40 PERENNIALS. [March. 
coloured corollas, some of them about six inches in diameter; 
bloom from May to July, and will grow in almost any soil. 
There is a plant known in our gardens as H. ccerulea, which 
is Funkia coeridca, and has a campanulate corolla, with a 
cylindrical tube ; flowers in spikes ; leaves ovate, acumi- 
nate. 
Hibiscus. There are several herbaceous species very 
showy and handsome, H. gaMstris ; II rbseus ; H. militd- 
ris; H. specibsus; H. grandiflbrus ; and II. pungens. They 
grow best in moist situations, and where these are not to be 
had, give them plenty of water, and plant in sandy soil 
enriched with decayed leaves. The flowers are about six 
inches in diameter, flowering up the stem, either solitary or 
in small bunches. II. sjiecibsus is the most splendid, and 
deserves a situation in every garden. The roots in winter 
ought to be covered with litter, tan, or saw-dust ; but a 
better method is to lift them, and put them in the cellar, 
covered with dry earth, and kept from the frost. All the 
above-mentioned species are improved by being protected 
during winter. 
Iris, Flower-de-lis, has many fine species of various shades 
and colours, I. subijlora, I. nepaUnsis, I. Palldsii, I. pallida, 
I. cristdta, I. arendria, I. furedta, I. germdncia, I. floreii- 
t\na, I. vema, and I. susidna. The last is the finest of the 
herbaceous species; the flowers are very large and curiously 
spotted with brown ; it stands the severest of our winters 
unprotected. The root of I. Jlorenttna is the orris root of 
the druggists. They are all of easy culture in any loamy 
soil inclining to moisture. The bulbous species will be 
treated of in September or October. Corolla six-petaled, 
three erect and three reclined alternately ; jjroeeeding from 
spathes or sheaths with flowers in succession. 
Liatris is a genus of native plants, containing several fine 
species,//, squarrbsa, large purple heads of beautiful flowers; 
L. elegans ; L.paniciddta. L. macrdstachi/a, now L. spiedta, 
is a fine large-growing species. They have syngencsious 
purple flowers in long close spikes, differing from other 
spiked-flowering genera by blooming first at the extremity. 
They grow best in strong heavy soil. 
Lychnis. Three species are very desirable in the flower 
borders. L. chakeddnica has bright scarlet-crowned flowers; 
the double scarlet variety is splendid ; there is also a double 
