Home › D › Dianthus (From dios divine and anthos)

Dianthus (From dios divine and anthos)

(from dios, divine, and anthos, a flower; the name given by Theophrastus, in allusion to the exquisite fragrance of the blossoms of most of the species, as well as from their unrivalled neatness and brilliancy). Pink. ORD. Caryophylleae. Tufted, mostly glaucous herbs, often shrubby at the base. Flowers rose or purple, rarely white or yellow, terminal, solitary, panicled or fascicled; calyx tubular, five-toothed, furnished at the base with imbricating bracts; petals five, entire or cut, with long claws. Leaves narrow, grass-like. This genus consists of about seventy species, according to the authors of the "Genera Plantarum," although more than four times that number have been accorded specific rank by various botanists. Just a hundred are regarded as species by Nyman, in his enumeration of European plants. The list given below includes only such as are known to be in cultivation. In most cases, the specific distinctions are very trivial, and this fact has also necessitated several omissions. Hardy perennials, except where otherwise specified. For culture, see Carnation and Pink.

D. aggregatus (aggregate). fl. pink, large, aggregate, sessile. June, July. l. lanceolate, many-nerved. h. 1ft. 1817. Biennial. (S. F. G. ii. 166.) D. alpestris (rock).* fl. red, usually in pairs; petals emarginate. July. l. linear-lanceolate. h. 6in. to 9in. Alpine pastures of Europe, 1817. D. alpinus (alpine).* fl. deep rose, spotted with crimson, very numerously produced, large; petals crenated. June. l. oblong-linear, obtuse, green. Stem leafy, one-flowered. h. 3in. to 4in. Alps of Austria, &c., 1759. (Gn., Aug. 30, 1884.) D. arbusculus (little-tree).* fl. rich purple-crimson, panicled, aggregate, solitary, single or double; inner petals spotted at the base; petals toothed. July. l. lanceolate, and, as well as the shrubby stem, glabrous. h. 1 1/2ft. China, 1824. Greenhouse or half-hardy evergreen. (B. R. 1086.) D. arenarius (sand-loving).* fl., petals divided beyond the middle into very narrow lobes, furnished with a livid spot and pressed purple hairs at the base of each, the rest white. Summer. Stems generally one-flowered. North and Eastern Europe. (B. M. 2038.) D. atrorubens (dark-red).* fl. dark red, small, sessile, in aggregate heads; involucre ovate, awned, shorter than the heads of flowers. Summer. l. linear, three-nerved. h. 1ft. South and Eastern Europe, 1802. (B. M. 1775.) D. Balbisii. A synonym of D. liburnicus.

D. barbatus (bearded).* Sweet William. fl. very variable in colour, aggregate, in bundles; petals bearded. Summer. l. lanceolate, nerved. South and Eastern Europe, 1573. Of this splendid old-fashioned plant, varieties are innumerable, and far exceed the type in point of beauty.

D. bicolor (two-coloured). fl. white above and lead-coloured beneath, solitary; petals dilated. Summer. l. awl-shaped; lower ones tomentose. Stem panicled. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Southern Russia, 1816.

D. caesius (bluish-grey).* Cheddar Pink. fl. of a delicate rose-colour, very fragrant; petals crenated, pubescent. Summer. l. short, with scabrous margins. Stem tufted, generally one-flowered. h. 3in. to 6in. Europe (Britain). Plant very glaucous. (Sy. En. B. 193.) D. Caryophyllus. Carnation; Clove Pink. fl. solitary, nearly every colour except blue; petals very broad, beardless. Summer. l. linear-awl-shaped, channelled, glaucous. Stem branched. South Europe. Naturalised here and there in England. There are numerous varieties of this species. See Carnation. D. chinensis (Chinese).* Chinese or Indian Pink. fl. very variable in colour, but usually reddish, and are either single or double; solitary or somewhat aggregate; petals toothed. Summer. l. lanceolate, pale green. Stem branched. h. 6in. to 12in. China, 1713. Biennial.

D. c. Atkinsoni (Atkinson's)* is a beautiful garden hybrid, of which, in all probability, D. chinensis is one of the parents. It has deep blood-red flowers, and is one of the handsomest of old-fashioned garden Pinks. It seems difficult to increase by division or cuttings, and does not ripen seed. (Gn., Jan. 12, 1884.) D. cruentus (bloody).* fl. bloody-scarlet, small, numerous; cymes contracted, somewhat globose; petals toothed, bearded towards the base with scattered reddish-violet hairs; calyx reddish-violet. Summer. l. linear-lanceolate, very acute; lower ones tufted. Eastern Europe. (R. G. 26.) D. deltoides (deltoid). Maiden Pink. fl. rose-coloured, with a dark circle, solitary. Summer. l., upper ones narrow, acute, pubescent; lower ones oblong, obtuse. Stems ascending, branched. h. 6in. to 9in. Europe (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 192.) D. dentosus (toothed). Amoor Pink. fl. violet-lilac, with a regular dark spot, formed of purple streaks, at the base of each petal, producing a dark eye in the centre of the flower, more than 1in. across; petals toothed at the margin, bearded at the base. Summer. l. linear, rather broad, sometimes slightly undulated, glaucous, tinged with a reddish hue. h. 6in. Southern Russia. D. fimbriatus (fimbriate).* fl. rose-coloured, solitary; petals oblong, multifidly toothed, beardless. Summer. l. awl-shaped, scabrous. Stem suffruticose at the base, branched. h. 1ft. Iberia, 1815. (B. M. 1069, under name of D. orientalis).

D. Fischeri (Fischer's).* fl. rose-coloured, somewhat aggregate; petals multifid, almost beardless; fascicles closely-set, many-flowered. Summer. l. lanceolate, serrulated. Stem panicled. Russia, 1820. (S. B. F. G. 245.) D. fragrans (fragrant).* fl. white, suffused with purple, fragrant; petals semi-multifid, beardless. July to September. l. awl-shaped, with roughish margins. Stems generally one-flowered. h. 6in. to 9in. Caucasus, 1804. (B. M. 2067.) D. fruticosus (shrubby). Shrubby Pink. fl. dark in the middle, rose-coloured in the circumference, and white and pilose at the base, aggregate. Summer. l. obovate, lanceolate, obtuse. Stem shrubby. Half-hardy evergreen. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Grecian Archipelago (Island of Serfo), 1815. (S. F. G. 407.) D. gallicus (Gallic). fl. white, livid at the base; petals dentately-multifid. July, August. l. linear, somewhat ciliated. Stems ascending, generally one-flowered. h. 6in. Western France, Northern Spain, and Portugal. D. giganteus (gigantic). fl. purple, numerous, sessile, disposed in hemispherical heads, supported at the base by leafy bracts. Summer. l. linear, very long, connate at the base a long way. Stem round. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Eastern Europe, 1828.

D. glacialis (icy).* fl. reddish-purple, small, scentless; petals serrated. Summer. l. linear, acute, serrulated, green. Stems erect, tufted, short, generally one-flowered. h. 3in. Mountains of Central Europe, 1820. (F. M. n. s. 268.) D. Holtzeri (Holtzer's).* fl. pink, about 1 1/2in. in diameter; petals more or less fringed. l. linear-lanceolate. Turkestan. (R. G. 1032, l.) D. latifolius (broad-leaved). fl. pink, aggregate, racemosely corymbose. Summer. l. oblong-lanceolate. h. 1 1/2ft. The habit of this plant is very like that of D. barbatus, but the leaves are broader, and the flowers double the size. Native country unknown. (S. B. F. G. 2.) D. liburnicus (Liburnian). fl. red, almost sessile, in capitate bundles, August. l. lanceolate-linear. Stem angular. h. 1ft. to 2ft. South and Eastern Europe, 1817. Plant glaucous. SYN. D. Balbisii.

D. monspessulanus (Montpelier).* fl. red, solitary; petals digitately multifid, smooth in the throat. Summer. l. linear, serrulated. Stem panicled, few-flowered. h. 6in. to 12in. South and Eastern Europe, 1764. D. neglectus (neglected).* fl. deep rose; petals serrated. Summer. l. green, linear, acute, serrulated. Stems erect, tufted, short, generally one-flowered. h. 2in. to 4in. South-west Europe, 1869.

D. pallidiflorus (pale-flowered). fl. purplish-rose, very numerous, solitary. Late summer. l. linear, pointed, flat, sessile. h. 6in., forming dense and branching tufts. Russia.

D. petraeus (rock).* Rock Pink. fl. rose, usually solitary on the freely-produced stems; petals beardless, multifid. Summer. l. awl-shaped, entire, glabrous. h. 6in. Eastern Europe, 1804.

D. plumarius (feathered).* Garden Pink; Pheasant's Eye. fl. white, purple, either double or single, spotted or variegated, and more or less fringed on the margins, sweet-scented; petals jagged, multifid, bearded. Summer. l. linear, with scabrous margins. Stems two or three-flowered. h. 9in. to 12in. Eastern Europe, 1629. Plant glaucous. (Sy. En. B. 195.) D. Seguierii (Seguier's).* fl. rosy-purple. Summer. h. 1ft. South and Eastern Europe, Asia, 1832.

D. squarrosus (spreading). fl. like those of D. plumarius, but with a longer calyx; petals white, finely jagged. Summer. l. awl-shaped, channelled, stiff, short, recurved. Stems generally one-flowered. h. 6in. Southern Russia, 1817. D. suavis (sweet). fl. pink, sweet-scented; petals bearded, doubly and deeply serrated. Summer. l. linear, spreading, glaucous. Stems generally one-flowered. h. 6in. Native country unknown.

D. superbus (superb).* fl. rose-coloured, very fragrant, particularly at night, somewhat fastigiate; petals divided beyond the middle, feathery, bearded at the base. Summer. l. linear-lanceolate, bright green, acute, entire. Stems smooth, panicled, many-flowered. h. 9in. to 18in. Europe and Asia, 1596. (B. M. 297.) D. s. Gardneri (Gardner's), is a fine variety, with very large laciniated flowers. China.

D. virgineus (virgin). fl. red; petals crenated. Summer. l. tufted, linear, stiff, serrulate. Stems generally one or few-flowered. h. 6in. to 12in. South-western Europe, 1816. (B. M. 1740.) VARIETIES. Innumerable varieties are in cultivation of three species belonging to this genus, namely, D. barbatus (the Sweet William), D. Caryophyllus (the Carnation and Clove Pink, and D. chinensis (the Chinese or Indian Pink), a double form of which is shown in Fig. 648. In garden literature, the generic name is generally only applied to the last of these three, the others being well-known under their popular garden names. Although a biennial, D. chinensis may be successfully grown as an annual, by sowing in pots or in the open ground, in March. There are double and single forms, in a great variety of colours, the flowers of the former being best adapted for cutting; while the latter are the most showy. D. c. Heddewigii, and the numerous seedlings obtained from it, represent an exceedingly useful class of dwarf plants for mixed borders, or for pot culture, many of the flowers being beautifully marked and fringed. Its double form is not so floriferous, but is distinct and useful for cutting. D. c. plenissimus is a variety with very full double flowers, beautifully fringed.