Chapter 3

In the spring of the year 1781, I received roots of this plant from Mr. ROBERT SQUIBB, then at New-York, which produced flowers the ensuing summer, since that time, I have had frequent opportunities of observing a very peculiar circumstance in its oeconomy; after flowering, instead of producing seeds, it throws out _gemmæ vivaces_, or _bulbs_ of an unusual form, from the alæ of the leaves, which falling off in the month of October, when the plant decays, produce young plants the ensuing spring.

As it is distinguished from all the known species of _Lysimachia_ by this circumstance, we have named it _bulbifera_ instead of _stricta_, under which it appears in the _Hortus Kewensis_.

Some Botanists, whose abilities we revere, are of opinion that the trivial names of plants, which are or should be a kind of abridgment of the specific character, ought very rarely or never to be changed: we are not for altering them capriciously on every trivial occasion, but in such a case as the present, where the science is manifestly advanced by the alteration, it would surely have been criminal to have preferred a name, barely expressive, to one which immediately identifies the plant.

The _Lysimachia bulbifera_ is a hardy perennial, grows spontaneously in boggy or swampy ground, and hence requires a moist soil. It flowers in August.

[105]

TRADESCANTIA VIRGINICA. VIRGINIAN TRADESCANTIA, OR SPIDERWORT.

_Class and Order._

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Calyx_ triphyllus. _Petala_ 3. _Filamenta_ villis articulatis. _Capsula_ 3-locularis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

TRADESCANTIA _Virginica_ erecta lævis, floribus congestis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 314. Sp. Pl. 411._

ALLIUM five moly Virginianum. _Bauh. Pin. 506._

PHALANGIUM Ephemerum Virginianum Joannis Tradescant.

The soon-fading Spiderwort of Virginia, or Tradescant his Spiderwort. _Park. Parad. 152. 5. t. 151. f. 4._

Under the name of _Spiderwort_, the old Botanists arranged many plants of very different genera: the name is said to have arisen from the supposed efficacy of some of these plants, in curing the bite of a kind of spider, called _Phalangium_; not the _Phalangium_ of LINNÆUS, which is known to be perfectly harmless: under this name, PARKINSON minutely describes it; he mentions also, how he first obtained it.

"This Spiderwort," says our venerable author, "is of late knowledge, and for it the Christian world is indebted unto that painful, industrious searcher, John Tradescant, who first received it of a friend that brought it out of Virginia, and hath imparted hereof, as of many other things, both to me and others."

TOURNEFORT afterwards gave it the name of _Ephemerum_, expressive of the short duration of its flowers, which LINNÆUS changed to _Tradescantia_.

Though a native of Virginia, it bears the severity of our climate uninjured, and being a beautiful, as well as hardy perennial, is found in almost every garden.

Though each blossom lasts but a day, it has such a profusion in store, that it is seldom found without flowers through the whole of the summer. There are two varieties of it, the one with white the other with pale purple flowers. The most usual way of propagating it is by parting its roots in autumn to obtain varieties, we must sow its seeds.

[106]

IBERIS UMBELLATA. PURPLE CANDY-TUFT.

_Class and Order._

TETRADYNAMIA SILICULOSA.

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ irregularis: _Petalis_ 2 exterioribus majoribus: _Silicula_ polysperma, emarginata.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IBERIS _umbellata_ herbacea, foliis lanceolatis, acuminatis, inferioribus serratis; superioribus integerrimis. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 589. Sp. Pl. p. 906._

THLASPI umbellatum creticum, iberidis folio. _Bauh. Pin. 106._

DRABA S. Arabis S. Thlaspi Candiæ. _Dod. pempt. 713._

THLASPI creticum umbellatum flore albo et purpureo. Candy-Tufts, white and purple. _Park. Parad. p. 390._

The Candy-Tuft is one of those annuals which contribute generally to enliven the borders of the flower-garden: its usual colour is a pale purple, there is also a white variety of it, and another with deep but very bright purple flowers, the most desirable of the three, but where a garden is large enough to admit of it, all the varieties may be sown.

For want of due discrimination, as MILLER has before observed, Nurserymen are apt to collect and mix with this species the seeds of another, viz. the _amara_, and which persons not much skilled in plants consider as the white variety; but a slight attention will discover it to be a very different plant, having smaller and longer heads, differing also in the shape of its leaves and seed vessels, too trifling a plant indeed to appear in the flower-garden.

Purple Candy-Tuft is a native of the South of Europe, and flowers in June and July: it should be sown in the spring, on the borders of the flower-garden in patches; when the plants come up, a few only should be left, as they will thereby become stronger, produce more flowers, and be of longer duration.

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CASSIA CHAMÆCRISTA. DWARF CASSIA.

_Class and Order._

DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Calyx_ 5-phyllus. _Petala_ 5. _Antheræ_ superne 3 steriles; infimæ 3 rostratæ. _Legumen._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

CASSIA _Chamæcrista_ foliis multijugis, glandula petiolari pedicellata, stipulis ensiformibus. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 394._ _Hort. Kew. p. 54._

CHAMÆCRISTA pavonis major. _Comm. Hort. 1. p. 53. t. 37._

A native of the West-Indies, and of Virginia according to LINNÆUS; not common in our gardens, though cultivated as long ago as 1699, by the DUCHESS OF BEAUFORT; (_vid. Hort. Kew._) unnoticed by MILLER.

This species, superior in beauty to many of the genus, is an annual, and consequently raised only from seeds, these must be sown in the spring, on a hot-bed, and when large enough to transplant, placed separately in pots of light loamy earth, then replunged into a moderate hot-bed to bring them forward, and in the month of June removed into a warm border, where, if the season prove favourable, they will flower very well towards August; but, as such seldom ripen their seeds, it will be proper to keep a few plants in the stove or greenhouse for that purpose, otherwise the species may be lost.

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ANTHYLLIS TETRAPHYLLA. FOUR-LEAV'D LADIES-FINGER.

_Class and Order._

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Calyx_ ventricosus. _Legumen_ subrotundum, tectum.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ANTHYLLIS _tetraphylla_ herbacea, foliis quaterno-pinnatis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 25._ _Hort. Kew. vol. 3. p. 25._

LOTUS pentaphyllos vesicaria. _Bauh. Pin. 332._

TRIFOLIUM halicacabum. _Cam. Hort. 171. t. 47._

An annual; the spontaneous growth of Spain, Italy, and Sicily, flowers in the open border in July, and ripens its seeds, in September.

Long since cultivated in our gardens, but more as a rare, or curious, than a beautiful plant.

Its seeds are to be sown in April, on a bed of light earth, where they are to remain; no other care is necessary than thinning them, and keeping them clear of weeds.

INDEX.

In which the Latin Names of the Plants contained in the _Third Volume_ are alphabetically arranged.

_Pl._

101 Alyssum halimifolium. 108 Anthyllis tetraphylla. 74 Antirrhinum triste. 99 " purpureum. 102 Campanula speculum. 107 Cassia Chamæcrista. 77 Centaurea montana. 81 Colutea arborescens. 76 Epilobium angustissimum. 97 Fuchsia coccinea. 95 Geranium Radula. 86 Gladiolus communis. 90 Gorteria rigens. 83 Hibiscus syriacus. 87 Hyoscyamus aureus. 106 Iberis umbellata. 91 Iris susiana. 82 Lachenalia tricolor. 96 Lantana aculeata. 100 Lathyrus tingitanus. 79 Lotus jacobæus. 104 Lysimachia bulbifera. 73 Monsonia speciosa. 88 Narcissus Bulbocodium. 78 " odorus. 103 Pelargonium acetosum. 75 Potentilla grandiflora. 92 Saxifraga sarmentosa. 93 Sempervivum monanthes. 94 Sisyrinchium iridioides. 85 Spartium junceum. 80 Spigelia marilandica. 105 Tradescantia virginica. 98 Tropæolum minus. 84 Tussilago alpina. 89 Viola pedata.

INDEX.

In which the English Names of the Plants contained in the _Third Volume_ are alphabetically arranged.

_Pl._

101 Alyssum sweet. 77 Blue-bottle greater. 85 Broom Spanish. 106 Candy-tuft purple. 107 Cassia dwarf. 84 Coltsfoot alpine. 81 Colutea, or Bladder-Senna tree. 86 Corn-flag common. 103 Crane's-bill sorrel. 97 Fuchsia scarlet. 95 Geranium rasp-leav'd. 90 Gorteria rigid-leav'd. 87 Henbane golden-flower'd. 83 Hibiscus Syrian. 93 Houseleek dwarf. 91 Iris chalcedonian. 78 Jonquil great. 82 Lachenalia three-colour'd. 108 Ladies finger four-leav'd. 96 Lantana prickly. 102 Looking-glass Venus's. 104 Loosestrife bulb-bearing. 79 Lotus black-flower'd. 73 Monsonica large-flower'd. 88 Narcissus hoop-petticoat. 100 Pea Tangier. 75 Potentilla large-flower'd, 92 Saxifrage Strawberry. 94 Sisyrinchium Iris-leav'd. 80 Spigelia, or Worm-grass Maryland. 74 Toad-flax black-flower'd. 99 " purple. 105 Tradescantia Virginian. 98 Tropæolum, or Indian cress, small. 89 Violet cut-leav'd. 76 Willow-herb narrowest-leav'd.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 3, by William Curtis