July 10, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
35 
bright from August to October, and was introduced about 1835, 
and was named in honour of Mr. Murray, who was at that time 
curator of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, and first reared flower¬ 
ing plants. It grows from 2 to 3 feet high, with tall narrow 
virgate panicles of tubular flowers, with short and but slightly 
spreading corolla lobes. 
P. ovntusi. Dough—This has been known a long time under 
cultivation, having been figured in the *‘ Bot. Mag.” t. 2903, 
introduced from the north-western States of America. It grows 
from 1 to 2 feet high, tufted at the base and sub-w’oody, with 
rather large ovate-cordate leaves, variously serrated and bright 
green. The panicle is rather lax, with numei'ous flowers; 
corolla bell-shaped, with very open mouth 1 to 1| inch long, 
of a blue-purple colour with a white throat, appearing during 
July and August. It is a pretty kind and quite hardy, well able 
to look after itself. 
P. Palmeri, Gray.—This is a handsome species, flowering, 
I believe, for the first time in this counti’y a few years since at 
the Royal Gardens, Kew, a figure of it appearing in the “ Bot. 
Mag.” t. GOGI. It grows from 1^ to 3 feet high, and is more or 
less glaucous throughout, with oblong-lanceolate leaves below, 
the upper ones united by their broad bases. Flowers numerous, 
in open cymose panicles; corolla II to 2 inches long, broadly 
bell-shaped, with a broad spreading mouth of a pale cream 
colour tinged with rose, more especially rosy at the base, appear¬ 
ing in August and September. Native of Arizona, Utah, and 
Nevada, extending to California, often met with on very high 
altitudes. It is surprising this is not more often seen in our 
hardy plant collections. 
P. procerus, Dough—A well-known and dwarf species, well 
adapted for furnishing the rockery with cushions of deep green 
oblong-lanceolate leaves, about an inch long, on creeping shoots 
from which are sent up numerous clustered erect panicles of 
small purple flowers during June and July, lasting into August, 
forming a very charming tuft. It is very free-growing and 
perfectly hardy. A figure of it was given In the ” Bot. Mag.” 
t. 2954, and it was also figured in the “ Bot. Reg.” t. 1260, under 
the name of P. confertus, to which it is closely related; indeed it 
may only be a variety of it. 
P. piibescens. Hook.—An old-fashioned flower, having been 
introduced from the United States as early as 1758, and figured 
in the “ Bot. Mag.” t. 1424. It grows from 12 to 18 inches high, 
tufted at the base, with ovate-lanceolate deep green leaves. 
Flowers in lax panicles; corolla about an inch long, bell-shaped, 
light purple, white inside, with sprealing lobes, appearing in 
August and September. This is not so showy as most of the 
others, but it is very free an I quite hardy. 
P. spectahilis, Thurber.—A very lovely species, native of dry 
ooen plains and hills from Ventura to San Diego counties in 
California, extending northward to Ai’izona, and has been under 
cultivation many 3 mars, being well figured in the “Bot. Mag.” 
t. 5260. It grows from 14 to 3 feet high, with ovate-oblong, 
acuminate, sharply serrated leaves. Flowers very numerous in 
lax panicles ; corolla about l^ inch long, bell-shaped, rich blue- 
purple inside, and the spreading lobes lighter in colour, usually 
blue; but it is rather variable in colour, but very floriferous, 
constituting one of the showiest border flowers possible to 
possess, extending from the end of July to October in beauty. 
I like it very much. 
P. ternatus, Torrey.—Closely related to P. cordifolius, and I 
have frequently met with the latter under the name of P. ter¬ 
natus ; indeed I raised a packet of seed last April, supposed to 
have been P. ternatus, and lam sure they are all P. cordifolius, 
although not one of them has yet flowered. P. ternatus grows 
from 2 to 4 feet high, with narrow-lanceolate, sharply serrated 
leaves, nearly all of which are in whorls of three. Flowers in a 
naked navro .v panicle ; corolla about an inch long, tubular, with 
gaping lips, the upper one erect, of a pale scarlet colour, appear¬ 
ing in August and September; native of northern California. 
It is as tender as P. cordifolius, and should be treated in a 
similar manner.— Pentas. 
Rose A. K. Williams.—“ Empekok ” or “ Empress ?’’—After 
good-naturedly extending so mucii of your space to “ Y. B. A. Z ,” page 8, 
in first objecting to my figure of personifi 'ation, in designation of the 
above glorious Bose—“ an empress among Rose queens ’’—and then 
“damning it with faint praise,’’ you will kindly allow me a line to 
reiterate my observations in reference thereto. If, broadly speaking, the 
Rose is universally admitted to be “ the queen of flowers,’’ the Rose that 
heads the list without reference to the gender of the surname is admitted 
to the higher title of “Empress.’’ If “ Y. B. A. Z.’’ maintains it should 
be “ Emperor ’’ in common parlance, he will find himself in a “ miserable 
minority.” As to the character of A. K. Williams, I have looked hastily 
through your report cf the National Rose Society, held since I wrote, and 
find it conspicuous in every winning stand, and some of the exhibitors, 
I believe, from the locality of your correspondent. No further proof is 
necessary. With me, and those who grow it around here, no other Rose 
comes near it.—W. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
JAMES [A AMERICANA. 
The Jamesia americana represented in the annexed figure is of only 
recent introduction, and although its merits as a good shrubby rockwork 
plant are undoubted it has not yet found its way into general cultivation. 
As a low-growing shrub it is unequalled in early summer, its pure white 
flowers having a peculiar fascination where the run on white cut flowers 
is large at that season. Equally useful also as a tall shrub for the back¬ 
ground, it is exceedingly floriferous in either position, standing any 
amount of cutting back. It may with care be obtained of any shape 
desired. The flowering season extends over May and June, and the 
fliwers are produced in profusion. Although perfectly hardy out of 
doors, and amongst the earliest of the North American plants, it stands 
forcing very well. It may be planted and lifted much in the way recom¬ 
mended for Rhododendrons, &c., or kept in pots and transferred to the 
greenhouse early in January. It will come in early in March, and ex¬ 
tend over April, in mild seasons sooner. As it never fails to bloom, and 
Fig. 6.—Jamesia americana. 
seems quite indifferent to either wet or dry seasons, it promises to become 
a valuable acquisition. 
The plant grows naturally of a rather straggling habit, but this may 
easily be 'remedied by pruning. The shoots are stout and woody. It is 
much branched. The flowers are in large corymbose heads, and are borne 
laterally, also opposite, on every joint, and smaller than the lateral ones. 
They are pure white and slightly fragrant, lasting a considerable time in 
a cut stite, and promising to be a good bee plant. The leaves are borne 
in opposite pairs on the young shoots, stalked, oval-shaped, and evenly 
and sharply serrated. They are of a fine light green colour, and covered 
with a fine silky down, which makes them quite silvery underneath. As 
it rarely, if ever, ripens seed in this country, the best way to increase 
it is from cuttings, which should be placed in cool frames in a shady 
position, and watered very sparingly until rooted.—D. D. 
Trophy Tomato. —Only a few wGll endorse the remarks of “ J. R.” 
respecting Trophy Tomato for outdoor work. Perhaps locality has some¬ 
what to do with the success in the case. Trophy for indoor work is very 
fine. The growth being so rapid and robust there is nothing like stopping 
the leader when there are two or three lots of bloom to help them to set. 
