Carrot family
Umbelliferae
Pim-pi-nell’a. Numerous species of perennial or annual herbs from the north temperate zone, only the one below grown in gardens.
Description
Leaves twice- or thrice-compound, the ultimate segments mostly toothed. Flowers small, in a compound umbel.
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Grass family
Gramineae
Lag-you’rus. A single species of annual grass of the Mediterranean region, grown for dried bouquets. Related to Agrostis .
Description
An erect grass, its narrow, grasslike leaves softly hairy. The flowering cluster in an oblongish head.
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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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Phlox family
Polemoniaceae
Flocks . About 60 species of usually hardy herbs found mostly in North America.
Description
Leaves lance-shaped, opposite and in pairs, or alternate. Flowers showy, in loose or closely packed terminal clusters, ranging from white to red, pale lilac, or purple, the corolla tube usually having an eyelike marking at the opening. Calyx of 5 sepals united halfway down. Corolla of 5 united petals forming a short, narrow tube. Stamens 5, usually enclosed in the corolla tube.
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Poppy family
Papaveraceae
Glaw’si-um. Stout herbs native in regions from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan and related to Argemone and Papaver .
Description
Leaves pinnately lobed, forming a basal rosette. The flowers are solitary, yellow or red, with 2 sepals and 4 petals.
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Poppy family
Papaveraceae
Plat-i-stee’mon. A single, attractive species from Calif.
Description
Leaves entire. Flowers with 3 sepals and 6 petals.
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Evening primrose family
Onagraceae
Clark’i-a. Very showy herbs, mostly from the w. U.S., some popular in the flower garden.
Description
Leaves alternate, narrow, sometimes with very small marginal teeth. Flowers solitary or in small clusters. Petals 4, clawed, the upper part widely spread and sometimes 3-toothed.
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Grass family
Gramineae
Fal’ar-ris. About 15 species of ornamental and seed-yielding grasses in the north temperate zone, cultivated for the variegated foliage, the species below a source of birdseed.
Description
Leaf blades flat and narrow. Flower cluster terminal, usually a narrow spike or panicle, its spikelets flattened but not bristled.
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Snapdragon family
Scrophulariaceae
Or-tho-kar’pus. A genus of 25 species of New World herbs, generally called owl’s clover in Calif., where some species originate. Related to Castilleja .
Description
Leaves alternate with smooth or cut edges. Flowers in spikes, often with colored bracts.
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Flax family
Linaceae
Ly’num. Flax . Nearly 200 species of herbs, grown for ornament, except for Common Flax, which yields linseed oil and linen.
Description
Leaves generally alternate, stalkless, narrow, without marginal teeth. Flowers in generally terminal racemes or cymes, day-blooming and rather fleeting. Sepals and petals 5 each, separate. Stamens 5.
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Mustard family
Cruciferae
Mat-thy’o-la. A genus containing 50 species of Old World annuals, perennials, or subshrubs, only 2 species commonly in cultivation.
Description
Leaves alternate, without marginal teeth, or way or cut into segments. Flowers in terminal racemes, with 4 long-clawed petals.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Kris-san’thee-mum. An important genus of usually erect herbs, comprising about 100 species, nearly all from the temperate or subtropical regions of the Old World. Some have been cultivated for over 3000 years in China and Japan.
Description
Leaves alternate, often more or less divided, and strong-smelling. Generally much branched. Flowers daisylike, in all colors except blue and purple and in heads that are usually showy and immense, but sometimes small and buttonlike.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Sir’si-um. Of 200 known species of thistles, most are weeds.
Description
Prickly herbs with alternate or basal leaves that are nearly always cut or lobed and spiny-margined. Flowers tiny, tubular, often handsome, crowded in a dense, usually spiny-bracted head.
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Carrot family
Umbelliferae
Kor-ee-an’drum. Two species of herbs native to s. Europe and Asia Minor. The species below is cultivated for its fragrant seeds and foliage, used as a seasoning.
Description
Compound leaves and small white flowers in compound umbels.
How to Grow
Easy to grow from seeds. Start indoors in spring or sow outdoors after the danger of frost is past. Needs full sun and average soil. Prefers cool weather.
Coriandrum sativum
Coriander . To 3 ft. (90 cm) high. Flowers small, ? in. (3.2 mm) wide, white, rose, or lavender, in compound umbels, the outer flowers in each umbel sometimes enlarged and raylike. S. Europe. Hardy annual.
Waterleaf family
Hydrophyllaceae
Fa-see’li-a. About 175 species of American herbaceous plants, found mostly in the northwestern states.
Description
Leaves simple or compound, alternate, fleshy, sometimes hairy, veins prominent on underside. Flowers blue, purple, or white, arranged in rolled 1-sided racemes, the raceme unrolling as the flowers open. Individual flowers on short stalks. Calyx of 5 narrow sepals, widening toward the apex, but joined at the base. Corolla bell-shaped, the petals 5, sometimes with sterile anther lobes between the petals. Stamens 5, conspicuous.
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Mallow family
Malvaceae
Al-see’a. Hollyhock . A genus of about 60 species of tall, leafy-stemmed biennial or perennial herbs, all from the temperate regions of the Old World.
Description
They have usually hairy alternate leaves and a terminal, spirelike cluster of showy flowers, the 5 petals usually notched, originally red or white, but variously colored in the horticultural forms. Below the calyx is a series of 6-9 bracts.
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Loasa family
Loasaceae
Ment-zee’li-a. About 60 species of American annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or trees, usually with barbed, but not stinging, hairs.
Description
Leaves usually alternate, without marginal teeth, cut into lobes or cleft almost to the center. Flowers white, yellow, or red, often showy, borne singly, in terminal racemes, or in flat-topped cymes. Petals usually 5. Stamens numerous.
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Grass family
Gramineae
La-mark’i-a. A single species of annual grass of the Mediterranean region, commonly grown for its handsome spikelets. Related to Briza and Poa .
Description
A tufted grass, with numerous flat, grasslike leaves. Spikelets crowded in dense, drooping clusters.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ko-ree-op’sis. Comprising about 100 species, perhaps a dozen grown for their showy bloom.
Description
Leaves generally opposite, often lobed or dissected, but entire in some. Flowerheads solitary or in branched clusters, composed of central disk flowers and showy ray flowers. Usually about 8 rays in the single varieties, more in the double forms.
How to Grow
Sow seeds outdoors in early spring. In warm areas, sow again late summer through fall for winter and spring flowers. Plants need good drainage and full sun. Do not thin; bloom best when crowded. Plants prefer warm weather.
Coreopsis tinctoria
Golden Coreposis . 2-3 ft. (60-90 cm) high. Flowerheads long-stalked, to 1 ? in. (3 cm) across, the disk flowers dark red or purple, the ray flowers yellow with brown base, or entirely yellow, brown, or purple-red. Cen. U.S. There are forms with double flowers, as well as dwarf varieties. Heat-resistant. Hardy annual
Grass family
Gramineae
See-tair’i-a. Chiefly agricultural, warm-country grasses, comprising about 125 species, the one below chiefly a forage or fodder grass.
Description
Leaf blades flat and narrow. Flowers in a large, spikelike panicle, the spikelets having beneath them bristles that persist after the spikelet has fallen. Fruit an edible grain in S. italica .
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