Wulfenia
(named in honour of Francis Xavier Wulfen, 1778-1825, a botanical author). ORD. Scrophularineae. A small genus (four species) of hardy, glabrous or scarcely pilose, perennial herbs, with a thick rhizome, natives of Carinthia, Western Asia, and the Himalayas. Flowers blue, ebracteolate, nodding, solitary in the axils of the bracts, racemose or spicate at the tops of the scapes; calyx five-parted; corolla tube exserted, cylindrical; limb of four erecto-patent, imbricated lobes, the upper one emarginate or bifid, the lower one entire or crenate; stamens two; peduncles scape-like, simple, with a few alternate scales. Leaves sub-radical, petiolate, crenate. The two introduced species are well adapted for the rockery, or for ornamenting well-drained but moist flower borders, being very showy when in blossom. Any light, rich soil is suitable; the protection of a frame in winter is desirable, as the plants are liable to rot if left in the open air at that season. Propagation may be effected by divisions, or by seeds. W. Ameherstiana (Amherst's).* fl. horizontal; corolla 1/3in. long, with lanceolate, acute lobes; pedicels shorter than the calyx; racemes long, slender, very many-flowered; scapes 5in. to 10in. long, slender. July. l. obovate-oblong or obovate-spathulate, 2in. to 5in. long, coarsely crenate or lobulate, narrowed at base and sub-pinnatifid; petioles 1/2in. to 1 1/2in. long. Himalayas, 1846.
W. carinthiaca (Carinthian).* fl., corolla tube 1/4in. long, the limb shorter, the upper segments bifid, the lower sub-crenate; pedicles much shorter than the calyx; raceme dense, spike-like, at length elongated; scape 1ft. to 2ft. long, scaly below. July. l. oblong or oboval-oblong, doubly-crenate, slightly lobed, narrowed at base; radical ones few, 3in. to 8in. long. Carinthian Alps, 1817. (B. M. 2500; S. B. F. G. 66.)