ARABIS (origin of the word not clear). Wall Cress; Rock Cress. ORD. Cruciferce. Hardy perennial trailers, except where otherwise stated. Flowers mostly white; racemes terminal; pedicels bractless. Radical leaves usually stalked; cauline ones sessile or stem-clasping, entire or toothed, rarely lobed. Most members of this genus are peculiarly well adapted for rockwork and the alpine garden, both from their natural hardihood as well as their early and profuse flowering habits. They are of the easiest possible culture in any dry soil. The perennial species may either be increased by divisions of the root, by cuttings, placed in a shady border during the summer, or by seed. The latter may be sown outside, or in pans, in spring, when most of them will germinate in two or three weeks. The annuals and biennials are for the most part devoid of any cultural beauty. ARABIS albida (whitish).* fl. white; racemes terminal; pedicels longer than the calyx. January to May. l. few-toothed, hoary, or downy with branched hairs; radical ones obovate-oblong; cauline ones cordately sagittate, clasping the stem. h. 6in. to 9in. Tauria and Caucasus, 1798. SYN. ARABIS caucasica. ARABIS a. variegata (variegated).* A very pretty variegated form for edgings. ARABIS alpina (alpine).* fl. white, smaller than those of ARABIS albida; racemes terminal; pedicels longer than the calyx, which is smoothish. March to May. l. many-toothed, lanceolate, acute, villous with branched hairs; radical ones somewhat stalked; cauline ones cordate, clasping the stem. h. 6in. European rocks, in sunny places, 1596. There are one or two varieties, including a variegated-leaved form, in cultivation. ARABIS arenosa (sand-loving).* fl. rose coloured, very rarely white or bluish; petals obovate; pedicels spreading. April to July. l. villous, with forked hairs; radical ones pinnatifid, with the upper lobes much larger than the lower; cauline ones deeply toothed. Stem branched, hispid, with simple hairs. h. 6in. Middle Europe, 1798. ARABIS blepharophylla (fringed-leaved).* fl. rosy purple; petals roundish, narrowing to the base, with slender claws. Spring. l. naked, except the margins, which are fringed with very stiff hairs; radical ones spathulate; cauline ones oblong, sessile, h. 3in. to 4in. California, 1874. This succeeds best in a cool frame, where it will flower in January. ARABIS caucasica (Caucasus). A synonym of ARABIS albida. ARABIS lucida (shining).* fl. white; petals entire, narrowed at the base, twice as long as the calyx. Summer. l. obovate, thickish, shining, clasping the stem. h. 4in. to 6in. Hungary, 1790. A very pretty species, with a dwarf habit; it is especially adapted for edgings, borders, or rockwork. ARABIS l. variegata (variegated).* A great improvement upon the type, being broadly edged with yellow, and the green somewhat lighter. When grown in tufts or as edging, it is very effective, and should be prevented from flowering. This exceedingly desirable variety is a gem for the rockwork, and when seen in crevices, or in bold tufts, it is very striking. It must be increased by slips or rootlets, which should be taken in early summer. ARABIS mollis (soft). fl. white, in terminal racemes. May to July. l. grossly toothed, somewhat pubescent, with small stellate hairs; lower ones on long petioles, cordate-roundish; cauline ones ovate-cordate, clasping the stem. h. 2ft. Caucasus, 1823. ARABIS petraea (rock).* fl. white; petals ovate, with stalks. June. l. smooth, ciliated or scabrous, with simple or bifid radical ones on longish stalks, entire, toothed; cauline ones oblong-liner, entire, or toothed. h. 3in. or 4in. Britain. ARABIS praecox (early). fl. white; petals obovately cuneated, double the length of the calyx. April to June. l. oblong, acute, sessile, quite entire, smooth. Stem covered with close pressed rigid hairs. h. 6in. to 9in. Hungary. ARABIS procurrens (procurrent). fl. white; petals obovate, double the length of the calyx. May and June. l. ovate, quite entire, smooth, ciliated with two-parted hairs; radical ones narrowed into a petiole; cauline ones sessile, pointed. Stolons creeping. h. 9in. Servia, 1819. There is a brilliantly variegated form of this pretty species well worth growing. ARABIS rosea (rosy).* fl. rosy purple; petals oblong, somewhat wedge-shaped, double the length of the calyx; pedicels longer than the calyx. May to July. l., cauline ones oblong, somewhat cordate, and rather stem-clasping, scabrous with branched hairs. h. 1ft. Calabria, 1832. ARABIS verna (spring). fl. small, purple, with a white claw; pedicels shorter than the calyx. May to June. l., cauline ones cordate, clasping the stem, toothed, scabrous with three-parted hairs. h. 3in. to 6in. South Europe, 1710. The best annual species.