[8] _Ait. Kew._
[466]
[Illustration: Nº. 466]
Calycanthus Præcox. Japan All-Spice.
_Class and Order._
Icosandria Polygynia.
_Generic Character._
_Cal._ 1-phyllus, urceolatus, squarrosus: foliolis coloratis.
_Cor._ calycina. _Styli_ plurimi, stigmati glanduloso. _Sem._
plurima, caudata, intra calycem succulentum.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
CALYCANTHUS _præcox_ petalis interioribus minutis. _Linn. Sp. Pl.
ed. 3. p. 718._ _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 220. tab. x._
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]
[Illustration: Nº. 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]
[Illustration: Nº. 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.