23. Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 2. p. 87.

LYCHNIS vel Ocymoides repens montanum. Bauh. Pin. 206.

N^o154.

The Saponaria Ocymoides has been figured in the appendix to the fifth volume of the Flora Austriaca in its wild state, as in similar works every plant is expected to be; our figure represents a branch of it only, taken (as all ours in this work professedly are) from a garden specimen which grew on a wall of a particular construction in our garden at Brompton, and of which it was the principal ornament through the months of May, June, and July, during most of which time it was covered with a profusion of bloom[1].

Though it produces blossoms in abundance, it affords but little seed, but may be increased by slips or cuttings.

It is a hardy perennial, a native of France, Italy, Switzerland, and Carinthia, loves a pure air and a dry situation[2], grows best among rocks, stones, or out of a wall, and certainly is one of the best plants imaginable for ornamenting of rock-work.

I received seeds of it, and many other rare plants, from my very kind friend Mr. Daval, of Orbe, in Switzerland.

[155]

Oxalis Versicolor. Striped-Flower'd Wood-Sorrel.

Class and Order.

Decandria Pentagynia.

Generic Character.

N^o155.

The Oxalis-versicolor is considered as one of the most beautiful of the many species cultivated in gardens; and, though well known to, and described by several of the older Botanists, has graced our collections but a few years, being introduced to the Royal Garden at Kew, from the Cape (where, as well as in Ethiopia, it grows spontaneously) by Mr. Masson, in the Year 1774.

Many of this genus flower early in the spring, the season in which this species also puts forth its blossoms, but by dexterous management it may be made to flower during most of the year; and this is effected by placing the pea-like tubera or knobs which the root sends forth, and by which the plant is propagated, in pots filled with loam and bog-earth at stated distant periods.

Like most of the Cape plants, it is well adapted to the greenhouse, and succeeds best when placed on a front shelf of the house, where it can have plenty of light and air; some keep it in the stove, but there the plant is drawn up, and the flowers lose a part of their brilliancy: in no situation do they ever expand but when the sun shines on them; this is the less to be regretted, as they are most beautiful when closed.

[156]

Coreopsis Verticillata. Whorled Coreopsis.

Class and Order.

Syngenesia Polygamia Frustranea.

Generic Character.

N^o156.

The Coreopsis verticillata is a hardy, perennial, herbaceous plant, a native of North-America; producing its blossoms, which are uncommonly shewy, from July to October, and is readily propagated by parting its roots in Autumn.

It grows to a great height, and is therefore rather adapted to the shrubbery than the flower-garden.

Clayton remarks, that the petals, though of a yellow colour, are used by the inhabitants to dye cloth red.

[157]

Hyacinthus Botryoides. Grape Hyacinth.

Class and Order.

Hexandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

N^o157.

The Hyacinthus botryoides, a native of Italy, and cultivated in the time of Gerard and Parkinson, is now become scarce with us, being only to be accidentally met with in long-established gardens; we first saw it in the garden of our very worthy and much valued friend, Mr. John Chorley, of Tottenham, to whose lady my collection stands indebted for several rare and valuable plants.

This species increases sufficiently fast by offsets, but in the open border does not very readily produce flowering stems: as both it and the racemosus are apt to become troublesome in a garden from their great increase, we would recommend their bulbs to be placed in moderately sized pots filled with light earth, and plunged in the borders where they are designed to flower; in the autumn they should be regularly taken out, the offsets thrown away, and about half a dozen of the largest bulbs left, all of which will most probably flower at the usual time, the end of March or beginning of April.

Parkinson, who most admirably describes this and the racemosus, enumerates three varieties, viz. the