heads of bright yellow flowers. August and 

 September. 



Bidens chrysanthemoides (Burr Marigold). — Larger and 

 handsomer than the preceding It is a fine bee plant. 

 The achenia of both species will stick in one's clothing. 

 September. 



Impatiens pallida (Pale Jewel-weed). — Two to four 

 feet; flowers nearly one inch long, pale yellow, with 

 a few red spots. Rich, wet lands. 



Impatiens fulva (Tawny Jewel-weed). — Tall ; flow- 

 ers deep orange, with brownish spots. Like the pre- 



ceding, the seed-pods burst at the slightest touch. Of 

 the same genus as the balsams of the flower-gardens. 



The biennials include some brilliant flowers worthy 

 of cultivation. 



Gentiana qiiinquejiora (Five-flowered Gentian). — 

 From one to three feet high, branching. Flowers 

 rather small, pale blue or light purple, borne on long 

 stems, in September and October. 



Gentiana cristata (Larger Blue-fringed Gentian). — 

 Ten to twenty inches high, bearing bright blue, bell- 

 shaped, fringed flowers nearly two inches long. They 

 open only in the sunshine. Found on wet, mucky lands \ 

 desirable for borders of artificial ponds. September and 

 October. 



Gentiana detonsa (Smaller Fringed Gentian). — Even 

 handsomer than the preceding, and among our seven 

 species only excelled by G. puberiila. It has large, bell- 

 shaped flowers on long stalks. Corolla dark-blue, the 

 lobes fringed. Leaves long, narrow, lanceolate, the 

 frost changing them to crimson. 



Coreopsis aristosa (Awned Coreopsis) — Most showy 

 Michigan biennial ; three to six feet ; very branching, 

 bearing brilliant orange-yellow heads, inches in 

 diameter, on long slender stalks. Open only in the sun- 

 shine, but handsome when closed, like golden balls. 

 In moist, rich, mucky lands. September. When this 

 flower is in its glory, many of our Michigan swamps are 

 surpassingly beautiful. 



Corydalis glanca. — From one to two feet high. The 

 handsome, finely-divided, glaucous leaves resembling 

 SDme cinerarias. Flowers small, curiously-shaped, red 

 with yellow tips, in paniculate cymes. 



Corydalis aurea. — One-year-old plants strikingly re- 

 semble cinerarias, except that the handsome, silvery, 

 finely-divided leaves are smooth. The second year the 

 stems become from eight to twelve inches long, bearing 

 one-sided racemes of yellowish flowers. Sandy loam. 

 Rare. 



Among bulbs we find ; 



Eiythroniiim mactdaiiitn (Yellow Erythronium), — This 

 well-known handsome native flower ought to be in every 

 collection of spring-flowering bulbs. It grows from 

 three inches to one foot high, bearing two broad leaves 

 at the surface of the ground — one always twice the 

 width of the other — and at the summit of the long 

 stalk a solitary, nodding, bell-shaped, yellow flower. 

 There are many varieties in the same forest ; some 

 have short and very broad leaves, thickly clouded with 

 brown spots ; others are longer, narrower and less 

 clouded ; while those of still another variety are entirely 

 spotless. It usually grows on sand, mixed with leaf- 

 mold and innumerable rounded boulders ranging from 



