10 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
The Jerusalem artichoke (iJ. tuberosus) is used as an esculent vegetable. Several new genera have been made 
out of the Linnman genus Helianthus ; but the differences are only trifling. Helianthus signifies literally, 
Sunflower. The species are generally tall, coarse-growing annual or perennial plants, very rarely becoming 
shrubby at the base. The leaves are opposite or alternate, generally entire and rough. The flowers are 
terminal, and generally produced singly. They are always yellow, and in most cases large and showy. 
1.— HELIANTHUS DECAPETALUS. Lin. THE TEN-PETALED SUNFLOWER. 
Synonyme. — H. frondosus, Pursh. 
Engravings. — Bot. Mag. t. 3510 ; and our fig, 2, in Plate 49. 
Specific Character. — Leaves opposite, except the upper ones, and 
I the bracts sub-rhomboid-ovate, acuminate, grossly serrated ; rough and 
i somewhat three-nerved. Leaflets of the involucre linear-acuminate. 
I Chaff scabby. Florets of the ray entire, never exceeding ten. 
Description, &c. — The stem is four or five feet high ; much branched, and rough. The leaves are rough on 
both sides, of a lively green above, but paler below. The flowers are rather small and drooping, and of a pale 
yellow. The florets of the ray never exceed ten. The anthers are of a purplish black. The species is a native 
of Canada, and the northern parts of North America, whence it was introduced in 1759. It is quite hardy in 
British gardens. There is a variety in which the scales of the involucre become leafy. 
2.-HEL1ANTHUS PUBESCENS, Vuhl. THE DOWNY SUNFLOWER. 
SvNONYMES. — H. toraentosus, M'lchx. ; H. Hookerii, G. Don ; I Specific Character. — Leaves opposite, sessile, half-stem clasping, 
LI. doronicoides, Dec. The Illinois sunflower. ovate-lanceolate, crenately serrated, hirsute. Stem hairy, rough. 
Engravings. — Bot. Mag. t. 2778 ; and our fig. 1, in Plate 49. j Scales of the involucre linear-lanceolate, pubescently ciliated. 
Description, &c. — This species is a hardy perennial, frequently growing eight feet high, with a rough stem, 
divided at the summit into a panicle of flowers. The leaves are thick and rigid, placed opposite to each other, 
except the upper ones, and they generally partially sheath the stem at their base. Two of the side ribs in each 
leaf, are much longer and stronger than the others, but as they do not spring from the base, the leaf can scarcely 
be properly called three-nerved. A native of the Southern States of North America ; but quite hardy in British 
gardens. It was introduced in 1795. 
,3.— HELIANTHUS SPECIOSUS, Hooh. THE SHOVYY SUNFLOWER. 
Synonymes. — Leigliia speciosa, Cans. ; Mexican Sunflower. 
Engravings. — Bot. Mag. t. 3295; and oui’A^. 3, in Plate 49. 
Specific Character. — Leaves cordate, entire, or three-lobed. Pe- 
duncle fleshy. Scales of the involucre leafy. Chaff much longer 
than the tube of the flower. Pappus in two very long fringed bris- 
tles. 
Description, &c. — This very showy plant bears so very slight a resemblance to a Sunflower, that Sir. W. J. 
Hooker, to whom a specimen was shown, was quite at a loss where to place it. Its flowers in shape approach 
very nearly to those of the Marigold, or of the genus Tithonia ; and its seeds were sent from Mexico to 
Manchester in 1833. The following description of this species is taken from the Botanical Magazine for 1834, 
vol. 61 : — “ Only one seed vegetated. The label on the paper was Composita speciosa, and it was said to come 
from Jorullo. The plant came up to the length of about eighteen inches, very mucli like a common Sunflower, 
the outer and lower leaves being large, and the inner ones smaller, and very close together at the top, as in the 
common Sunflower, with all the leaves entire. It then threw out lobed leaves, and became a very different 
looking plant. It rose to the height of about five feet, beset with branches very thickly all the way from the 
bottom to the top, the lower ones projecting nearly horizontally from the plant, turning up at the ends, and about 
eighteen inches long; the rest gradually decreasing in length up to the top, and forming a complete cone. The 
