STA'CHYS SPECIO'SA. 
HANDSOME HEDGE NETTLE. 
Class. 
MDYNAMIA. 
Order. 
O YMNOSPERllIA. 
Natural Order. 
LABIATE. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers 
Duration, 
Introduced 
Mexico. 
4 feet. 
June to Sep. 
Perennial. 
in 1839. 
No. 809. 
The Greek word, stachus, a spike, has given a 
name to this genus, from the spike-like inflores- 
cence of some of the species. The whorled charac- 
ter of our present plant but ill accords with the title. 
For this most desirable plant for the open par- 
terre we are indebted to Mr. Rendle of the Union 
Road Nurseries, Plymouth, who obligingly for- 
warded it to us, in the autumn of 1840, then in 
flower. Its appearance, however, did not give us 
a favourable impression of its value; and it was 
then divided, part being put into the open ground, 
and the remainder potted, and placed in a cold 
frame. In the present summer, 1841, we were 
agreeably surprised by the luxuriant growth of that 
part of it which had stood out during the winter. 
In the months of July and August it attained the 
height of four feet, and flowered luxuriantly, form- 
ing one of the most splendid objects of which our 
parterre could boast. 
That portion of the plant which had been kept, 
during winter, in the cold frame, was turned out in 
May, but its growth was much inferior to that 
which had been continually exposed. 
203 . 
