Bupleurum
(derivation not satisfactorily explained). Hare's-Ear. ORD. Umbelliferae. A somewhat extensive genus of quite glabrous shrubs or herbaceous plants. Flowers yellowish; umbels compound. Leaves mostly quite entire. But few of this genus are worth growing, and all are of the easiest culture in common garden soil. Propagation is effected, in the case of annuals, by seed, sown in the open border in March or April; in the case of perennials by division, in either spring or autumn; and in that of shrubby species, by cuttings or divisions, in March or April. B. fruticescens (shrubby).* fl., umbels small, three to five-rayed; involucre of three to five, very short, subulate leaves. August. l. linear-subulate, stiff, striated, five to seven-nerved. Branches slender, elongated, erect. h. 1ft. Spain, 1752. Hardy and evergreen.
B. fruticosum (shrubby).* Leaves of involucre oblong. July. l. of a sea-green colour; oblong, attenuated at the base, coriaceous, one-nerved, quite entire, sessile. Bark of branches purplish. h. 3ft. to 6ft. Spain, 1956. Hardy. This is nearly the only species grown. (W.D.B.1,14.) B. gibraltarica (Gibraltar). fl. yellow. June. l. lanceolate, one-nerved, coriaceous. h. 3ft. Gibraltar, 1784. Evergreen, half-hardy. B. graminifolium (grass-leaved).* fl. green-yellow. June. l. linear, grass-like. h. 6in. Switzerland, 1768. Hardy perennial. B. longifolium (long-leaved). fl. green-yellow. June. l. ovate-oblong; radical ones stalked; cauline ones amplexicaul. h. 3ft. Switzerland, 1713. Hardy perennial.