  Alyssum Halimifolium. Sweet Alyssum. Class and Order. Tetradynamia Siliculosa. Generic Character. Filamenta quÆdam introrsum denticulo notata. Silicula emarginata. Specific Character and Synonyms. ALYSSUM halimifolium caulibus suffruticosis, diffusis, foliis lineari-lanceolatis integerrimis, villosiusculis, staminibus simplicibus, siliculis subrotundis integris. Hort. Kew. V. 2. p. 381. ALYSSUM halimifolium caulibus procumbentibus, perennantibus, foliis lanceolato-linearibus, acutis, integerrimis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 590. Thlaspi halimi folio sempervirens. Herm. lugd. 594. t. 595. No 101 No101 Grows spontaneously in dry situations, in the southernmost parts of Europe, where it is shrubby; and in similar situations it is so in some degree with us; but on our flower-borders, where it is usually sown, it grows so luxuriantly, that the stalks becoming juicy and tender, are generally destroyed by our frosts; hence it is an annual from peculiarity of circumstance; as such, it is very generally cultivated; the flowers exhibit a pretty, innocent appearance, and strongly diffuse an agreeable honey-like smell. They continue to blow through most of the summer months. It is a very proper plant for a wall or piece of rock-work; care must be taken, however, not to sow too much of the seed in one pot, as it spreads wide, but it may easily be reduced at any period of its growth, as it does not creep at the root. The specific description in the Hortus Kewensis above referred to, admirably characterizes the plant, but surely at the expence of its generic character. |
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