ve-green colour, neatly arranged and firmly clasping the whole
flower. The pedicels are long, round, covered with short stiff hairs,
and thickened at the involucre; the stems are very rough, rigid, hard,
and brown or ruddy on the sunny side, sometimes twisted and nude, with
the exception of a solitary rudimentary leaf. The main stems have many
axillary branches. The leaves of the root are few, 5in. or 6in. long,
and oval. Those of the stems more lance-shaped, sessile, and slightly
dentate, or toothed, lessening in size as they get higher; all the
leaves are very thick, three-veined, and remarkably hispid, being almost
as coarse as sandpaper to the touch. I have also observed another
peculiarity about the leaves, when they have been taken from the plant
for an hour or more, _i.e._, they have a most elastic property. Very
often the leaves may be seen in trios, whence spring three side
branches, surrounding the upright and central one. The habit of the
whole specimen is very rigid, with the exception of the flowers, which
are slightly nodding; the tallest growths need no stakes, and the
species enjoys a happy immunity from insect pests, probably by reason of
its hispid character. As already stated, as a garden subject this is one
of the most useful; it shows grandly in front of evergreens, and
associates well with lilies. In borders of tall perennials, or in
conspicuous but distant situations, such as are visible from the doors
or windows of the house, or as isolated clumps, on or near the lawn,
this fine Sunflower may be planted with satisfactory results; in fact,
it cannot be planted wrong, provided it is kept away from small
subjects. In a cut state it is of such value that it cannot be
overpraised--a branch with four fully blown flowers and others nearly
out, requires no assistance as a table decoration. Its blooms have the
quality of keeping clean, doubtless from the smoothness of the florets.

The cultural requirements are few. Any garden soil will do for it, but
if deeply dug and well enriched with stable manure, so much the better;
it should have a fairly open situation; it is not only a Sunflower in
name and form, but it enjoys sunshine. It is self-propagating, and runs
freely at the roots, immediately under the surface; the thick stolons
form knobby crowns at their extremities, out of and from under which the
roots issue, going straight and deep down, and so forming an independent
plant.

Flowering period, Augus