_H. orgyalis_ (the fathom-high sunflower).--The name is far within the
true measure, which is often 9 feet or 10 feet. A very distinct species,
increasing very slowly at the root and throwing all its growing efforts
upward. The long linear ribbon leaves, often exceeding a foot, spreading
in wavy masses round the tall stem, which has a palm-like tuft of them at
the summit, are a more ornamental feature than the flowers, which are
moderate in size and come late in the axils of the upper leaves.
[Illustration: HELIANTHUS ANNUUS GLOBULUS FISTULOSUS.]
_H. angustifolius._--A neat and elegant species, which I first raised from
seed sent by Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich. It has a very branching habit
quite from the base like a well-grown bush of the common wallflower. The
flowers are abundant, about 2½ inches across, with a black disk. The
plant, though a true herb, never comes up in my garden with more than one
stalk each year.
[Illustration: HELIANTHUS RIGIDUS (SYN. HARPALIUM RIGIDUM).]
_H. rigidus_ is well known as the best of the perennial sunflowers, and
has many synonyms, the commonest Harpalium rigidum. It need not be
described, but one or two things about it may be noted. The shoots, which
come up a yard or more from last year's stalk, may be transplanted as soon
as they appear without injury to the flowering, but if put back to the old
center, the soil, which should be deep and light, ought to be enriched.
The species is variable, and improved forms may be expected, as it
produces seed in England. The number of ray flowers is often very large. I
have one form which has several rows of them, nearly hiding the disk. A
variety is figured in _Botanical Magazine_, tab. 2,668, under the name of
H. atro-rubens. Another comes in the same series, tab. 2,020, as H.
diffusus. Other synonyms are H. missuricus and H. missouriensis. Its
native range extends across North America in longitude, and covers many
degrees of latitude. It likes a dry soil. In wet soil and wet seasons the
flower-stalk is apt to wither in the middle, and the bud falls over and
perishes prematurely.
[Illustration: COMMON SUNFLOWER (H. ANNUUS) SHOWING HABIT OF GROWTH.]
_H. Lætiflorus._--Under this name we grow in England a tall,
much-branched, late flowering kind, with smooth and very stout and stiff
stalks, sometimes black, sometimes green. It increases at the base of the
stalks; it makes close growth, and shows little disposition to run at the
root. The flowers are rather small, not more than 9 inches across, but so
durable and so well displayed by the numerous spreading branches as to
make the plant very useful for late decoration. I own that I cannot
identify this plant with the lætiflorus of Asa Gray, which he tells us
resembles tall forms of H. rigidus, with rough stalks, and bears flowers
with numerous rays 1½ inches long.
[Illustration: FLOWER OF HELIANTHUS ANNUUS.]
_H. occidentalis._--Recently introduced by Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich,
who gave me the plant two years ago. It is a neat species, growing about 2
feet high, well branched, and producing at the end of July abundance of
flowers about 2 inches across. The lower leaves are small and broad, with
long stalks, ovate in form.
[Illustration: HELIANTHUS MULTIFLORUS FL-PL.]
_H. mollis_, so called from the soft white down with which the leaves are
covered, grows about 4 feet high. Leaves large, ovate, and sessile; growth
of the plant upright, with hardly any branches; flowers pale yellow, about
3 inches across, not very ornamental. Cultivated at Kew, whence I had it.
_H. giganteus_ grows 10 feet high; stem much branched and disposed to
curve. Flowers about 2½ inches across, produced abundantly in August; rays
narrow and pointed, cupped, with the ends turning outward; leaves
lanceolate and sessile; rootstock creeping, forming tuberous thickenings
at the base of the stems, which Asa Gray tells us were "the Indian potato
of the Assiniboine tribe," mentioned by Douglas, who called the plant H.
tuberosus.
[Illustration: FULL SIZED FLOWER OF HELIANTHUS MULTIFLORUS.]
_H. maximiliani._--Half the height of the last, which it resembles, but
the stem is stouter, the leaves larger, as are also the flowers, which are
produced later. It is not so floriferous and ornamental as the last.
_H. lævigatus._--Smooth stalked, very distinct, does not spread at the
roots, which are composed of finer fibers than those of most of the genus;
stalks slender and black, growing closely together, branched near the
summit, 5 feet high; leaves narrowly lanceolate and acute; flowers
plentiful and about 2 inches across; rays few, and disk small.
We are warned that the following species are "difficult of extrication,"
either confluent or mixed by intercrossing.
_H. doronicoides._--I place this the third in merit among perennial
sunflowers, H. rigidus and H. multiflorus being first and second. It is 6
feet or 7 feet high, upright in growth, with many stalks. Flowers 3½
inches across, produced from the end of July to the end of September,
bright golden yellow; leaves large, ovate, tapering from the middle to
both ends; stalk leaves sessile and nearly connate, that is, clasping the
stalk by their opposite base. The plant spreads rapidly by running
rootstocks, and ripens seed in abundance. Figured as H. pubescens in
_Botanical Magazine_, tab. 2,778.
_H. divaricatus_ resembles the last, but is inferior, being a smaller
plant in all parts, especially in the flowers, which come out a month
later. The cauline leaves are stalked and diverge widely, which habit
gives its name to the plant. A casual observer would hardly notice the
difference between this species and the last, but when grown together the
superiority of doronicoides as a garden plant is at once evident.
_H. strumosus._--Fully 6 feet high; growth upright; rootstock less
spreading than the last two; leaves on very short stalks, broadest at the
base, ovate tapering by a long narrow point; flower disk narrow, but rays
large and orange-yellow; flowers showy, 3 inches across; they come out
late in August. I had this plant from Kew. The shape of the leaves would
have led me rather to refer it to H. trachelifolius, a closely allied
species.
_H. decapetalus._--Five feet high; flowers from end of July; makes a dense
forest of weak, slender stalks, much branched at the top; spreads fast;
leaves serrate, oblong-ovate, rather large; flowers abundant, pale yellow,
about 2 inches across; rays nearly always more than ten, in spite of the
name.
_H. tuberosus._--The well-known Jerusalem artichoke; not a plant grown for
ornament, being too coarse and late in flowering, but several things in
its history may be mentioned, as Dr. Asa Gray has spent labor and study
over it. It is believed to have been cultivated by the natives before the
discovery of America, and the edible tubers are thought to be a
development of cultivation. Forms of it without tuberous roots are found
wild, but whether indigenous to the place or degenerate from cultivation
was for long uncertain. Several species of Helianthus have a tendency to
produce similar fleshy tubers at the top of the roots. Dr. Gray used to
refer the origin of this species to H. doronicoides, but it is now
believed by him to be a distinct species, though one of which it is
difficult to identify with certainty the typical form.
I omitted to say that the word Helianthus is Greek for sunflower. After
several years' careful observation, I believe the notion that the flowers
keep their face to the sun is quite a delusion.
Edge Hall. C. WOLLEY DOD.
* * * * *
A QUICK FILTER.--The _Druggists Circular_ recommends chamois skin, free
from thin places; cut it of the desired size; wash it in a weak solution
of sal soda, or any alkali, to remove the grease, and rinse thoroughly in
cold water before using.
Tinctures, elixirs, sirups, and even mucilages are filtered rapidly. A
pint of the thickest sirup will run through in four or five minutes. By
washing thoroughly after each time of using, it will last a long time.
* * * * *