1. D. spectabilis (fig. 31).-This magnificent hardy plant is now so familiar that details are unnecessary. Its elegant

ternately divided foliage and gracefully drooping racemes of locket-like flowers of white and rose are not surpassed by any

Fig. 32. Dielytra eximia. ( nat. size.)

known plant. It is a native

of Siberia, but was introduced by Mr. Fortune from Chinese gardens.

2. D. eximia (fig. 32).-A smaller plant than the preceding, but also very handsome. The habit, it will be seen, is quite different. It grows about a foot high, and bears rosy pink flowers in Summer. A native of North America. D. formosa scarcely differs from this species.

3. D. chrysantha. This has bright yellow flowers, appearing in September, and A Californian species of recent

finely cut glaucous leaves. introduction, growing 4 or 5 feet high.

9. CORYDALIS.

This genus differs mainly from the last in having only one of the outer petals spurred or inflated, the other being flat, and in the inflated 2-valved capsule; the flowers are also smaller. The Greek name for Fumitory. Species numerous in the Mediterranean region, a few extending to America, South Africa, and north-western Asia.

1. C. lùtea.—A common European plant, found naturalised in some parts of England. A perennial fibrous-rooted herb, about a foot high. Leaves on long petioles, ternately divided. Flowers yellow, in leaf-opposed racemes, from May to August.

2. C. nóbilis.-This is a fine large yellow-flowered species, a native of Siberia, producing its flowers in early Spring. It belongs to the tuberous-rooted section, and has unbranched stems about a foot high, and dense racemes of bright yellow flowers.

C. Marshalliana is a dwarf tuberous-rooted species from Asia Minor, having pale yellow racemose flowers and a pair of biternate leaves on each stem; C. sólida is a tufted species about 6 inches high, with biternate glaucous leaves and unilateral racemes of rosy flowers from the axils of laciniate bracts; and C. tuberòsa, syn. C. càva, is similar to the last, with white flowers and entire bracts. These two are both European species.

ORDER IX.- CRUCÍFERÆ.

This very natural group of plants is so well defined that very little difficulty is experienced in recognising its members. They are almost without exception annual or perennial herbs with stellate hairs, radical leaves in rosettes, and the cauline alternate, destitute of stipules. Flowers usually in terminal racemes, rarely solitary, commonly ebracteate. Sepals 4, of which two are often saccate at the base. Petals 4. Stamens 6, tetradynamous (in Megacarpaa polyándra the stamens are numerous). Ovary 2-celled or transversely jointed. Seeds destitute of albumen. This order includes nearly 200 genera and 1,200 species, occurring in all parts of the world, and extending to the polar limits of flowering plants, but especially abundant on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the most important to the vegetable gardener, including as it does the many varieties of cabbage, broccoli, turnip, radish,

cress, sea-kale, etc., and nearly all its members are antiscorbutic. It is, moreover, not lacking in ornamental plants, especially in fragrant flowering species.

§ 1. Pod continuous, usually much longer than broad, dehiscing throughout its whole length, or transversely jointed, not compressed at right angles to the partition.

1. MATTHIOLA.

This genus includes all the different races of Stocks. Its distinctive characters are: entire or sinuate leaves, large flowers, the petals having long claws, a nearly cylindrical pod, connivent stigmas thickened or horned at the back, and thin flat numerous seeds. About thirty species, chiefly from the Mediterranean region. Named after an Italian physician.

1. M. incàna. This is the sub-shrubby biennial species from which the Brompton and perhaps the Queen Stocks have descended. It is an erect hoary plant, 1 to 3 feet high, with oblong-lanceolate entire leaves and large white, crimson, violet, purple double or single flowers. M. fenestràlis, Giant Cape Stock, is referred to this species by some authors. Α native of the West of Europe and the Levant, and also found on cliffs in the Isle of Wight.

2. M. ánnua.- The Ten-week, Intermediate, and other garden annual varieties of Stocks belong to this species. This has produced innumerable varieties, from pure white, lilac, violet, rose, and crimson to purple. Mediterranean region.

3. M. Grica. The Wallflower-leaved Stock. The foliage of this, instead of being hoary and downy, is of a bright green, closely resembling that of the Wallflower. This includes some white and yellow annual varieties. South of Europe.

4. M. bicórnis.-A straggling annual with lilac flowers, very fragrant at night, but closed during the day. It has a two-horned pod. It flowers during the Summer months. South of Europe.

2. CHEIRÁNTHUS.

Herbs or undershrubs with bipartite hairs. Leaves entire or toothed. This genus differs very slightly from the last, distinguished by having a more flattened pod, wingless seeds, and a capitate or bilobed stigma. There are about a dozen species, chiefly from the Mediterranean, and extending to the Himalayas and North America. Name from xpòs, the hand, and avos, a flower; application uncertain.

1. Ch. Cheiri (fig. 33). Wallflower. This needs neither de

scription nor recommendation. The varieties it has given birth to are innumerable. Yellow, orange, purple, brown, and variegated single and double flowers occur. The Rocket Wallflowers form a distinct race, with long narrow flowerspikes. Though probably not indigenous,

it is now found in many parts of Britain. The figure is more characteristic of the wild than the cultivated form.

2. Ch. Marshallii, syn. Erysimum.— A dwarf shrubby plant with evergreen leaves and a profusion of large fragrant orange-coloured flowers. It continues in flower from April till July. Supposed to be of hybrid origin, between the common Wallflower and Ch. alpinus.

3. Ch. alpinus.-A dwarf species about 6 inches high, with remotely toothed leaves and an abundance of pale yellow flowers. Summer. Mountains of Europe.

3. ÁRABIS.

Annual or perennial herbs, often with large rosettes of leaves, glabrous or hairy. Radical leaves spathulate, cauline sessile. Flowers white, more rarely purple. Pod linear, compressed, keeled, not elastic; seeds compressed in 1 or 2 series. Species numerous, chiefly from the temperate and arctic regions of the northern

hemisphere. The name is from Arabia, Fig. 33. Cheiranthus Cheiri. the native country of some species.

1. A. álbida, syn. A. Caucásica.-- Very common in old gardens, and a very hardy Spring flowering plant. It grows in patches with slender running stems and rosettes of pale green spathulate toothed leaves clothed with greyish hairs. Flowers pure white, in elongating racemes on leafy erect stems. There is a very pretty variegated variety. Mediterranean region, etc. A. alpina is probably an alpine form of this species. 2. A. blepharophylla. Similar to the preceding in habit and foliage, but with rosy-purple flowers. From California, but not yet very widely spread in gardens. June.

3. A. lucida. This species has dense rosettes of glabrous shining sessile spathulate leaves and very small white flowers.

The variegated form is very beautiful, and now very extensively used for edging. A native of Hungary, flowering in the month of June.

A. Androsace and A. procúrrens are very small alpine perennials with white flowers; and A. vérna is a pretty annual with blue flowers.

4. CARDAMINE.

Usually glabrous plants having pinnate leaves and white, lilac or purple flowers. It differs from Arabis in its pod being indistinctly keeled, with elastic valves. There are about fifty species, spread over the cold and temperate regions of both hemispheres. The name is derived from κápdaμov, cress.

1. C. pratensis. Lady's Smock or Cuckoo Flower.-A pretty though exceedingly common indigenous early-blooming perennial, with lilac or white flowers, of which there is a double variety in cultivation, occasionally found wild in wet situations.