Borage family
Boraginaceae
My-o-so’tis. Fifty species, mostly European, but a few throughout the north temperate zone.
Description
Usually branching, often weak or prostrate, generally hairy. Leaves alternate, without marginal teeth. Flowers small, in branched or unbranched, sometimes 1-sided, clusters. Calyx short, tubular, 5-toothed at the top. Corolla 5-lobed, the throat crested and often of a different color.
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Potato family
Solanaceae
Hy-o-sy’a-mus. Very poisonous or medicinal herbs from the Mediterranean region.
Description
Leaves coarsely toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, whitish or yellowish.
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Daisy family
Compositae
E-mil’i-a.
Twenty species of herbs from the Old World tropics, at least 2 of which are pantropical weeds. Related to Senecio .
Description
Leaves alternate. Flowerheads small, solitary, or clustered, disk-shaped. Involucre cylindrical or cupped.
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Madder family
Rubiaceae
As-per’u-la. A large genus of Old World herbs, some cultivated for ornament.
Description
Leaves in whorls of 6 or more. Flowers small, more or less funnel-shaped, and very numerous in forking cymes.
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Mustard family
Cruciferae
Lob-you-lair’i-a. A small genus of about 5 species of Mediterranean herbs, related to Alyssum .
Description
Leaves alternate, with unbroken margin. Flowers white, with 4 petals and 4 sepals. Stamens 6.
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Mignonette family
Resedaceae
Re-zee’da. A genus of 50-60 species of erect or reclining herbs, sometimes woody at the base, from the Mediterranean region. A few species are cultivated.
Description
Leaves alternate or clustered, simple or divided pinnately in some species. Flowers small, in long spikes, and composed of 4-7 petals.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Thell-e-sper’ma. Coreopsis-like herbs comprising about 12 species of w. North America and s. South America.
Description
Leaves alternate and opposite, much divided into threadlike segments. Flowerheads solitary on long stems. The species below differing only in technical characters from Coreopsis .
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Lobelia family
Lobeliaceae
Lo-bee’li-a. Showy-flowered herbs comprising about 375 species, popular for borders, wild gardens, and edging.
Description
Leaves alternate and simple. Flowers in terminal clusters, mostly spikes or racemes that are sometimes leafy, nearly always bracted. Corolla irregular, more or less tubular below, but split to the base, 3 of the lobes forming a lip, the other 2 erect or turned backward. Stamens united by their anthers into a ring around the style.
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Phlox family
Polemoniaceae
Gil’li-a. A genus of nearly 30 species of herbs, most from the w. U.S., a few rather showy garden flowers.
Description
Leaves alternate or opposite, usually without marginal teeth, sometimes dissected or divided. Flowers varied, mostly in clusters. Corolla more or less bell- or funnel-shaped, the stamens attached to the tube of the corolla.
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Grass family
Gramineae
Bry’za. A group of slender grasses, usually called quaking grass.
Description
Leaf blades flat, the spikelets suggesting small, flattened hops, often nodding on threadlike stalks.
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Mint family
Labiatae
Sat-you-ree’a. Savory . About 30 species of aromatic herbs or small shrubs, distributed through the temperate regions of the world. The species below is used as an herb. Sometimes spelled Satureia .
Description
Stems usually square. Leaves opposite, ovalish or lance-shaped, the margins sometimes toothed. Flowers pink, white, or purplish, in whorls, in axillary or terminal racemes. Calyx 5-lobed, usually tubular. Corolla a narrow tube opening into 2 lips, upper lip 2-lobed and flat, lower lip 3-lobed and widely flaring. Stamens 4, in pairs.
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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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Daisy family
Compositae
Ka-len’dew-la. A genus of 15 species of herbs, chiefly from the Mediterranean region.
Description
Leaves undivided, alternate, simple, and faintly toothed. Flowerheads large, the rays yellow, orange, or cream.
How to Grow
Calendulas grown to flower in spring are tall with small blossoms, while winter-grown plants are small with immense blossoms. For spring bloom, start seeds very early indoors and set out as soon as soil can be worked. For fall or winter bloom in warm regions, direct seed and transplant 12 in. (30 cm) apart. Prefers cool weather.
Calendula officinalis
Pot Marigold . 12-18 in. (30-45 cm) high. Flowerheads solitary, stalked, 1-3 in. (2.5-7.5 cm) wide, the day-blooming and night-closing rays flattish and orange, yellow, or cream. S. Europe. Many cultivars are available. Plants prey to slugs. Long-lasting flowers good for cutting. Blooms spring to frost. Hardy annual.
Pea family
Leguminosae
Loo-pine’us. Lupine . A genus of many species found in North America, South America, and around the Mediterranean; all annuals or perennials except for a tree.
Description
Herbaceous stems, with leaves compound and finger-shaped. Flowers pealike, produced in dense terminal racemes.
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Mustard family
Cruciferae
Brass’i-ka. An important genus of temperate Old World annual or biennial herbs, containing all the vegetables of the cabbage tribe, including mustard, kale, rape, and turnip. Some are pernicious weeds.
Description
They have mostly smooth, often bluish-green, water-shedding leaves. Flowers yellow or white, with 4 petals, and in terminal racemes.
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Purslane family
Portulacaceae
Por-tew-lak’a. Purslane . Low-growing, mostly trailing herbs, comprising about 100 species from tropical and temperate regions.
Description
Stems soft and fleshy, often reddish. Leaves alternate, small, thick, entire, often spoonshaped, 1-2 in. (2.5-5.0 cm) long. Flowers usually terminal, usually opening only in full sunlight, sometimes inconspicuous, sometimes showy. Calyx of 5 sepals. Corolla of 5 petals, in varying colors. Stamens numerous.
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Carrot family
Umbelliferae
Kair’um. A genus of about 30 species of Old World temperate zone herbs.
Description
Leaves mostly basal, much compounded into tiny segments. Flowers minute, white, in small umbels that are grouped in larger umbels. Fruit dry and seedlike.
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Grass family
Gramineae
A-gros’tis. Bent Grass . A large genus of widely distributed annual and perennial grasses, a few of which are much used in hay and lawn seed.
Description
Leaves narrow. Flowers in small spikelets that are borne in open, loose panicles.
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Buttercup family
Ranunculaceae
Con-sol’id-da. About 40 species of annuals from s. and e. Europe to cen. Asia, 2 fairly commonly cultivated. They are related to Delphinium, from which they differ in having the 2 upper petals united into 1, and the 2 lower petals lacking.
Description
Leaves narrow and divided. Flowers in showy spikes, with sepals and petals similar in shape, but one bearing a long spur.
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Grass family
Gramineae
Pol-li-po’gon. About 10 species of grasses with soft silky inflorescences.
Description
Leaf blades flat and narrow. Flowers in spikelike panicles.
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