110 
THE LADIES' FLOWER-GARDEN 
GENUS IX. 
ECHIUM, Tourn. THE VIPER’S BUGLOSS. 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. — Calyx 5-parted ; corolla funnel-shaped or i four, turbinate, imperforated at the base, and fixed to the bottom of the 
campanulate, Avith the segments of the limb frequently unequal ; calyx. Flowers in terminal spikes, or panicles. Leaves lanceolate, 
stamens exserted ; style cleft at the top, and hairy at the base. Nuts | 
Description, &c. — The plants belonging to this genus are of various kinds. Some are greenhouse shrubs, 
natives of the Canary Islands and the Cape of Good Hope ; and the others are annuals and perennials, mostly 
natives of Europe. All the species are very elegant when in flower ; and most of the herbaceous kinds are quite 
hardy in British gardens. The word Echium signifies a Viper, and both that and the English name refer to the 
supposed use of the plant in curing the bite of a viper. 
1.— ECHIUM RUBRUM, Willd. THE RED-FLOWERED VIPER’S BUGLOSS. 
Synonymes. — E. rossicum, Gmel. ; E. creticum, Pall. ; E. itali- 
cum, Mor. 
Engravings.— Bot. Mag., t. 1826 ; and our Jig. 1, in PL 79. 
Description, &c.' — This plant has a strong, erect stem, spotted with purple, and covered with small hairs. 
The leaves are short, very narrow, and also covered with short hairs. The stamens are longer than the corolla, 
and, the pollen being blue, they form rather a singular contrast to the bright pink of the principal part of 
the flower. The flowers vary in colour from a pale pink to a dark rose colour ; but they never have any shade 
of blue or purple, which is the more remarkable as the greater number of the species in this genus have purplish 
flowers. Echium rubrum is a hardy perennial, which flowers in May and June, and is increased by dividing the 
root, or by seeds. It is a native of Hungary, whence it was introduced in 1791. It requires no particular care 
in its culture, except that it likes an open, airy situation, better than one in the shade. 
Specific Character. — Stem erect, hispid, spotted. Leaves linear- 
lanceolate. Flowers in a terminal spike ; segments of the corolla 
nearly equal. 
2.— ECHIUM PYRENAICUM, Lin. THE PYRENEAN VIPER’S BUGLOSS. 
Synonymes. — E. pyramidale, Lap. ; E. asperrimum, Lam. ; E. 
italicum var. Willd. ; E. laivigatum, Vitt. 
Specific Character. — Stem much branched, spotted, and beset 
with stiff, spreading hairs. Leaves linear-lanceolate, hispid. Flowers 
disposed in conjugate, elongated, terminal spikelets, rather distant 
from each other ; segments of the corolla lanceolate, obtuse, nearly 
equal ; style bifid at the apex. Nuts beaked. 
Description, &c. — This species has generally either violet-coloured or white flowers, and a branched stem. 
The seeds, or, more properly speaking, nuts, are also distinguished by their being drawn out into a point on one 
side, resembling the beak of a bird. The species is a native of the Pyrenees, whenee it was introduced in 1815. 
It flowers in July and August, and it is increased by dividing the roots, or by seeds. 
3.— ECHIUM CRETICUM, Lin. THE CRETAN VIPER’S BUGLOSS. 
Synonymes. — E. rubrum, Moench. ; E. angustifolium. Mill. 
Engravings. — Bot. Mag., t. 1934, and our_^^. 3, in PL 79. 
Specific Character. — Stem diffuse, hispid, branched at the base. 
Leaves oblong-lanceolate, hispid, narrowed at the base. Stamens 
inclosed. Calyx, while bearing the fruit, distended and widened. 
Description, &c. — This species, though marked in some books as an annual, is, in fact, a biennial, or rather 
triennial, as, when raised from seed, it scarcely ever flowers till the second year, and will generally last three or 
four years like the W allJlower. The leaves are large and handsome, and the flowers, which are of a bright 
