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Dracocephalum (From drakon a dragon)

(from drakon, a dragon, and kephale, a head; in reference to the ringent corollas). Dragon's Head. ORD. Labiatoe. A genus of about thirty species of perennial or annual herbs, natives of Europe and extra-tropical Asia. Whorls many-flowered, axillary or approximate into a terminal spike; bracts usually foliaceous; corolla generally large, with a very wide throat and a bilabiate limb. Leaves entire, dentate or palmatifid. Very showy border plants, when in flower. All are hardy, and delight in a cool situation. The perennial species are readily increased by divisions of the root, or by cuttings of the young shoots, in April or May; the annuals, by seeds, sown in the open, in April. Perennials, except where otherwise stated. D. altaiense (Altaian).* fl. blue, nearly 2in. long; whorls disposed in oblong spikes, which are 2in, to 3in. long; floral leaves orbicular, pilose. July. l., radical ones on long petioles, oblong, obtuse, crenated, cordate at the base; cauline ones shortly petiolate, ovate. Stems erect. h. 6in. to 9in. Siberia, 1759. (R. G. 855.) D. argunense (Argun). fl. blue, pubescent; whorls sub-spicate. July. l. linear-lanceolate, quite entire, glabrous, nearly sessile. Stems erect. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Dahuria, 1822. (L. B. C. 797.) D. austriacum (Austrian).* fl. blue, over 1 1/2in. long; whorls somewhat interruptedly spicate, six to ten-flowered; floral leaves hispid. July. l. three to five-cleft; segments linear, with revolute edges. Stems erect, rather pilose. h. 1 1/2ft. Europe, 1597.

D. canescens (hoary). A synonym of Lallemantia canescens D. grandiflorum (large-flowered). A synonym of D. altaiense. D. Moldavica (Moldavian). fl. blue or white, with a very wide throat; whorls distinct, disposed in long racemes; floral leaves narrower. July. l. petiolate, lanceolate, deeply crenated Stem erect, branched. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Eastern Siberia, 1596 Annual.

D. nutans (nodding). fl. blue; whorls distinct, many-flowered. disposed in long nutant racemes; floral leaves oblong-lanceolate. July. l. petiolate, ovate, crenated. Stems erect. h. 1ft Eastern Russia, 1731. (B. R. 841.) D. peregrinum (diffuse).* fl. blue; inflorescence about 1 1/2ft. long; whorls distinct, few-flowered, secund; floral leaves quite entire. July. l. quite glabrous, on short petioles, lanceolate, mostly few-toothed. Branches ascending. Siberia, 1759. Plant decumbent. (B. M. 1084.) D. Ruprechtii (Ruprecht's). fl. rosy-purple or lilac, about 1in. long, disposed in axillary clusters. l. ovate-lanceolate, variously incised and toothed. h. 1 1/2ft. Turkestan, 1880. Of a very dwarf, neat habit. (R. G. 1018.) D. Ruyschianum (Ruysch's). fl. purplish, 1in. long; whorls approximate, sub-spicate, generally six-flowered. June. l. linear-lanceolate, quite entire, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, nearly sessile, with revolute edges, having young ones in the axils. Stems erect, finely pubescent. h. 2ft. Europe, 1699. D. R. japonicum (Japanese).* fl. white; central lobe of corolla with a blue border and white spots. h. 2ft. Japan, 1879. A very fine plant, and an improvement on the typical species.

D. speciosum (showy).* fl. pinkish-blue; lip with darker spots; whorls two to four, dense, sub-secund. June. l., radical ones on long petioles, broadly heart-shaped; cauline ones few, shortly petiolate; all wrinkled and green on both surfaces, and pubescent beneath. h. 1 1/2ft. Himalaya, 1877. (B. M. 6281.)