CARDINAL-FLOWER; a genus of the monogamia order, belonging to the syngenesia class of plants. There is a great number of species, but only four of them are cultivated in our gardens; two of which are hardy herbaceous plants for the open ground, and two shrubby plants for the stove. They are all fibrous rooted perennials, rising with erect stalks from two to five or six feet high, ornamented with oblong, oval, spear-shaped, simple leaves; and spikes of beautiful monopetalous, somewhat ringlet, five-parted flowers, of scarlet, blue, and violet colours. They are easily propagated by seeds, offsets, and cuttings of their stalks. The tender kinds require the common treatment of other exotics. They are natives of America; from which their seeds must be procured.