SILE'NE SCIIAFTA.
SCIIAFTA CATC11FLY.
Class ,
DECANDKl A.
Order .MONOGYNJA.
Natural Order.CAllYOPllYLLACE^E.
No. 1100.
Tlio viscid iluid found on somo species of Silcnehas obtained for the genus its systematic name,from the G reek siai.on, saliva. The specific appella-tion Schafta, adopted by S. Gf. Gmelin, a Russianbotanist, is unexplained: its spelling requires cor-rection beneath the annexed engraving.
This is one of the prettiest novelties that haslately been added to our hardy flower borders. Itis a delightfully gay plant, for rockwork, spreadinglike the previously figured Saponaria ocymoides.
Where entire beds of very low plants are adopt-ed, this would form one of the most desirable fortheir decoration — bright and continuous, ilowertouching ilower; and standing as gold againstlead, in comparison with the most brilliant of thetapestry ever wrought by the Gobelins.
Mention is first made of it at Dorpat, in the westof Russia ; whence it was transmitted to the Impe-rial Gardens, at St. Petersburg ; and from this esta-blishment to the Horticultural Society of London.Thus it is, now a-days, that the riches of tlio earthare equally dispensed to all her children. It maybe raised from seeds or cuttings.