[Illustration: 43]
Few plants are more admired than the Cistus tribe; they have indeed one
imperfection, their petals soon fall off: this however is the less to be
regretted, as they in general have a great profusion of flower-buds,
whence their loss is daily supplied. They are, for the most part,
inhabitants of warm climates, and affect dry, sheltered, though not
shady, situations.
The present species is a native of Spain, and the south of France, and
being liable to be killed by the severity of our winters, is generally
kept with green-house plants.
It may be propagated either by seeds, or cuttings; the former make the
best plants.
[44]
~Cyclamen persicum. Persian Cyclamen.~
_Class and Order._
~Pentandria Monogynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Corolla_ rotata, reflexa, tubo brevissimo: fauce prominente. _Bacca_
tecta capsula.
_Specific Character._
CYCLAMEN _persicum_ foliis cordatis serratis. _Miller's Dict. 4to.
ed. 6._
[Illustration: 44]
LINNAEUS in this, as in many other genera, certainly makes too
few species, having only two; MILLER, on the contrary, is
perhaps too profuse in his number, making eight. The ascertaining the
precise limits of species, and variety, in plants that have been for a
great length of time objects of culture, is often attended with
difficulties scarcely to be surmounted, is indeed a Gordian Knot to
Botanists.
Our plant is the _Cyclamen persicum_ of MILLER, and has been
introduced into our gardens long since the European ones; being a native
of the East-Indies, it is of course more tender than the others, and
therefore requires to be treated more in the style of a green-house
plant.
It is generally cultivated in pots, in light undunged earth, or in a
mixture of loam and lime rubbish, and kept in frames, or on the front
shelf of a green-house, where it may have plenty of air in the summer,
but guarded against too much moisture in the winter.
May be raised from seeds in the same manner as the round-leaved Cyclamen
already figured in this work, p. n. 4.
Flowers early in the spring, and is admirably well adapted to decorate
the parlour or study.
Varies with fragrant flowers, and the eye more or less red.
[45]
~Crocus vernus. Spring Crocus.~
_Class and Order_
~Triandria Monogynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Corolla_ 6-partita, aequalis. _Stigmata_ convoluta.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
CROCUS _vernus_ foliis latioribus margine patulo. _Jacq. Fl. Austr.
Vol. 5. app. t. 36._ _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 83. var. sativ._