be too often removed. They may be transplanted any time after the beginning of June, when their leaves will be quite decayed, till the middle of September; but the roots should not be kept very long out of the ground, for if they shrink it will often cause them to rot. The roots of these flowers should not be planted scattering in the borders of the flower-garden, but in patches near each other, where they will make a good appearance." Miller's Gard. Dict.

[6]

Narcissus Minor. Least Daffodil.

Class and Order.

Hexandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Petala 6, æqualia: Nectario infundibuliformi, 1-phyllo. Stamina intra nectarium.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

NARCISSUS minor spatha uniflora, nectario obconico erecto crispo sexfido æquante petala lanceolata. Lin. Sp. Pl. p. 415. Syst. Vegetab. p. 262.

NARCISSUS parvus totus luteus. Bauhin. Pin. 53.

The least Spanish yellow bastard Daffodil. Park. Parad. p. 105.

We are not a little surprised that Mr. Miller should have taken no notice of the present species, as it must have been in the English gardens long before his time, being mentioned by Parkinson in his Garden of pleasant Flowers: it is nearly related to the Pseudo-Narcissus, but differs from it in many particulars except size, vid. Lin. Sp. Pl. and Parkinson above quoted.

Though its blossoms are not so large as those of the other species, yet when the roots are planted in a cluster, they make a very pretty shew, and have this advantage, that they flower somewhat earlier than any of the others.

Like the common Daffodil it propagates very fast by the roots, and will thrive in almost any soil or situation.

Though a native of Spain, it is seldom injured by the severity of our climate.

[7]

Cynoglossum Omphalodes. Blue Navelwort.

Class and Order.

Pentandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla infundibuliformis, fauce clausa fornicibus. Semina depressa
interiore tantum latere stylo affixa.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

CYNOGLOSSUM Omphalodes repens, foliis radicalibus cordatis[B], Lin. Sp. Pl. p. 193. Syst. Vegetab. p. 157. Scopoli Fl. Carn. p. 124. t. 3.

SYMPHYTUM minus borraginis facie. Bauh. Pin. 259.

BORAGO minor verna repens, folio lævi. Moris. hist. 3. p. 437. s. 11, t. 26. fig. 3.

A native of Spain, Portugal, and Carniola, and an inhabitant of woods and shady situations, flowers in March and April: in the autumn it puts forth trailing shoots, which take root at the joints, whereby the plant is most plentifully propagated; thrives best under a wall in a North border.

[8]

Helleborus Niger. Black Hellebore, or Christmas Rose.

Class and Order.

Polyandria Polygynia.

Generic Character.

Calyx nullus. Petala 5 sive plura. Nectaria bilabiata, tubulata.
Capsulæ polyspermæ, erectiusculæ.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

HELLEBORUS niger scapo sub-bifloro subnudo, foliis pedatis. Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 431. Sp. Pl. p. 783.

HELLEBORUS niger flore roseo, Bauh. Pin. 186.

The true Black Hellebore, or Christmas flower. Parkins. Parad. p. 344.

As our Publication seems likely to fall into the hands of such as are totally unacquainted with Botany, or botanical writings, it must plead as an apology for our often explaining many circumstances relative to plants, which may be well known to adepts in the science.

This plant derives its first name from the black colour of its roots, its second from its early flowering, and the colour of its petals, which though generally milk-white on their first appearance, yet have frequently a tint of red in them, which increases with the age of the blossom and finally changes to green; in some species of Hellebore, particularly the viridis, the flower is green from first to last.

Black Hellebore grows wild on the Appenine and other mountains, preferring such as are rocky.

If the weather be unusually mild, it will flower in our gardens, in the open border, as early as December and January; it may indeed be considered as the herald of approaching spring.

Like most other alpine plants, it loves a pure air, a situation moderately moist, and a soil unmanured: as the beauty of its flowers is apt to be destroyed by severe frosts, it should be covered during the winter with a hand-glass, or if it be treated in the manner recommended for the round-leav'd Cyclamen, it may be had to flower in still greater perfection.

It is propagated by parting its roots in autumn: neither this species nor the hyemalis thrive very near London.

[9]

Iris pumila. Dwarf Iris.

Class and Order.

Triandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla sex-partita: Petalis alternis, reflexis.