Chapter 3

TRIFOLIUM spinosum Creticum. _Clus. Hist. 2. p. 242. f._ _Bauh. Pin. p. 330._

FAGONIA cretica spinosa. _Tourn. Inst. p. 265._

CLUSIUS is the first author who has described and figured this plant, he is very minute in his description of it, noticing the exact number of its stamina; it is the more surprising, therefore, that he should have so little idea of generic character, as to rank it with the trefoils merely from the form of its leaves: TOURNEFORT, born to illustrate the genera of plants, named it _Fagonia_ in honour of his friend and patron, Mons. FAGON, privy counsellor and consulting physician to LEWIS XIV.

This species is a native of the island of Candia, and was cultivated here by Mr. MILLER, in 1739; it is an annual, and as it does not perfect its seeds with us in the open air, unless in very favourable seasons, it is usually treated as a green-house plant, its seeds should be sown in the autumn, as it thereby flowers earlier, and ripe seeds are with more certainty obtained.

It blossoms from June to August.

The plant from which our drawing was made, flowered this season in the very rich collection of Messrs. LEE and KENNEDY, Hammersmith.

Its branches are usually procumbent, about a foot in length, and require, if the plant be kept in a pot, to be tied up to a stick.

[242]

VERONICA DECUSSATA. CROSS-LEAV'D SPEEDWELL.

_Class and Order._

DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ limbo 4-partito: lacinia infima angustiore. _Caps._ 2-locularis apice emarginata.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

VERONICA _decussata_ spicis terminalibus paniculatis, foliis oblongis integerrimis lævigatis coriaceis, caule fruticoso. _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 20._

VERONICA _decussata_ floribus racemosis axillaribus, foliis ovalibus decussatis integerrimis. _Moench. Weissenstein. p. 137._ _Linn. Syst. Nat. tom. 2. ed. 13._ _Gmel. p. 30._

The plant here represented, is a native of Falkland's Island, and was introduced to this country by Dr. FOTHERGILL, about the year 1776; if permitted to grow, it will become a bushy shrub of a considerable size: it has been chiefly admired for the unusual and regular growth of its leaves, which are ever-green, and grow thickly on the branches, cross-wise, affording an excellent example of the _folia decussata_; but it is entitled to our admiration on another account, its blossoms have a most delicious fragrance (similar to that of the _Olea fragrans_) not mentioned by authors, and we believe scarcely known, having never heard it spoken of by those who have cultivated the plant; its flowers, which are white, are produced on the tops of the branches, which, however, they do not strictly terminate, but usually grow out just below the summits, on short racemi; the corolla is sometimes divided into five segments, and there is a greater equality in the segments than is usually found in the flowers of the Veronica, the seed-vessel differs also in its form, being longer, more oval, and scarcely emarginate; these several deviations from the structure of the Veronica genus, joined to the fragrance of the blossoms of this plant, induce us to think, that it has more affinity with the _Olea_ above mentioned.

Cultivators complain, that it does not blow freely; without any peculiarity of treatment, it flowers with us every year, about the middle of June; it is one of the more hardy greenhouse plants, which is usually and readily increased by cuttings.

[243]

ARGEMONE MEXICANA. MEXICAN ARGEMONE, or PRICKLY POPPY.

_Class and Order._

POLYANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ 6-petala. _Cal._ 3-phyllus. _Caps._ semivalvis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ARGEMONE _mexicana_ capsulis sexvalvibus, foliis spinosis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 490._ _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 225._

PAPAVER spinosum. _Clus. Hist. 2. p. 93._

CARDUUS chrysanthemus Peruanus. The Golden Thistle of Peru. _Ger. Herb. p. 993._

This species of Argemone is a native of Mexico, and the West-Indies, where we should suppose it to be a very common and noxious weed, from the name there given it of _Fico del inferno_, or the _Devil's Fig_: it has long been introduced to this country; GERARD, who cultivated it with success, ludicrously attributes its nickname to a different source: "The golden Thistle of Peru, called in the West-Indies, Fique del inferno, a friend of mine brought it unto me from an iland there, called Saint Johns Iland, among other seedes, what reason the inhabitants there have to call it so it is unto me unknown, unless it be bicause of his fruite, which doth much resemble a figge in shape and bignesse, but so full of sharpe and venemous prickles, that whosoever had one of them in his throte, doubtless less it would send him packing either to heaven or to hell."

MILLER mentions it as a plant of no great use or beauty, in the latter point of view CLUSIUS, who was one of the first to figure and describe it, and GERARD, thought differently; its foliage is certainly beautiful, somewhat like that of the milk thistle, its blossoms are large and shewy, though not of long duration; like the Celandine, the whole plant abounds with a yellow juice, which flows out when it is wounded; it differs from the poppy, to which it is nearly related, in having a calyx of three leaves.

Though a native of a very warm climate, it is cultivated with as much facility as any annual whatever; in the gardens about London, where it has once grown, and scattered its seeds, it comes up spontaneously every spring, flowers in July and August, and ripens its seeds in September; these are large, somewhat round, of a black colour, with a beautiful surface; a light rich soil and warm situation suits it best.

[244]

IPOMOEA QUAMOCLIT. WINGED LEAV'D IPOMOEA.

_Class and Order._

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ infundibuliformis. _Stigma_ capitato-globosum. _Caps._ 3-locularis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IPOMOEA _Quamoclit_ foliis pinnatifidis linearibus, floribus subsolitariis. _Linn, Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 204._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 215._

QUAMOCLIT _s_ Jasminum Americanum. _Clus. Posth. 9._

CONVOLVULUS tenuifolius Americanus. The red Bellflower of America. _Park. Parad. p. 358. 3._

In a former number of this work, we gave a figure of the Scarlet Ipomoea, which every one possessing a garden, at least in the more southern parts of this kingdom, might gratify themselves with a sight of, it being hardy enough to flower and ripen its seeds in the open border; but the present species, an annual also, and equally beautiful, with greater singularity of foliage, can be brought to perfection only in the stove of hot-house.

Its seeds should be sown early in the spring, two or three in a small pot; when the plants are so far advanced as to shew a disposition to climb, they should be removed with a ball of earth into a middle-sized pot, in which one, two, or three sticks, four or five feet high should be stuck, for the plants to climb up; in the months of June and July they will flower, and ripe seed will be produced in September.

This elegant species, a native of both the Indies, was cultivated here by PARKINSON, who minutely describes it in his _Parad terr._ when speaking of the seed, he observes, "with us it will seldom come to flower, because our cold nights and frosts come so soone, before it cannot have comfort enough of the sun to ripen it."

[245]

TEUCRIUM LATIFOLIUM. BROAD-LEAV'D SHRUBBY GERMANDER.

_Class and Order._

DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ labium superius (nullum) ultra basin 2-partitum, divaricatum ubi stamina.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

TEUCRIUM _latifolium_ foliis integerrimis rhombeis acutis villosis subtus tomentosis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 526._ _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 276._

TEUCRIUM fruticans bæticum ampliore folio. _Dill. Elth. 379. t. 284. f. 367._

The _Teucrium latifolium_ as well as the _fruticans_, which is nearly related to it, is a native of Spain, and was cultivated in this country in 1714, by the Duchess of BEAUFORT, _vid. Ait. Kew._

It is a shrubby plant, growing to the height of seven or eight feet (it may be trained to a much greater height) now common in our greenhouses, and sometimes planted in the open border in warm situations, where it will bear about the same degree of cold as the myrtle; it flowers during most of the summer months, and is readily increased by cuttings.

[246]

AQUILEGIA CANADENSIS. CANADIAN COLUMBINE.

_Class and Order._

POLYANDRIA PENTAGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 0. _Petala_ 5. _Nectaria_ 5 corniculata, inter petala. _Caps._ 5 distinctæ.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

AQUILEGIA _canadensis_ nectariis rectis, staminibus corolla longioribus. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 535._ _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 248._

AQUILEGIA _pumila_ praæox canadensis. _Corn. Canad. 60._

AQUILEGIA præcox canadensis; flore externe rubicundo, medio luteo. _Moris. Hist. 111. p. 457. t. 2. f. 4._

AQUILEGIA Virginiania flore rubescente præcox.

The early red Columbine of Virginia. _Park. Th. p. 1367._

PARKINSON was not acquainted with this plant when he wrote his _Parad. terr._ but in his larger and more general work, the _Theat. Pl._ published in 1640, he describes and figures it as a plant newly introduced from Virginia, by Mr. JOHN TRADESCANT: CORNUTUS, in his account of the plants of Canada, gives us a representation and a description of this plant also; according to him, its usual height in that country is about nine inches; in the gardens here it nearly equals the common Columbine, which it considerably resembles in the appearance of its foliage, but differs in the form and colour of its flowers, the horn of the nectary is straighter, and the blossom in some of its parts inclines more to orange, which renders it highly ornamental.

It is a hardy perennial, and may be easily propagated by parting its roots in autumn or spring; it may also be raised from seeds, which ripen readily here; these are found to be a long time in vegetating, as are others of this genus.

We have observed in some gardens, a Columbine of more humble growth than the one here figured, called by the name of _canadensis_, and which most probably is a variety of our plant, its blossoms spread wider, are of a pale red colour without any orange, and hence being less beautiful, is, of course, less worthy of culture.

[247]

SCABIOSA ATROPURPUREA. SWEET SCABIOUS.

_Class and Order._

TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ communis polyphyllus; proprius duplex, superus. _Recept._ paleaceum nudum.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

SCABIOSA _atropurpurea_ corollulis quinquefidis radiantibus, foliis dissectis, receptaculis florum subulatis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 145._ _Ait. Kew. v. i. p. 137._

SCABIOSA peregrina rubra capite oblongo. _Bauh. Pin. 270._

SCABIOSA vi. indica. _Clus. Hist. 2. p. 3._

Red flowered Indian Scabious. _Park. Parad. 324._

It is not a little singular that we should have no certain account of what country this species of Scabious is a native; CLUSIUS who describes and figures it accurately, relates that he received seeds of it from Italy, under the name of _Indian Scabious_; he informs us also that he received seeds of a Scabious from Spain, which the same year produced flowers of a similar colour, but paler; PARKINSON says this plant is verily thought to grow naturally in Spain and Italy; does he borrow this idea from what CLUSIUS has advanced? he certainly gives no authority for his supposition: LINNÆUS mentions it as a native of India with a note of doubt; MILLER does the same, omitting any doubts about it; Mr. AITON leaves its place of growth unsettled.

The Sweet Scabious has long and deservedly held a place as an ornamental plant in our gardens, the flowers are well adapted for nosegays, have a sweet musky smell, and are produced in great profusion from June to October.

It is a hardy biennial, requiring yearly to be raised from seeds, these should be sown about the latter end of May, or beginning of June, on a shady border of fresh earth, thinning the plants as they advance to the distance of three or four inches; in autumn they should be removed into the border, where they are intended to flower, thus treated they will become good strong plants against winter, flower early the ensuing summer, and produce abundance of perfect seeds.

The blossoms vary in colour, towards autumn the edge of the florets become paler.

PARKINSON, deviating from his usual accuracy, describes the flowers without scent. _vid. Parad._

[248]

VINCA ROSEA. MADAGASCAR PERIWINKLE.

_Class and Order._

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

Contorta. _Folliculi_ 2 erecti. _Semina_ nuda.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

VINCA _rosea_ caule fructescente erecto, foliis ovato oblongis, petiolis basi bidentatis, floribus geminis sessilibus. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 252._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 296._

VINCA foliis oblongo-ovatis integerrimis, tubo floris longissimo, caule ramoso fruticoso. _Mill. Icon. 86._

The _Vinca rosea_ was first Cultivated in this country by Mr. PHILIP MILLER in 1757, he observes that it deserves a place in the stove as much as any of the exotic plants we have in England, because the flowers are very beautiful, and there is a constant succession of them all the summer.

The following account is extracted from his Dictionary.

"This plant grows naturally in the Island of Madagascar, from whence the seeds were brought to the Royal Garden at Paris, where the plants were first raised, and produced their flowers the following summer; from these plants good seeds were obtained, which were sent me by Mr. RICHARD, gardener to the King at Versailles and Trianon. It rises to the height of three or four feet; the branches which when young are succulent become ligneous by age: these flowers which appear early in the summer produce ripe seeds in the autumn.

"This sort is propagated by seeds or cuttings in the usual way; unless the summer proves warm these plants should not be placed abroad, for they will not thrive if they are exposed to cold or wet, therefore during the summer they should be placed in an airy glass-case, and in winter they must be removed into the stove, where the air is kept to a temperate heat, without which they will not live through the winter in England. _Mill. Dict._

There is a variety of this plant having white blossoms with a purple eye.

The flowers do not always grow in pairs.

[249]

CINERARIA AMELLOIDES. BLUE-FLOWERED CINERARIA or CAPE ASTER.

_Class and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLOA.

_Generic Character._

_Recept._ nullum. _Pappus_ simplex. _Cal._ simplex polyphyllus æqualis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

CINERARIA _Amelloides_ pedunculis unifloris, foliis oppositis ovatis nudis, caule suffruticoso. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 765._ _Ait Kew. v. 3. p. 219._

ASTER africanus frutescens ramosus, floribus cæruleis, foliis oppositis minimis, caulibus et ramulis in pedunculos nudos exeuntibus. _Raii Suppl. 158._

ASTER caule ramoso scabro perenni, foliis ovatis sessilibus, pedunculis nudis unifloris. _Mill. Icon. 76. f. 2._

The _Cineraria Amelloides_ a plant common in every green-house, was introduced by Mr. PHILIP MILLER as long since as the year 1753, being raised by him from Cape seeds; it forms a bushy shrub, of the height of two, or three feet, produces numerous blossoms, which stand singly on long footstalks, are of a pale blue colour; they make some amends for their want of brilliancy by flowering during most of the year.

The plant is easily propagated either by seeds or cuttings.

[250]

MYRTUS TOMENTOSA. WOOLLY-LEAVED MYRTLE.

_Class and Order._

ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-fidus, superus. _Petala_ 5. _Bacca_ 2. s. 3 sperma.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

MYRTUS _tomentosa_ pedunculis unifloris, foliis triplinervii, subtus tomentosis. _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 159._

ARBOR sinensis canellæ folio minore, trinervi, prona parte villoso, fructu caryophylli aromatici majoris villis similiter obducto. _Pluk. Amalth. 21. t. 372. f. 1._

In the third edition of the _Species Plant._ of LINNÆUS, published in 1764, thirteen Myrtles are described; in the 13th edition of the _Syst. Natur._ published by GMELIN in 91, forty-one are enumerated; thus in twenty-seven years this genus has gained an accession of twenty-eight species: most of these are natives of warm climates, and few comparatively have been introduced to this country, six species only being mentioned in the _Hort. Kew._ of Mr. AITON, in that work the _tomentosa_ here figured, not known to LINNÆUS or MILLER is specifically described, and there Mr. AITON informs us that it is a native of China, and was introduced by Mrs. NORMAN about the year 1766.

Since that period it has fallen into the hands of various cultivators, and flowered perhaps in greater perfection than it did originally at Kew; the peduncles, in the various specimens we have seen usually supporting more than one flower.

It is a shrub of great beauty, both in respect to its foliage and flowers, bearing but little similitude to the common Myrtle, if suffered to grow, acquiring the height of many feet.

Its blossoms are produced in June and July, the buds are covered with a white down, as is also the underside of the leaves, whence its name of _tomentosa_.

It has been customary to treat it as a stove plant, such it is considered in the _Hort. Kew._ there is great reason however to believe, that it is by no means tender, and that it may succeed as most of the Chinese plants do in a good greenhouse.

It is usually increased by cuttings which are struck difficulty.

[251]

ALLIUM DESCENDENS. PURPLE-HEADED GARLICK.

_Class and Order._

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ 6-partita, patens. _Spatha_ multiflora. _Umbella_ congesta. _Caps._ supera.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ALLIUM _descendens_ caule subteretifolio umbellifero, pedunculis exterioribus brevioribus, staminibus tricuspidatis. Linn. _Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 322._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 425._

ALLIUM staminibus alterne trifidis, foliis fistulosis, capite sphærico non bulbifero atropurpureo. _Hall. All. Tab. 2. f. p. 355. xx. ii._

BARON HALLER in his most admirable _Monographia_ on the plants of this genus, published in his _Opuscula Botanica_, describes and figures this species, a hardy perennial, being a native of Switzerland, and cultivated according to Mr. AITON, in the garden at Oxford in 1766.

It usually grows to the height of three feet, thriving in almost any soil or situation, its flowers as in many other species grow in a capitulum or little head, not an umbel, strictly speaking, as LINNÆUS describes it; this head is at first covered with a whitish membrane, wearing some resemblance to a night-cap, on the falling off of which the whole of the capitulum is perceived to be of a green colour, shortly the crown of it becomes of a fine reddish purple, this colour extends itself gradually downwards, presently we see the upper half of the head purple, the lower half green, in this state it has a most pleasing appearance; the purple still extending downwards, the whole head finally becomes uniformly so, and then its flowers begin to open, and emit an odour rather agreeable than otherwise; on dissecting a flower we find three of the stamina in each longer than the others, and bearing two little points, which proceed not from the antheræ, but from the top of the filaments, it is therefore one of those Alliums which LINNÆUS describes, as having _Antheræ bicornes_.

This species increases readily by offsets, which should be separated and planted in Autumn.

We know not why LINNÆUS should give it the name of _descendens_, unless from its being one of those plants whose roots in process of time descend deeply into the earth.

[252]

CAMPANULA GRANDIFLORA. GREAT-FLOWERED BELL-FLOWER.

_Class and Order._

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ campanulata fundo clauso valvis staminiferis. _Stigma_ trifidium. _Caps._ insera poris lateralibus dehiscens.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

CAMPANULA _grandiflora_ caule subunifloro, foliis sublanceolatis serratis, corolla patente. _Jacq. in Litt. Hort. v. 3. t. 2._

CAMPANULA _grandiflora_ foliis ternis oblongis serratis, caule unifloro, flore patulo. _Linn. Suppl. p. 140. Syst. Veget. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 207._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 218._

Professor JACQUIN is, we believe, the first author who has figured this species of Campanula, which he has done in his _Hortus Vindebonensis_; LINNÆUS the Son afterwards inserted it in his _Suppl. Pl._ assigning it the characters specified above in the synonyms, and expressing his doubts whether it was not a variety of the _Campanula carpatica_, already figured in this work, _Pl. 117_. Prof. JACQUIN clearly demonstrates that it cannot be so, as it differs most essentially from that plant in a variety of particulars, _vid. Linn. Syst. Veget. ed. 14. Murr._ his specific description there given, agrees much better with the plants we have seen flower here, than that of LINNÆUS does, there being generally more than one flower on a stalk, and the leaves rarely growing three together.

The blossoms of this plant when it grows in perfection, are very large, nearly twice the size of those of the _Campanula carpatica_, whence its name of _grandiflora_; previous to their opening fully, they somewhat resemble an air balloon, from which circumstance it has been called by some the Balloon plant.

It is a hardy perennial, a native of Siberia and Tartary, and was introduced to this country by Mr. JOHN BELL in the year 1782.

It flowers in July, is as yet a rare plant in this country, and likely to continue so, as it is not easily increased, multiplying but little by its roots, scarcely to be struck from cuttings, and rarely producing perfect seeds.

INDEX.

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

_Pl._ 251 Allium descendens. 239 Amaryllis Atamasco. 226 Arabis alpina. 243 Argemone mexicana. 246 Aquilegia canadensis. 228 Bellis perennis var. major fl. pl. 217 Buchnera viscosa. 252 Campanula grandiflora. 233 Chironia baccifera. 249 Cineraria Amelloides. 218 Disandra prostrata. 220 Erica cerinthoides. 241 Fagonia cretica. 231 Fumaria solida. 232 ---- cava. 227 Helianthus multiflorus. 221 Ipomoea coccinea. 244 ---- Quamoclit. 234 Linum arboreum. 225 Lobelia surinamensis. 223 Lychnis coronata. 219 Michauxia campanuloides 250 Myrtus tomentosa. 237 Oxalis caprina. 240 Pelargonium tricolor. 224 Phylica ericoides. 230 Plumbago rosea 229 Primula acaulis fl. pl. carneo. 247 Scabiosa atropurpurea. 238 Senecio elegans. 222 Struthiola erecta. 245 Teucrium latifolium. 235 Trollius asiaticus 248 Vinca rosea. 236 Verbascum Myconi. 242 Veronica decussata

INDEX.

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