Inula
(the old Latin name used by Horace, &c., said to be another form of Helenion). ORD. Compositae. A genus comprising about fifty-six species of hardy herbaceous plants, natives of Europe, Asia, and Africa--few being found between the tropics. Flower-heads yellow; rays rarely white; involucre hemispherical, imbricated, with the scales spreading at the points; ray-florets numerous, ligulate, linear; disk-florets very numerous, perfect, tubular; receptacle flat, or nearly so, areolate or honeycombed. Leaves radical or alternate, entire or serrate. Only a few species of this genus are worth growing. They are of very easy culture in common garden soil. Some of the more vigorous are suitable for naturalising in the wild garden. Increased readily by divisions, or by seeds.
I. glandulosa (glandular).* fl.-heads yellow; scales of involucre lanceolate, villous. July and August. l. sessile, oblong, obsoletely serrated; the serratures glandular. Stem hairy, one-headed. h. 2ft. Caucasus, 1804. (B. M. 1907; B. R. 334.) I. Helenium (Helenium). Elecampane. fl.-heads bright yellow, large, solitary, terminal. Summer. l. ovate, serrate, rugose, stem-clasping, downy beneath; root ones stalked. Stem furrowed, branched and downy above. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Europe (Britain), Siberia. A strong-growing perennial. Formerly used as an aromatic and tonic; the rootstock is still used in a candied state. (B. M. Pl. 150.) I. Hookeri (Hooker's).* fl.-heads faintly sweet-scented, 2 1/2in. to 3 1/2in. in diameter, shortly peduncled, terminating leafy branches; involucre broad, shaggy; ray-florets numerous, with slender pale yellow ligules, which are 1in. or more long, obtusely three-toothed at apex; disk-florets numerous; receptacle convex, papillose; pappus hairs dirty-white. September. l. bright green, 3in. to 4in. long, sessile, or narrowed into short petioles, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, minutely toothed, hairy above, tomentose beneath. Stems sparingly branched. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Sikkim Himalayas, 1849. (B. M. 6411.) I. Oculus Christi (Christ's eye). fl.-heads bright golden-yellow, about 3 1/2in. across; involucre very downy. Summer. l. broadly lanceolate, obtuse, almost entire, or slightly toothed, rather downy. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. Eastern Europe, &c., 1759. A very ornamental perennial, with a neat habit. (J. F. A. 223.)