42 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
pretty object, from its feathery lightness and gracefully drooping habit of growth. We do not know whether 
any seedsman has thought it worth while to gather the seeds for sale, but it is very common in the woods of some 
parts of Sussex, and, in short, wherever the soil is sandy or gravelly. 
OTHER SPECIES OF THE SUB-ORDER FUMARIEiE. 
There are several kinds of annual Corydalis which are said to have been introduced, but which, from their 
flowers possessing but little beauty, have not been much cultivated. The most remarkable of these is C. impa- 
tiens, Fisch, a native of the Crimea, with yellow flowers, and capsules which burst and roll up when they are 
touched, like those of the Noli me tcmgere. All the kinds of Corydalis require a light soil, and should be sown 
where they are to remain. 
FUMARIA, Lin. 
Of the different annual kinds of Fumaria, the handsomest is F. capreolata, the flowers of which are white 
tipped with dark purple. F. officinalis , the common fumitory, is that little pale red flower so common in corn 
fields. An infusion of its leaves was formerly thought an admirable cosmetic, and their expressed juice was 
taken twice a day in whey as “ a sweetener of the blood.” What this phrase (which was in constant use, even 
in medical books fifty or a hundred years ago) means, is not exactly known ; but as the leaves of the fumitory 
are excessively bitter, they probably act as a tonic. F. Vaillanti and F. demijlora have dark purple flowers ; 
and F. leucantha white ones. They are all weedy-looking plants, and scarcely worth cultivating. The best 
place for sowing them is under a hedge, where they will climb up among the branches, and their flowers only 
being seen will look tolerably well. Some of the kinds are very suitable for rock work. The name of Fumaria 
alludes to the disagreeable smell of the plants, which resembles that of smoke. 
DISCOCAPNOS MUNDTII, Schlect. MUNDT’S DISCOCAPNOS, 
only differs from Fumaria in the fruit being membranous, and girded with a wing. The leaves are of a bluish 
green, and furnished with tendrils; and the flowers, which are in racemes of from five to eight flowers each, 
are red. 
CYSTICAPNOS AFRICANA, Gart. THE BLADDER FUMITORY, 
is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. It is a slender climbing plant, with small white flowers tipped with red. 
It was introduced in 1696, but we do not know where it is now to be procured. It takes its name from its 
capsules, which are bladdery, and contain many seeds. 
DIELYTRA SCANDENS, D. Don. THE CLIMBING DIELYTRA, 
is a climbing annual, a native of Nepaul. The flowers, which are yellow tinged with brown, differ from those 
of the Fumaria in having two horns. This plant lias not yet been introduced ; but from the descriptions which 
have been given of it, it appears well deserving of cultivation. 
