Plant Gardens 101

Mint family
Labiatae
Sal’vi-a. Sage. About 750 species of herbs, subshrubs, or shrubs distributed throughout the tropical and temperate world. The leaves of some species are used as a seasoning.

Description
Stems usually square. Leaves in pairs, opposite, simple, ovalish or lance-shaped, sometimes hairy, the margins toothed or deeply cut into segments, smaller toward the top. Flowers in whorls, the clusters 2- to many-flowered, growing from the axils of small, leafy bracts and arranged in terminal spikes or racemes. Colors varying. Calyx 5-lobed, joined about halfway down. Corolla 2-lipped, 3 lobes in the lower lip and 2 in the upper lip. Stamens 4, in pairs.

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Daisy family
Compositae
Lo’nas. Anthemis Tube. A single herb from the Mediterranean region.

Description
Leaves alternate, coarsely toothed, divided feather-fashion, with the segments linear. Flowerheads small, tubular, without rays, in dense corymbs.

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Snapdragon family
Scrophulariaceae
Kal-see-o-lay’ri-a. A very large genus of tropical American herbs or shrubby plants, called slipperworts.

Description
Leaves opposite or in whorls, simple or pinnately divided; leafstalk often winged. Flowers in irregular, often 1-sided, clusters, generally yellow, but often spotted with orange-brown. Corolla very irregular and 2-lipped, the upper lip small, the lower one large, inflated, and slipperlike. Stamens 2.

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Daisy family
Compositae
Tay-gee’teez. Marigold . A group of about 30 species of annual herbs, all native from N. Mex. to Argentina, not from Africa or France as implied by the common names African Marigold and French Marigold. The name “marigold” is commonly applied to several different kinds of plants in addition to Tagetes . The best known are the Pot Marigold ( Calendula ), the Cape Marigold ( Dimorphotheca ), and the Sea Marigold ( Mesembryanthemum ).

Description
Leaves strong-scented, mostly opposite and usually finely dissected. Flowerheads showy, solitary, or clustered. Below each head is a series of involucral bracts, united into a cuplike base.

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Primrose family
Primulaceae
Prim’you-la. Primrose . A large genus of over 400 species of low-growing, herbaceous plants of the northern hemisphere, found mostly in alpine and cool localities.

Description
Stems short or none. Leaves crowded, stalked, long and narrow, or roundish or tufted, the midrib generally prominent on underside. Flowers on leafless stalks, sometimes with leafy bracts, solitary, or in loose umbels, in whorled tiers, or in rounded heads. Flowers yellow, white, red, blue, pink, or purple. Calyx of 5 sepals, joined halfway, usually slightly inflated, generally pale green. Corolla of 5 lobes, tubular at the base. Stamens 5, not protruding.

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Mint family
Labiatae
Mol-lew-sell’a. Two species of aromatic Old World annual herbs, both found in old-fashioned gardens, the one below widely cultivated for fresh and dried flowers.

Description
Leaves opposite, stalked, generously toothed. Flowers very small, in whorls in the leaf axils. Corolla tiny, irregular, white or pinkish, scarcely or not exceeding the bristly or prickly calyx.

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Pink family
Caryophyllaceae
A-gro-stem’ma. A small genus containing 3 species of annual herbs, native to the Mediterranean region. The seeds are poisonous, and the plants grow as weeds in grain fields.

Description
Leaves opposite and entire. Flowers solitary, with 5 petals.

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Mallow family
Malvaceae
Hy-bis’kus. An important genus of over 250 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees, with many popular garden annuals.

Description
Leaves alternate, with veins arranged finger-fashion, sometimes lobed or parted. Flowers usually large, generally bell-shaped, with 5 petals and sepals, or sometimes the sepals united to form a 5-toothed calyx. Stamens united in a tubular structure that surrounds the style. Often a series of bracts beneath the calyx.

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Gentian family
Gentianiaceae
You-sto’ma. A small genus of North American prairie herbs, the species below cultivated in the garden.

Description
Leaves opposite, ovalish, sometimes stem-clasping. Flowers solitary or in clusters, corolla with 5-6 lobes.

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Snapdragon family
Scrophulariaceae
Mim’you-lus. A genus of about 150 declining or erect herbs or subshrubs found in North and South America, Asia, Australia, South Africa, and very numerous in w. North America. Sometimes called Diplacus .

Description
Plants smooth or hairy, often sticky or clammy. Leaves opposite, with or without marginal teeth. Flowers showy, 2-lipped, often spotted, giving the effect of a face, growing singly from the leaf axils or in terminal racemes.

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Grass family
Graminae
Ko’icks. A small genus of Indo-Malayan grasses, the species below grown here for ornament; but in its native region, its beadlike seeds are used to make rosaries.

Description
Stem jointed. Leaves flat. Flower cluster terminal, the male clusters at the end, the female below, the latter containing a white beadlike structure and the edible kernel.

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Saxifrage family
Saxifragaceae
Sacks-iff’ra-ga. Saxifrage ; Rockfoil . About 300 species of herbs found chiefly in the temperate regions of Europe and America. Very diverse, but usually low-growing, or creeping, the rootstocks spreading by offsets or runners.

Description
Leaves thick and fleshy or soft and mosslike, roundish or spoon-shaped to ovalish, sometimes arranged in a rosette. Margins generally toothed, often encrusted as with lime, hence silvery. Flowers pink, white, purple, or yellow, in clusters. Calyx of 5 sepals, spreading. Corolla of 5 or more petals. Stamens 10 or more.

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Knotweed family
Polygonaceae
Pol-lig’o-num. Smartweed ; Knotweed . Erect, trailing, or climbing herbs, comprising about 150 worldwide species of very diverse habits.

Description
Stems angled, swollen at the joints where leaf base clasps the stem, sometimes spotted or streaked brown. Leaves alternate and simple. Flowers small, in terminal spikes or loose racemes. Calyx of 5 sepals generally colored pink or white. Corolla absent. Stamens 3-9.

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Snapdragon family
Scrophulariaceae
Kol-lin’si-a. 25 species of attractive herbs, most natives of w. North America.

Description
Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3-5. Flowers solitary or in small clusters in leaf axils, the corolla irregular and 2-lipped, the calyx bell-shaped.

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Verbena family
Verbenaceae
Lan-ta’na. Tropical or subtropical shrubs, one of the 155 species grown for its profuse bloom.

Description
Very ornamental. Leaves usually opposite. Stem usually hairy, sometimes prickly. Flowers small, borne in dense spikes or heads that may be terminal. Calyx minute. Corolla tubular, 4- to 5-parted, slightly irregular, but not 2-lipped. Stamens 4.

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Cucumber family
Cucurbitaceae
Ee-ky-no-sis’tis. Herbaceous vines, comprising about 25 species from North or South America, only one of garden interest.

Description
Leaves palmately divided with 3-7 lobes. Male flowers in panicles, corolla with 6 lobes. Female flowers solitary or paired in small axils.

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Daisy family
Compositae
Bra-kick’o-me. A large genus of mostly Australian herbs, one, the Swan River Daisy, a very popular annual.

Description
Alternate, small leaves are divided, feather-fashion, into narrow segments. Flowerheads solitary on the ends of long stalks, the rays white, blue, or rose.

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Teasel family
Dipsacaceae
Skay’bi-o’sa. Scabious ; Pincushion . About 80 species of herbs found mostly in the temperate regions.

Description
Leaves simple, opposite, ovalish or lance-shaped, often lobed or deeply cut. Flowering stalk long. Flowers in terminal heads, surrounded by 2 rows of small leafy bracts, blue, purple, brownish black, reddish brown, pink, cream, or white. Calyx represented by bristles. Corolla tubular, sometimes 2-lipped, with lower lip greatly extended. Stamens 4.

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Caper family
Capparaceae
Klee-o’me. 200 known species, chiefly tropical, only one of garden importance.

Description
Usually strong-smelling herbs. Leaves compound, with 3-7 leaflets arranged finger-fashion. Flowers solitary or in clusters, with 4 long-clawed petals, long stamens, and stalked ovary.

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Pea family
Leguminosae
Fa-see’o-lus. Twenty species of mostly tropical herbs, including important beans grown for food or forage. The species below grown for ornament.

Description
Chiefly twining plants with compound leaves, mostly with 3 leaflets. Flowers pealike, but the keel coiled, variously colored. Fruit a somewhat flattened or cylindrical pod, edible itself or grown for its highly nutritious seeds.

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