OF ORNAMENTAL ANNUALS. 
223 
a viper; and the seeds of the plant are not only supposed to resemble the head of that reptile, hut the juice of 
any plant of the genus was formerly thought a certain cure for a viper’s bite. 
1.—ECHIUM AUSTRALE. Lam. THE SOUTHERN VIPER’S BUGLOSS. 
Synonymes. —E. diffusum, Smith ; E. grandiflorum, Desf. ; E. 
macranthuin, Rcem. et Schultz. 
Engravings_ Swt. Brit. Flow. Gard. t. 101 ; and our fig. 6, in 
Plate 38. 
Description, &c. —This plant grows about a foot c 
the same root, so as to make the plant spread widely. 
Specific Character. —Stem herbaceous, pilose. Leaves ovate, 
attenuated at both ends. Corollas equalling the stamens, which are 
villous at the apex.—(G. Don.) 
r eighteen inches high, with numerous stems, rising from 
The leaves are ovate, tapering at both ends; and with 
the upper side covered with small white tubercles, while the under side, which is strongly veined, is clothed 
with small rigid hairs. The flower-stalks have the flowers all on one side, and lengthen as the flowers expand. 
The flower is large, tubular, and of a reddish purple, changing to blue as it fades, strongly ribbed, and hairy. 
The stamens are shorter than the tube of the flower, but the style, which is red, projects beyond it. This species 
is a native of the south of Europe, and was introduced in 1824, but modifications of it under different names 
have been introduced at various periods. The seeds may be procured at Cliarlwood’s, and other seed-shops, and 
they should be sown in patches of only a few seeds together, in March or April; thinning the plants out when 
they come up so as not to leave more than three in a patch, and these may be afterwards again thinned out to 
one ; or rather, the three may be taken up and spread widely apart. The reason for this is, that when the 
plants are allowed room, they will spread widely in all directions; but when left near together, they become 
drawn up and straggling. All the Echiums should be grown in a warm dry border, open to the sun. E. grandi- 
florum , Desf., appears to be the same as this species. 
2.—ECHIUM VIOLACEUM, Lin. THE VIOLET-COLOURED VIPER’S BUGLOSS. 
Synonymes. —E. creticum, Lam ., not of Lin. ; E. floribundum, 
Leh. ; ? E. plantagineum, Lin. 
Specific Character. —Stem herbaceous, branched ; lower leaves 
oblong; upper ones lanceolate, cordate at the base, stem-clasping, 
hispid from strigse; spikelets simple, elongated ; stamens about equal 
in length to the corolla, which is irregular.-—(G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —The principal apparent difference between this species and E. australe is, that the flowers 
are blue with a tinge of violet, instead of reddish: there is, however, another rather important difference, which 
is, that the root of E. violaceum is fusiform, and that consequently this species will not bear transplanting, except 
when very young. It is a native of the south of Europe, and was introduced in 1658. The culture is the same as for 
E. australe , except that three plants may be left in a patch together ; and that, as they grow from one foot to two 
feet high, they look best tied to slender stakes. Seeds may be had at Charlwood's, and other seed-shops.’ 
E. plantagineum differs very little from this species, except in the colour of the flowers, which are either white or 
purple, and always reddish before they expand. The flowers of E. floribundum are blue, and the plant is a 
native of North America. 
OTHER SPECIES OF ECHIUM. 
E. MARITIMUM, Willd. 
Flowers blue. A native of the shores of the Mediterranean. Introduced in 1815. 
