ld inhabitant of our gardens, is a plant
of very humble growth, rarely exceeding three or four inches in height,
and producing its spike of purple flowers in April, which continue in
blossom about a fortnight.

In point of colour the flowers of this plant are not subject to much
variation, we possess a variety of it with blossoms of a much brighter
colour than those of the common sort, and which, on that account, is
much more worthy of cultivation.

As a spring plant, it deserves a place in the garden; in point of
ornament, it is applicable to the same purposes as the Primrose, will
grow in almost any soil or situation, requires to be taken up in the
autumn, and fresh-planted every two or three years; if suffered to
remain in the same spot for a great length of time, it becomes smaller,
produces few or no flowers, and is so altered in its appearance, as to
look like another species.

[Illustration: _No 232_]

[232]

FUMARIA CAVA. HOLLOW-ROOTED FUMITORY.

_Class and Order._

DIADELPHIA HEXANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal_. diphyllus. _Cor._ ringens. _Filamenta_ 2 membranacea singula
_Antheris_ 3.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

FUMARIA _cava_, caule simplici, bracteis longitudine florum integris,
radice cava.

FUMARIA _bulbosa_ radice cava major. _Bauh. Pin. p. 143._

RADIX _cava_ major. _Park. Parad. p. 275._

The hollow-rooted Fumitory differs from the _solida_, already figured,
and that constantly, in a variety of particulars; its root is always, as
far as we have observed, hollow, appearing sometimes, as PARKINSON
informs us, "like a shell, every part of which when broken will grow;"
frequently acquiring a very great size; the plant itself usually grows
to twice the height of the _solida_, bearing foliage and flowers
proportionably large; its bracteae or floral leaves, which in the
_solida_ assume a kind of finger'd appearance from the manner in which
they are divided, in this are entire or but slightly indented; it
flowers also about three weeks earlier.

Of the _Fumaria cava_ there are three principal varieties in point of
colour, viz. the white, the blush-coloured, and the purple, which,
though plentiful in our gardens formerly, are now rarely met with; Mr.
CHAPPELOW informs me, that he found them all this spring, in an old
plantation at Teddington, where they produced the most pleasing effect.

It begins to flower in March and continues in bloom three weeks or a
mont