Chapter 1

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THE

~Botanical Magazine;~

OR,

~Flower-Garden Displayed:~

IN WHICH

The most Ornamental FOREIGN PLANTS, cultivated in the Open Ground, the Green-House, and the Stove, are accurately represented in their natural Colours.

TO WHICH ARE ADDED,

Their Names, Class, Order, Generic and Specific Characters, according to the celebrated LINNÆUS; their Places of Growth, and Times of Flowering:

TOGETHER WITH

THE MOST APPROVED METHODS OF CULTURE.

A WORK

Intended for the Use of such LADIES, GENTLEMEN, and GARDENERS, as wish to become scientifically acquainted with the Plants they cultivate.

By _WILLIAM CURTIS_,

Author of the FLORA LONDINENSIS.

~VOL. V.~

----"the garden yields A soft amusement, an humane delight. To raise th' insipid nature of the ground, Or tame its savage genius to the grace Of careless sweet rusticity, that seems The amiable result of happy chance, Is to create, and give a god-like joy, Which ev'ry year improves."

ARMSTRONG.

LONDON:

Printed by COUCHMAN and FRY, Throgmorton-Street. For

W. CURTIS, No 3, _St. George's-Crescent_, Black-Friars-Road; And Sold by

the principal Booksellers in Great-Britain and Ireland.

M DCC XCI.

* * * * *

[145]

MONARDA FISTULOSA, _var._ CRIMSON MONARDA.

_Class and Order._

DIANDRA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ inæqualis: labio superiore lineari filamenta involvente. _Semina_ 4.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

MONARDA _fistulosa_ capitulis terminalibus, caule obtusangulo. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 68. ed. 14. Murr._ _Hort. Kew. v. 1. p. 36._

ORIGANUM fistulosum Canadense. _Corn. Canad. 13. t. 14._

The _Monarda fistulosa_, a hardy herbaceous plant, growing spontaneously in Canada, and other parts of North-America, has long been cultivated in the English gardens, to which it recommends itself as much by the fragrance of its foliage, as the beauty of its flowers; of this species the plant here figured is an uncommonly beautiful variety, its blossoms far surpassing those of the original in size, as well as brilliancy of colour, the floral leaves also are highly coloured; we have represented a single blossom of the common _Monarda fistulosa_, that the difference of the two may be rendered obvious.

This variety has been very lately introduced from Holland, by Messrs. GRIMWOOD and Co. Kensington; it flowers from June to September, and is propagated by parting its roots in spring or autumn.

[146]

HYPERICUM CALYCINUM. LARGE-FLOWER'D ST. JOHN'S-WORT.

_Class and Order._

POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Calyx_ 5-partitus. _Petala_ 5. _Filamenta_ multa, in 5 phalanges basi connata. _Capsula._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

HYPERICUM _calycinum_ floribus pentagynis solitariis terminalibus, caule tetragono fruticoso, foliis oblongo-ovatis coriaceis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 700. Mant. 106._ _Hort. Kew. v. 3. 103._

ASCYRUM magno flore. _Bauh. Pin. 280. Prodr. 130._

ANDROSÆMUM Constantinopolitanum flore maximo. _Wheler's Journey into Greece, p. 205. cum fig._

This species of St. John's-Wort, particularly distinguished by the largeness of its flowers, has very generally been considered as the _Ascyron_ of LINNÆUS, owing to his giving to that plant the synonyms which properly belong to the present one: in his _Mantissa_, this species is called _calycinum_, which name is adopted in the 14th edition of the _Systema Vegetabilium_, and also in the _Hortus Kewensis_, where the proper synonyms are applied to it, and from which we learn, that it is a native of the country near Constantinople, and was introduced into this country by Sir GEORGE WHELER, Bart. in 1676.

It is a hardy perennial, increasing much by its roots, which are of the creeping kind, and by parting of which in the autumn it is most readily propagated; like the periwinkle, it is a plant well adapted to cover a bank, or bare, spots under trees, where other plants will not thrive.

It flowers from July to September.

[147]

DAIS COTINIFOLIA. COTINUS-LEAV'D DAIS.

_Class and Order._

DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

Involucrum 4-phyllum. _Cor._ 4 s. 5-fida. Bacca 1-sperma.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

DAIS _cotinifolia_ floribus quinquefidis decandris. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 403._ _Spec. Pl. p. 556._

DAIS _laurifolia_. _Jacq. ic. collect. 1. p. 46._

The _Dais cotinifolia_ is an ornamental Green-house Shrub, of the deciduous kind, and though it appears from the _Hortus Kewensis_ to have been introduced by Mr. JAMES GORDON, of Mile-End, in 1776, is yet a great rarity with us, and only to be found in some of the first collections.

Its scarcity, and consequent very high price, is attributed to the Nursery-men's not having yet discovered the means of propagating it freely.

Messrs. GRIMWOOD and Co. of Kensington, have some very fine plants of it, which flower every year in the months of June and July, but as yet have produced no perfect seeds, which they may be expected to do when grown older; such having been known to ripen them in Holland.

It is a native of the Cape, and appears to have been long possessed by the Dutch, as its Generic Character taken from D. V. ROYEN, is printed in the Genera Plantarum of LINNÆUS in 1764.

There are only two known species, and they vary in the number of their Stamina, and divisions of the Corolla.

[148]

PELARGONIUM BETULINUM. BIRCH-LEAV'D CRANE'S-BILL.

_Class and Order._

MONADELPHIA HEPTANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-partitus: lacinia suprema definente in tubulum capillarem nectariferum, secus pedunculum decurrentem. _Cor._ 5-petala, irregularis. _Filamenta_ 10, inæqualia: quorum 3 (raro 5) castrata. _Fructus_ 5-coccus, rostratus: rostra spiralia, introrsum barbata. _L'Herit. Geran._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

PELARGONIUM _betulinum_ umbellis paucifloris, foliis ovatis inæqualiter serratis lævigatis. _L'Herit. n. 84._

GERANIUM _betulinum_ calycibus monophyllis, foliis ovatis inæqualiter serratis planis, caule fruticoso. _Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 946._ _Burm. Ger. 38._

GERANIUM fruticosum, betulæ folio, africanum. _Raii Suppl. 513._

Though long since described, we have been in possession of this species of Crane's-Bill but a few years; it is one of the many new ones introduced by Mr. MASSON from the Cape, and at the same time one of the most desirable, as its blossoms which are ornamental, are freely produced during most of the summer, and the plant itself is readily propagated by cuttings.

The flowers vary considerably, both in size, and colour; its foliage is different from that of most others, and, as its name imports, like that of the Birch-Tree.

It requires the same treatment as most other Green-House Plants.

[149]

ZINNIA MULTIFLORA. MANY-FLOWERED ZINNIA.

_Class and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA.

_Generic Character._

_Recept._ paleaceum. _Pappus_ aristis 2 erectis. _Cal._ ovato-cylindricus, imbricatus. _Flosculi_ radii 5-10, persistentes, integri.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ZINNIA _multiflora_ floribus pedunculatis. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 777._

The _Zinnia, multiflora_, a native of Louisania, is a plant of more modern introduction, but requires the same treatment, and flowers at the same time, as the _Tagetes patula_, with which, though far inferior in brilliancy of colour, it contributes to decorate the borders of the flower-garden from June to September.

There is a variety of it with yellow flowers, nearly as common in our gardens as the present plant.

LINNÆUS gave to this genus the name of ZINNIA, in honour of JOH. GOTTFR. ZINN, the pupil of HALLER, and his successor at the University of Gottingen.

The plant we have figured, answers to the name and to the specific description of LINNÆUS'S _multiflora_; having never seen his _pauciflora_, we cannot say whether there be any just cause for suspecting them to be varieties of each other.

[150]

TAGETES PATULA. SPREADING TAGETES, or FRENCH MARIGOLD.

_Class and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA.

_Generic Character._

_Receptaculum_ nudum. _Pappus_ aristis 5 erectis. _Cal._ 1-phyllus, 5-dentatus, tubulosus. Flosculi radii 4-8, persistentes.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

TAGETES _patula_ caule subdiviso patulo. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. 228._

TANACETUM Africanum Flos Africanus minor. _Bauh. Pin. 132._

FLOS Africanus. _Dod. Pempt. 255._ The small single French Marigold. _Park. Par. p. 304._

For richness and variety of tints few flowers can vie with this species of Tagetes, which forms one of the chief ornaments of our gardens at the close of summer.

Some authors make it a native of Africa, others of America.

Two principal varieties are usually kept in the gardens, the common small sort with a strong disagreeable smell, and a larger one here figured, usually called sweet-scented, the former is of more humble growth, its branches more spreading, its blossoms smaller than those of the latter, the flowers of which have usually a greater portion of the yellow tint, and the smell of the other so modified as to be far less disagreeable; sweet-scented we fear it can scarcely be called: from the seed of both sorts some flowers will be produced extremely double, and others single.

MILLER recommends the seed to be frequently changed, to prevent them from degenerating.

It is one of our tender annuals which require to be raised on a gentle hot-bed, if we are desirous of having them early; if that be not an object, they may be sown under a common hand-glass on a warm border the beginning of May, and, when large enough, planted out in the flower-beds, where they are to remain.

DODONÆUS observes, that the leaves, if held up to the light, appear as if perforated; and he adduces some instances, which prove the plant to be of a poisonous nature.

[151]

LOTUS TETRAGONOLOBUS. WINGED LOTUS.

_Class and Order._

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Legumen_ cylindricum strictum. _Alæ_ sursum longitudinaliter conniventes. _Cal._ tubulosus.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

LOTUS _tetragonolobus_ leguminibus solitariis membranaceo-quadrangulis, bractæis ovatis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab, p. 691._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. p. 91._

LOTUS ruber siliqua angulosa. _Bauh. Pin. 332._

LOTUS pulcherrima tetragonolobus. _Comm. Hort. 91. t. 26._

PISUM quadratum, the crimson-blossom'd or square-codded Pease. _Park. Parad. p. 338._

A common annual in our gardens, where it has been long cultivated; is a native of Sicily, and flowers in the open borders in July and August; requires the same management as other hardy annuals.

MILLER observes, that it was formerly cultivated as an esculent plant, the green pods being dressed and eaten as peas.

[152]

EPIDENDRUM COCHLEATUM. TWO-LEAV'D EPIDENDRUM.

_Class and Order._

GYNANDRIA DIANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

Nectarium turbinatum, obliquum, reflexum.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

EPIDENDRUM _cochleatum_ foliis oblongis geminis glabris striatis bulbo innatis, scapo multifloro, nectario cordato. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab, ed. 14. Murr. p. 819._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. V. 3. p. 303._

HELLEBORINE cochleato flore. _Plum. Sp. 9. u. 185. fig. 2._

Plants which draw their support from other living ones, of which there are numerous instances, are by Botanists termed parasitical, and of this kind are most of the present family; deriving their generic name, which is of Greek extraction, from growing on trees, into the bark of which they fix their roots; some of them are also found to grow on dead wood, as the present plant, which is described by Sir HANS SLOANE, in his history of Jamaica, _V. 1. p. 250. t. 121. f. 2._ as not only growing plentifully on trees, but also on the palisadoes of St. Jago de la Vega.

Instances of these plants flowering in England are very rare; Commodore GARDNER, in the year 1789, presented to the Apothecaries company some roots of this plant, taken up in the woods of Jamaica with great care, and which being successfully treated by Mr. FAIRBAIRN in their garden at Chelsea, one of them threw up a flowering stem last February, from whence our drawing was made.

Mr. FAIRBAIRN planted the roots in pots of earth, composed of rotten wood and decayed leaves, plunging them into the tan-bed of a pit of considerable size.

In its fructification, the Epidendrum obviously agrees with the Orchis tribe, but differs essentially in the oeconomy of its roots; in the Orchis the roots spring from the crown of the bulb, which is formed in the earth; in the Epidendrum the bulb, or the part which appears to be analogous to a bulb, though of a green colour, is produced above ground, while the roots or fibres proceed from below it.

[153]

BULBOCODIUM VERNUM. VERNAL BULBOCODIUM.

_Class and Order._

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ infundibuliformis, hexapetala: unguibus angustis staminiferis. _Capsula_ supera.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

BULBOCODIUM _vernum_ foliis lanceolatis. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 320._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 1. p. 421._ _Retz. Obs. Bot. Fasc. 2. t. 1._

COLCHICUM vernum hispanicum. _Bauh. Pin. 69._ Medowe Saffron of the spring. _Park. Parad. p. 158-159. f. 7._

The excellent and learned CLUSIUS, in the second appendix to his history of rare plants, gives a very good figure of this plant, both in flower and seed, accompanied with its history; our PARKINSON also represents it in his _Parad. terr._ and gives such a minute description of it, as convinces us he must have cultivated it at the time he wrote: Mr. MILLER appears not to have been well acquainted with it, or he would not have described its root to be like that of the Snowdrop; had he said Colchicum, he would not have misled: RETZIUS also in his Bot. Obs. gives a figure of it with the flower dissected.

The _Bulbocodium_, of which there is only one species, is a mountainous plant, a native of Spain, and flowers in the open ground at the same time as the Crocus, for a purple variety of which it might easily be mistaken at first sight; but it differs from the Crocus in having six stamina, and from the Colchicum, to which it is very nearly allied, in having one style instead of three.

It is at present a rare plant in our gardens, which we attribute to its bulbs not admitting of much increase, as well as to its being liable to be killed by frost, and hence requiring more care than it may be thought entitled to from its appearance.

It varies in the colour of its flowers.

[154]

SAPONARIA OCYMOIDES, BASIL SOAP-WORT.

_Class and Order._

DECANDRIA DIGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 1-phyllus, nudus. _Petala_ 5 unguiculata. _Caps._ oblonga 1-locularis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

SAPONARIA _Ocymoides_ calycibus cylindricis villosis, caulibus dichotomis procumbentibus. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr._ _Jacq. Fl. Austr. v. 5. app. t. 23._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 2. p. 87._

LYCHNIS vel Ocymoides repens montanum. _Bauh. Pin. 206._

The _Saponaria Ocymoides_ has been figured in the appendix to the fifth volume of the _Flora Austriaca_ in its wild state, as in similar works every plant is expected to be; our figure represents a branch of it only, taken (as all ours in this work professedly are) from a garden specimen which grew on a wall of a particular construction in our garden at Brompton, and of which it was the principal ornament through the months of May, June, and July, during most of which time it was covered with a profusion of bloom[1].

Though it produces blossoms in abundance, it affords but little seed, but may be increased by slips or cuttings.

It is a hardy perennial, a native of France, Italy, Switzerland, and Carinthia, loves a pure air and a dry situation[2], grows best among rocks, stones, or out of a wall, and certainly is one of the best plants imaginable for ornamenting of rock-work.

I received seeds of it, and many other rare plants, from my very kind friend Mr. DAVAL, of Orbe, in Switzerland.

[155]

OXALIS VERSICOLOR. STRIPED-FLOWER'D WOOD-SORREL.

_Class and Order._

DECANDRIA PENTAGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-phyllus. _Petala_ unguibus connexa. _Caps._ angulis dehiscens, 5-gona.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

OXALIS _versicolor_ caule erecto hirto, pedunculis unifloris, foliis ternatis: foliolis linearibus callosis. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 114. p. 434._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 2. p. 114._

OXYS Africana foliis tenuissimis, flore amplo versicolore. _Pluk. Amalth. 169. t. 434. f. 5._

OXYS Africana foliis tenuissimis in summitate caulis. _Raii Suppl. 598._

The _Oxalis-versicolor_ is considered as one of the most beautiful of the many species cultivated in gardens; and, though well known to, and described by several of the older Botanists, has graced our collections but a few years, being introduced to the Royal Garden at Kew, from the Cape (where, as well as in Ethiopia, it grows spontaneously) by Mr. MASSON, in the Year 1774.

Many of this genus flower early in the spring, the season in which this species also puts forth its blossoms, but by dexterous management it may be made to flower during most of the year; and this is effected by placing the pea-like tubera or knobs which the root sends forth, and by which the plant is propagated, in pots filled with loam and bog-earth at stated distant periods.

Like most of the Cape plants, it is well adapted to the greenhouse, and succeeds best when placed on a front shelf of the house, where it can have plenty of light and air; some keep it in the stove, but there the plant is drawn up, and the flowers lose a part of their brilliancy: in no situation do they ever expand but when the sun shines on them; this is the less to be regretted, as they are most beautiful when closed.

[156]

COREOPSIS VERTICILLATA. WHORLED COREOPSIS.

_Class and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA FRUSTRANEA.

_Generic Character._

_Receptaculum_ paleaceum. _Pappus_ bicornis. _Calyx_ erectus, polyphyllus, basi radiis patentibus cinctus.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

COREOPSIS _verticillata_ foliis decomposito-linearibus. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 782._

COREOPSIS foliis verticillatis linearibus multifidis. _Gronov. Fl. Virgin. p. 131._

DELPHINII vel mei foliis planta ad nodos positis caule singulari. _Clayt. n. 308._

The _Coreopsis verticillata_ is a hardy, perennial, herbaceous plant, a native of North-America; producing its blossoms, which are uncommonly shewy, from July to October, and is readily propagated by parting its roots in Autumn.

It grows to a great height, and is therefore rather adapted to the shrubbery than the flower-garden.

CLAYTON remarks, that the petals, though of a yellow colour, are used by the inhabitants to dye cloth red.

[157]

HYACINTHUS BOTRYOIDES. GRAPE HYACINTH.

_Class and Order._

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ campanulata: _Pori_ 3 melliferi germinis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

HYACINTHUS _botryoides_ corollis globosis uniformibus, foliis canaliculato-cylindricis strictis. _Linn. Syst. Veget. ed. 14. Murr. p. 336._ _Aiton Hort. Kew. v. 1. p. 459._

HYACINTHUS _racemosus_ cæruleus major. _Bauh. Pin. 42._

HYACINTHUS Botroides cæruleus amoenus. The skie-coloured grape-flower. _Park. Par. p. 114. p. 113. f. 5._

The _Hyacinthus botryoides_, a native of Italy, and cultivated in the time of GERARD and PARKINSON, is now become scarce with us, being only to be accidentally met with in long-established gardens; we first saw it in the garden of our very worthy and much valued friend, Mr. JOHN CHORLEY, of Tottenham, to whose lady my collection stands indebted for several rare and valuable plants.

This species increases sufficiently fast by offsets, but in the open border does not very readily produce flowering stems: as both it and the _racemosus_ are apt to become troublesome in a garden from their great increase, we would recommend their bulbs to be placed in moderately sized pots filled with light earth, and plunged in the borders where they are designed to flower; in the autumn they should be regularly taken out, the offsets thrown away, and about half a dozen of the largest bulbs left, all of which will most probably flower at the usual time, the end of March or beginning of April.

PARKINSON, who most admirably describes this and the _racemosus_, enumerates three varieties, viz. the _white_, the _blush-coloured_, and the _branched_; the first is frequently imported with other bulbs from Holland, the second and third we have not seen; the latter, if we may judge from PARKINSON'S _fig._ in his _Parad._ is a most curious plant, and was obtained, as CLUSIUS reports, from seeds of the white variety; whether it now exists is deserving of inquiry.

The _botryoides_ differs from the _racemosus_, in having its leaves upright, its bunch of flowers smaller, the flowers themselves larger, rounder, of a paler and brighter blue.

[158]

HIBISCUS ROSA SINENSIS. CHINA-ROSE HIBISCUS.

_Class and Order._

MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Calyx_ duplex, exterior polyphyllus. _Capsula_ 5-locularis, polysperma.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

HIBISCUS _Rosa Sinensis_ foliis ovatis acuminatis serratis, caule arboreo. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 629._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. p. 629._

ALCEA javanica arborescens, flore pleno rubicundo. _Breyn. cent. 121. t. 56._

HIBISCUS _javanica_. _Mill. Dict. ed. 6. 4to._ by whom cultivated in 1731.

RUMPHIUS in his _Herbarium Amboinense_ gives an excellent account of this beautiful native of the East-Indies, accompanied by a representation of it with double flowers, in which state it is more particularly cultivated in all the gardens in India, as well as China; he informs us that it grows to the full size of our hazel, and that it varies with white flowers.

The inhabitants of India, he observes, are extremely partial to whatever is red, they consider it as a colour which tends to exhilarate; and hence they not only cultivate this plant universally in their gardens, but use its flowers on all occasions of festivity, and even in their sepulchral rites: he mentions also an oeconomical purpose to which the flowers are applied, little consistent with their elegance and beauty, that of blacking shoes, whence their name of _Rosæ calceolariæ_; the shoes, after the colour is imparted to them, are rubbed with the hand, to give them a gloss, and which thereby receives a blueish tinge, to discharge which they have recourse to lemon juice.

With us it is kept in the stove, where it thrives and flowers readily during most of the summer; the single blossoms last but a short time, yet their superiority arising from the curious and beautiful structure of the interior parts of the flower, compensates for the shortness of their duration.

It is usually increased by cuttings.

[159]

ALYSSUM SAXATILE. YELLOW ALYSSUM.

_Class and Order._

TETRADYNAMIA SILICULOSA.

_Generic Character._

_Filamenta_ quædam introrsum denticulo notata. _Silicula_ emarginata.