Part 4

OBAI _s. Robai_. Jasminum flore pleno suavi foetido, fructu turbinato, semine phascoli. _Kæmpf. Amæn. exot. p. 878._

The learned and instructive Kæmpfer in his _Amæn. Exot._ that vast fund of most useful information, gives a figure of this plant, in which it is represented both with flowers and seed-vessels, accompanied with a description and short account of it; from which we learn that it is cultivated in Japan as an ornamental plant, that the flowers are produced in February, before the leaves, that they have the scent of the violet, but become unpleasant on being long smelt to.

Hearing that Lord Coventry was the first who possessed this plant in England, I took the liberty of writing to his Lordship in January 1799, to request some information on this point, as well as some others relative to its culture, &c. On the 13th of the same month, his Lordship had the goodness to send me a beautiful specimen of the plant in bloom, a seedling plant one year old, together with a seed-vessel of the year 1798, and some seeds; in the Earl's letter is the following passage:--"the beauty of the _Calycanthus præcox_ at this moment surpasses all description, it is covered with blossoms from top to bottom, and the fragrance of it may be perceived at the distance of fifty yards from the conservatory."

By his Lordship's direction, I received at the same time from his Gardener, Mr. William Dean, the following information, in answer to my queries:--"My Lord received the plant from China in 1766:--it was planted in a conservatory, is now sixteen feet high, and expands ten feet wide:--bears a succession of flowers from September to March:--the time of its first blowing I cannot precisely ascertain, but believe it to be nearly twenty years back:--it is propagated by layers, cuttings, and seeds, the latter it produces most years at Croome, but I believe at no other place in England:--there are plants of it at Croome six feet high, in a warm situation in the open border, which have stood out several years by being covered with a single mat in severe weather."

Not expecting to receive a plant from Lord Coventry in bloom, our drawing was made from one which flowered with Mr. Whitley, Nurseryman, Old-Brompton, December 22, 1798, and which came originally from Croome, his Lordship having presented most of the Nurserymen about town with plants of it; the blossoms of that from Croome were somewhat larger than those here represented, and the petals were less striped, indeed almost wholly tinged with purple, the leaves also proceeded more from the summit of the stalks and were of a much greener hue, owing no doubt to its being kept in the conservatory, while Mr. Whitley's plant was tacked to the outside of the bottom of the greenhouse.

In the number of its stamina, which is rarely more than five, it does not accord with the character of the class icosandria, nor do the seeds agree with the generic character as described by Linnæus.

[467]

Dracocephalum Virginianum. Virginian Dragon's-Head.

_Class and Order._

Didynamia Gymnospermia.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ faux inflata: labium superius fornicatum.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

DRACOCEPHALUM _virginianum_ foliis lineari-lanceolatis serratis, floribus confertis. _Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 13. Gmel. p. 915._

DRACOCEPHALUM _virginianum_ floribus spicatis, foliis lanceolatis serratis. _Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 543._

DRACOCEPHALUM _virginianum_ floribus spicatis confertis, foliis lineari-lanceolatis serratis. _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 317._

This elegant species of _Dracocephalum_, a native of Virginia, and other parts of North-America, is a hardy herbaceous plant, rising to the height of about two feet, and producing numerous flowers in long spikes, usually arranged on each side of the stalk.

It comes near to the _denticulatum_ already figured, but differs in its superior height, the form of its leaves, the number of its flowers, and many other particulars.

It flowers from July to September, and with me has generally ripened much of its seed, from which it may be easily raised, as also by parting of its roots in spring or autumn; it succeeds best in a moist situation, and its stalks require to be carefully and timely sticked.

Was cultivated as long since as 1683, by Mr. James Sutherland.

[468]

Oenothera Tetraptera. White-Flowered Oenothera.

_Class and Order._

Octandria Monogynia.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 4-fidus. _Petala 4._ _Caps._ cylindrica infera. _Sem._ nuda.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

OENOTHERA _tetraptera_ foliis lanceolatis, basi pinnatifido-dentatis, capsulis pedicellatis obovatis quadrialatis. _Linn. Sp. Pl. edit. Wildenou._

OENOTHERA foliis alternis subpinnatis crispis, flore mutabili fructû tetraptero. _Cavanill. Icon. t. 3. p. 40. tab. 279._

Of this genus we have already figured six different species; this is another newly discovered one, which, like most of its kind, displays its beauties chiefly in the night. It is the only one, as far as we yet know, that has white blossoms; these, when first expanded, are beautifully so, but in the morning they change to a purple colour, fade, and their place is supplied by a fresh succession. In this remarkable change of colour, it bears some affinity to the _Oenothera anomala_, which may be considered as strengthening our opinion that the latter plant belongs to this genus rather than to that of _Gaura_. The _Oenothera tetraptera_ is a native of Mexico, its duration as yet not certainly ascertained, but may be treated as a tender annual; and such plants as do not flower the first year, may be preserved under glasses through the winter. It was raised from seeds sent by Mr. Donn, from Cambridge; but was probably first introduced into this country from seeds sent to the Marchioness of Bute, by Prof. Ortega, of Madrid.

INDEX.

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

_Pl._ 457 Alöe plicatilis. 455 Alöe retusa. 453 Amaryllis Reginæ. 462 Anthemis Pyrethrum. 441 Antholyza Merianella. 458 Aristea cyanea. 433 Azalea pontica. 451 Blakea trinervia. 466 Calycanthus præcox. 444 Canarina Campanula. 454 Canna indica. 452 Cardamine trifolia. 459 Convolvulus Cneorum. 445 Coronilla Emerus. 449 Dillenia speciosa. 456 Diosma serratifolia. 467 Dracocephalum virginianum. 463 Epidendrum ciliare. 440 Erica albens. 447 Erica empetrifolia. 443 Erica physodes. 442 Genista linifolia. 450 Gladiolus Watsonius. 435 Gnaphalium ericoides. 436 Hibiscus præmorsus. 437 Hydrangea Arborescens. 438 Hydrangea Hortensis. 461 Jasminum fruticans. 439 Illicium floridanum. 465 Indigofera angustifolia. 460 Maurandya semperflorens. 448 Mesembryanthemum micans. 468 Oenothera tetraptera. 434 Oxybaphus viscosus. 446 Psoralea bracteata. 464 Sisyrinchium gramineum.

INDEX.

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

_Pl._ 466 Allspice, Japan. 455 Aloe, cushion. 457 Aloe, fan. 441 Antholyza, dwarf. 458 Aristea, grass-leaved. 433 Azalea, yellow. 444 Bell-flower, canary. 459 Bindweed, silvery-leaved. 451 Blakea, three-ribbed. 442 Broom, flax-leaved. 450 Corn-Flag, Watson's. 452 Cuckow-Flower, three-leav'd. 449 Dillenia, shewy. 456 Diosma, serrated or saw-leaved. 467 Dragon's Head, virginian. 463 Epidendrum, fringed. 448 Fig-Marygold, glittering. 435 Gnaphalium or Everlasting, heath-leaved. 447 Heath, crowberry-leaved. 443 Heath, sticky-flowered. 440 Heath, pallid. 436 Hibiscus, bitten-leaved. 438 Hydrangea, garden. 437 Hydrangea, shrubby. 461 Jasmine, yellow. 439 Illicium, red-flowered or Aniseed tree. 454 Indian Reed or Shot, common. 465 Indigo, narrow-leaved. 453 Lily, Mexican. 460 Maurandya or Bastard Foxglove, climbing. 468 Oenothera, white-flowered. 462 Pellitory of Spain. 446 Psoralea, oval-spiked. 445 Senna, scorpion. 464 Sisyrinchium, grass-leaved. 434 Umbrella Wort, viscid.

_London_: Printed by STEPHEN COUCHMAN, Throgmorton-Street.