Smith, in the third No. of his New Holland Botany, it had not then
flowered in England; and from the leaves only, of the dried specimens,
it was scarce possible to trace, amongst such a variety of new faces,
this species of Embothrium. It nevertheless was in many collections, and
in some, all the varieties, although it had not then flowered in any.
About the end of the year 1791 the seeds of this plant, with many
others, were received by Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, of Hammersmith,
transmitted to them from New South Wales, by Col. Paterson. As a hardy
greenhouse plant, it will always be coveted, as it is seldom without
flowers through the whole year. Our plant appears to differ
sufficiently, from the three varieties given by the Doctor, to form a
fourth; as the leaves on this are by no means constantly three together,
but are often scattered. We have notwithstanding nearly copied his
specific character. It should be planted in light sandy peat, and may be
increased by cuttings, or by seeds, which occasionally ripen, whilst the
plant is still in flower.
[Illustration]
PLATE CI.
HYPOXIS STELLATA.
_Star-flowered Hypoxis._
CLASS VI. ORDER I.
_HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Six Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Gluma bivalvis.
COROLLA monopetala, supera; limbus sexpartitus, laciniis ovato
oblongis, patentibus; persistens.
STAMINA. Filamenta sex, brevissima, capillaria. Antheræ oblongæ,
petalis breviores.
PISTILLUM. Germen inferum, turbinatum. Stylus filiformis,
longitudine staminum. Stigma obtusiusculum.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula oblongiuscula, basi angustior, coronata
corolla persistente, trilocularis, trivalvis.
SEMINA plurima, subrotunda.
EMPALEMENT. Husk of two valves.
BLOSSOM one petal, superior; border of six divisions, segments
oblong-egg-shaped, and spreading; permanent.
CHIVES. Six very short hair-like threads. Tips oblong, shorter than
the petals.
POINTAL. Seed-bud beneath, turban-shape. Shaft thread-shaped, the
length of the chives. Summit bluntish.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule rather oblong, smaller at the base, crowned by
the permanent blossom, three cells, three valves.
SEEDS many, roundish.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Hypoxis scapo unifloro; foliis sub-linearibus, laxis, striatis;
petalis basi maculatis.
Hypoxis with but one blossom on the flower-stem; leaves nearly
linear, flexible, and scored; the petals spotted at the base.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Chives and Pointal, cleared from the Blossom.
2. A Chive.
3. The Pointal.
Though we have little doubt in referring this plant to the title under
which we have figured it, and by which it has been long known to most
botanists, at least by name; yet have we great ones, whether it ought in
any wise to be considered as such. Thunberg, perhaps the only botanist,
who has seen it in flower, thought so, and placed it to a genus he had
named Fabricia. Certainly no one character of the genus Hypoxis, can be
traced in the flower. The husk is of one valve, the petals not even
close at the base, the threads flat, the summits three, and
halbert-shaped, the shaft pillar-shape and short, &c. But, as upon our
old plea, we do not choose to change generic names when long
established, this plant, for us, must still remain an Hypoxis; tho’ it
could not now be placed, at any rate, to Fabricia, as that title is
given to a family of plants, natives of New Holland. The star-flowered
Hypoxis is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, is rather a tender bulb,
and does not often flower. It was according to the Kew Catalogue first
introduced to the Royal Gardens by Mr. F. Masson, in the year 1788; but
as the time of flowering is not mentioned, we suppose it did not flower
there. The root should, like other Cape bulbs, be removed from the pot
after flowering, and replanted in October. It propagates itself pretty
freely by offsets, if planted in light sandy peat, mixed with a little
loam. The drawing was made in June, this present year, at the
Hammersmith nursery.
[Illustration]
PLATE CII.
EPIGÆA REPENS.
_Creeping Epigæa._
CLASS X. ORDER I.
_DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Ten Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium duplex, approximatum, persistens.
_P. exterius_ triphyllum; foliolis ovato-lanceolatis, acuminatis;
exteriore majore.
_P. interius_ quinquepartitum, erectum, exteriore paulo longius;
foliolis lanceolatis, acuminatis.
COROLLA monopetala, hypocrateriformis; tubus cylindricus, intus
hirsutus; limbus patens, quinquepartitus, lobis ovato-oblongis.
STAMINA. Filamenta decem, filiformia, longitudine tubi. Antheræ
oblongæ, acutæ.
PISTILLUM. Germen globosum, villosum. Stylus filiformis,
longitudine staminum. Stigma obtusum, subquinquefidum.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula sub-globosa, depressa, pentagona,
quinquelocularis, quinquevalvis.
SEMINA plurima, subrotunda.
_Receptaculum_ magnum quinquepartitum.
EMPALEMENT. Cup double, close together, and remaining.
_Outer cup_ three-leaved; leaflets between lance and egg-shape,
pointed; the outer one the largest.
_Inner cup_ of five divisions, upright, a little longer than the
outer; leaflets lance-shaped and pointed.
BLOSSOM one petal, salver-shaped; tube cylindrical, hairy within;
the border spreading with five divisions, the segments of an oblong
egg-shape.
CHIVES. Ten thread-shaped threads the length of the tube. Tips
oblong, and tapered.
POINTAL. Seed-bud globular and hairy. Shaft thread-shaped, the
length of the chives. Summit blunt, and slightly five-cleft.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule nearly globular, flattened, five-sided, five
cells, and five valves.
SEEDS many, roundish.
_Receptacle_ large, of five divisions.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Epigæa caulibus procumbentibus; foliis cordato-ovatis,
integerrimis, reticulatis; corollis hypocrateriformibus.
Epigæa with stems that lay on the earth; leaves between heart and
egg-shape, quite entire, and netted; blossoms salver-shaped.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The two Cups of the Empalement.
2. The inner Cup, disengaged from the outer.
3. A Blossom cut open, to shew its hairy interior.
4. The Chives and Pointal, as they stand in the Blossom.
5. The Pointal, (magnified).
The Creeping Epigæa is the only species of the genus yet in Britain; it
was first introduced by P. Collinson, Esq. in 1736, from N. America;
where it is found in most parts, from Virginia, as far north as Canada.
The flowers of this plant are extremely fragrant, and are produced from
March till May. Hitherto, very few situations have been found congenial
to its cultivation, or growth; indeed, so subject is it to perish from
the moisture, or changeableness of atmosphere in our winter months, to
which it is not subject in its native clime, being during that season
covered with a deep snow; that unless an occasional supply had not been
procured from America, the plant must, long ere this, have been lost to
us. The soil which appears best adapted for its preservation, is a light
sandy loam: if planted in the open air, it should have a sheltered
situation, on a dry border; but the most likely mode to preserve it, is
by keeping it as a greenhouse plant. It is with difficulty increased by
cuttings, but may be divided at the root, with success, in March. Our
figure was made at the nursery of Mess. Lee and Kennedy, Hammersmith,
this year, in the month of April.
[Illustration]
PLATE CIII.
PROTEA SPECIOSA, _nigra_.
_Black-flowered Protea._
CLASS IV. ORDER I.
_TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Four Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
COROLLA 4-fida, seu 4-petala. Antheræ lineares, insertæ petalis
infra apicem. Calyx proprius, nullus. Sem. folitaria.
BLOSSOM 4-cleft, or of 4 petals. Tips linear, inserted into the
petals below the points. Cup proper, none. Seeds solitary.
See PROTEA FORMOSA, Vol. I. Plate XVII.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Protea foliis longis, lineari-lanceolatis; squamæ calycinæ
interiores apice incurvatæ, barbatæ, nigræ.
Protea with long leaves, between linear and lance-shaped; the inner
scales of the empalement are turned inward at the end, bearded, and
black.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Blossom complete, as it stands in the Empalement.
2. The four Petals of the Flower thrown open, to shew the situation and character of the tips.
3. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit.
It is to the curious and beautiful structure of the empalement, (the
flowers being nearly concealed within it,) that this species of Protea
owes its specific title, and for which it is so much admired. There are
different varieties of it, which are considered by Thunberg, in his
Diss. de Prot. of 1781, as distinct species; but which are certainly
only varieties of one stock: we have drawings of two of these, the one
flesh-coloured, the other white; and hope to be able to demonstrate as
just, our postulatum, when the synonims are given, as proposed, at the
close of this volume. This plant was first introduced to the Royal
Gardens at Kew, from the Cape of Good Hope, in 1786, by Mr. F. Masson:
it flowers at a very early age, and when the stem is not more than two
feet high, mostly from the centre or leading branch of the plant. It is
propagated by cuttings, which should be put in about the end of May,
three or four, at most, in a pot, filled with good stiff loam, which
should be pressed hard to the lower end of the cuttings, and the pot
placed under a hand-glass in the shade. When the plants are to be
removed into separate pots, it will be necessary to add a small portion
of peat earth to the loam, and place them in an airy and dry part of the
greenhouse. These directions are necessary to be observed, in the
culture of nearly every species of this extended genus. Our figure was
taken in the month of July 1799, from a plant in the Hibbertian
collection, Clapham-common.
[Illustration]
PLATE CIV.
LACHNÆA ERIOCEPHALA.
_Woolly-headed Lachnæa._
CLASS VIII. ORDER I.
_OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Eight Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, persistens; tubo longo, tenui;
limbo quadripartito, inæquali; lacinia summa retrofracta, minima;
laciniis reliquis tribus erectis; intermedia majore.
COROLLA nulla.
STAMINA. Filamenta octo capillaria, erecta, longitudine ferme
floris. Antheræ simplices.
PISTILLUM. Germen ovatum. Stylus filiformis, germinis lateri
insertus. Stigma capitatum, hispidum.
PERICARPIUM nullum. Fructus in fundo calycis.
SEMEN unicum, ovatum.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one leaf, remaining; tube long, slender; border of
four divisions, unequal; the upper segment appearing broke back,
and small; the three other segments are upright; the middle one the
largest.
BLOSSOM none.
CHIVES. Eight hair-like threads, upright, almost the length of the
flower. Tips simple.
POINTAL. Seed-bud egg-shaped. Shaft thread-shaped, fixed into the
side of the seed-bud. Summit a hairy knob.
SEED-VESSEL none. The fruit is in the bottom of the cup.
SEED one, egg-shaped.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Lachnæa capitulis solitariis, lanatis; foliis quadrifariam
imbricatis.
Lachnæa with little bunches of flowers growing solitary and woolly;
leaves are tiled on the stem, forming four regular angles.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The terminating Leaves of the branches, which inclose the small heads of flowers.
2. A Flower, magnified.
3. A Flower cut open, natural size, to shew the insertion of the Chives.
4. The Seed-bud and Pointal, magnified.
The figure of this curious new plant was taken from a specimen most
obligingly communicated by the Hon. Wm. Hen. Irby, from his valuable and
extensive collection at the Parsonage, Farnham Royal, near Windsor,
Bucks. The genus Lachnæa has hitherto, with us, remained in obscurity;
as the L. Conglomerata has not as yet flowered, and the L. Eriocephala
was not in our collections till within these five years; about which
time it was introduced by Mess. Lee and Kennedy, Hammersmith, from the
Cape of Good Hope. It differs but little in habit from Passerina
Grandiflora, and until it flowered this year, was considered as a
variety of that plant. May be propagated with ease by cuttings, and
continues to flower from March till August. A mixture of peat and loam
is the soil it most approves; but it is very susceptible of damps.
[Illustration]
PLATE CV.
VACCINIUM CRASSIFOLIUM.
_Thick-leaved Whortle-berry._
CLASS VIII. ORDER I.
_OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Eight Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX superus. Corolla monopetala. Filamenta receptaculo inserta.
Bacca quadri-locularis, polysperma.
CUP superior. Blossom of one petal. Threads fixed to the
receptacle. A berry with four cells, and many seeds.
Sec Vol. I. Pl. XXX. VACCINIUM ARCTOSTAPHYLLUS.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Vaccinium foliis ovatis, serratis, rigidis crassiusculis; floribus
sub-umbellatis, terminalibus; calycibus adpressis; corollis
campanulatis; stamina decem.
Whortle-berry with oval leaves sawed at the edges, stiff, and
thickish; flowers grow nearly in umbels, at the end of the
branches; cups pressed to the blossom; blossoms bell-shaped; ten
chives.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. Cup and Seed-bud, natural size.
2. A Blossom cut open.
3. The Chives and Seed-bud, the leaflets of the cup cut off, magnified.
4. The Pointal, magnified.
This species of Whortle-berry was introduced from Carolina, about the
year 1794, by Mr. J. Fraser, nurseryman. It is another of those with ten
chives, five cells in the berry, and five segments in the borders of the
cup and blossom. It is an evergreen, and will live through a mild
winter, on a warm border; but cannot resist the cold of a severe one,
though a small degree of protection is sufficient for its preservation.
As a greenhouse plant, it is very decorative, flowering about June; in
which month this year our drawing was made, at the Hammersmith nursery,
from a plant in that collection. The pabulum best calculated to preserve
it in a flourishing state, is a mixture composed of sandy peat two
parts, and light loam one part. To propagate it, the younger branches
should be laid down about the end of May, and they will be rooted by the
ensuing spring.
[Illustration]
PLATE CVI.
HOUSTONIA COCCINEA.
_Scarlet Houstonia._
CLASS IV. ORDER I.
_TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Four Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium minimum, quadridentatum, erectum, persistens.
COROLLA monopetala, infundibuliformis; tubus cylindraceus, longus;
limbus quadripartitus, patens, laciniis subrotundis.
STAMINA. Filamenta quatuor, in collo corollæ, minima. Antheræ
simplices.
PISTILLUM. Germen superum, subrotundum, compressum. Stylus simplex,
staminibus brevior. Stigma bifidum, acutum.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula subrotunda, didyma, supra transverse
dehiscens, bilocularis, bivalvis; valvulis dissepimento oppositis.
SEMINA pauca, parva, ovata, dissepimento adhærentia.
EMPALEMENT. Cup very small, with four teeth, upright, and
remaining.
BLOSSOM one petal, funnel-shaped; tube cylindrical, long; border of
four divisions, spreading, segments roundish.
CHIVES. Four threads, fixed to the neck of the blossom, very small.
Tips simple.
POINTAL. Seed-bud above, roundish, and flattened. Shaft simple,
shorter than the chives. Summit split in two and sharp.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule roundish, double, splitting transversely from
the upper part, two cells, two valves; the valves opposite to the
partition.
SEEDS a few, small, oval, adhering to the partition.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Houstonia foliis ovatis, glabris, subternis; caulis debilis,
suffruticosus; floribus terminalibus, coccineis.
Houstonia with oval, smooth leaves, growing mostly by threes; stem
weak, rather shrubby; flowers terminate the branches, and are
scarlet.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement and Pointal, the Blossom taken off.
2. The Blossom cut open, to shew its interior structure.
3. The Seed-bud and Pointal, the leaflets of the cup being removed, magnified.
The Houstonia coccinea has been placed, by some late botanical authors,
under the genus Hedyotis; but such authorities can have no weight with
us, when opposed to an established name, a nearly general conformity in
the essential generic characters; and though last, not the least in our
estimation, the corroborating testimony of Sir J. Banks, Bart. P.R.S.
&c. by whom it was sent to the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1793. It is a
native of Mexico, South America; and like the Hemimerises,[A] Fuchsias,
Chelones, &c. of that country, is very subject to damp; but being partly
herbaceous, the root is most frequently preserved, although the upper
part has perished. Though it requires the protection of a greenhouse in
winter, it may be made an ornamental plant for the flower borders in
autumn, by putting single cuttings, in small pots filled with rich
earth, into the heat of a hotbed, early in March, they will be fit to
transplant into the open ground the latter end of June, and will flower
about August, continuing to blossom till destroyed by the frost; or if
taken up and put into large pots, will flower till Christmas. Our figure
was taken from a beautiful plant, in the collection of R. H. James, Esq.
Grosvenor-place, in 1799.
[A] _These are the two species of an old genus, introduced into the
Bot. Mag. of Curtis, under the titles of Celsia liniaris and C.
urticifolia._
[Illustration]
PLATE CVII.
ALLIUM GRACILE.
_Sweet-scented Garlic._
CLASS VI. ORDER I.
_HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Six Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Spatha communis, subrotunda, marcescens, multiflora.
COROLLA. Petala sex, oblonga.
STAMINA. Filamenta sex, subulata, longitudine sæpe corollæ. Antheræ
oblongæ, erectæ.
PISTILLUM. Germen superum, breve, subtrigonum, angulis linea
insculptis. Stylus simplex. Stigma acutum.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula brevissima, lata, triloba, trilocularis,
trivalvis.
SEMINA pauca, subrotunda.
EMPALEMENT. Spath common, roundish, withering, inclosing many
flowers.
BLOSSOM. Petals six, oblong.
CHIVES. Six threads, awl-shaped, often the length of the blossom.
Tips oblong, upright.
POINTAL. Seed-bud above, short, nearly three-sided, the angles
marked by a line. Shaft simple. Summit pointed.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule very short, broad, of three lobes, three
cells, and three valves.
SEEDS a few, roundish.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Allium scapo nudo, tereti, longissimo; foliis canaliculatis,
linearibus; umbella multiflora; corollis albidis; staminibus
subulatis, ad basin cum petalis desinentibus in tubum.
Garlic with a naked flower-stem, cylindrical, and very long; leaves
channelled, and linear; umbel many flowered; blossoms white; chives
awl-shaped, terminating with the petals at the base in a tube.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Blossom cut open.
2. One Petal of the Blossom and its Chive, magnified.
3. The Pointal and Seed-bud.
4. A Capsule with ripe Seeds.
From a plant in the collection of J. Vere, Esq. Kensington Gore, our
drawing was made, this year, early in the month of May; and from an
accurate scrutiny, are inclined to think it might be considered as a new
genus; for certainly it does not well affine to the one here assigned
it, in several instances; but as our professed principles are, as rarely
as possible, to increase the number of genera, we have retained it under
Allium. The flowers of this plant are fragrant in the extreme, at night;
so much so, that one is sufficient to scent a large room; the flavour
something like the Heliotrope. Being a native of Barbadoes, from whence
it was sent by Mr. J. Ellcock in 1791, to Messrs. Lee and Kennedy,
Hammersmith, it requires the heat of a hothouse, where, without the
assistance of the bark bed, it will flower, and increase from the bulb
abundantly.
[Illustration]
PLATE CVIII.
GERANIUM RENIFORME.
_Kidney-shape-leaved Geranium._
CLASS XVI. ORDER IV. _Of Suppl. system. Veget. 1781._
_MONODELPHIA DECANDRIA._ Threads united. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
MONOGYNA. Stigmata quinque.
FRUCTUS rostratus, penta-coccus.
One POINTAL. Five Summits.
FRUIT furnished with long awns, five dry berries.
See GERANIUM GRANDIFLORUM. Pl. XII. Vol. I.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Geranium foliis reniformibus, crenato-dentatis, tomentosis;
floribus heptandris, subquaternis, purpureis; caule fruticoso,
sub-carnoso.
Geranium with kidney-shaped leaves, between scolloped and toothed
at the edges, and downy; flowers with seven fertile tips, grow
mostly by fours, and are purple; stem shrubby, and almost fleshy.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement cut open, to shew its hollow structure.
2. The Chives and Pointal, natural size.
3. The Threads cut open, to shew their number, as well as the general number
of fertile tips, magnified.
4. The Pointal and Seed-buds, magnified.
From the Hort. Cantab. published this year, by the accurate Mr. J. Donn,
we learn that this fine species of Geranium was introduced to the Royal
Gardens, Kew, about nine years since; yet, till within these two years,
it has not been seen in any other collection. Our drawing was made in
July 1799, from a plant in the Clapham collection. This Geranium must be
treated rather as a dry-stove than as a common greenhouse plant, for it
affines much to G. Fulgidum, and a few others, which are inhabitants of
the sandy deserts of the more interior parts of Africa, and which
require more heat than is proper for those from Table Mountain, or the
vicinity of the Cape. It is propagated by cuttings made about the month
of March, and placed under a small glass, either in a hotbed, or in the
bark bed of the hothouse: it may be increased by the root likewise, and
from seed which is sometimes perfected. A compost of cow dung, at least
two years old, one part, sea sand one part, and light loam two parts, is
the most proper for many of the tenderer sorts of this genus.
[Illustration]
PLATE CIX.
CHRYSANTHEMUM TRICOLOR.
_Three-coloured Corn-Marygold._
CLASS XIX. ORDER II.
_SYNGENESIA, POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA._ Tips united. Superfluous Pointals.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Communis hæmisphæricus, imbricatus; squamis arcte
incumbentibus; interioribus per gradus majoribus, margine
scariosis; intimis terminatis squama scariosa.
COROLLA. Composita radiata. Corullulæ hermaphroditæ tubulosæ,
numerosæ, in disco; femineæ duodenis plures, in radio.
_Propria_ hermaphroditis infundibuliformis, quinquefida, patula,
longitudine calycis.
_Femineis_ ligulata, oblonga, tridentata.
STAMINA. Hermaphroditis filamenta quinque, capillaria, brevissima.
Anthera cylindracea, tubulosa, corolla fere brevior.
PISTILLUM. Hermaphroditis, germen ovatum. Stylus filiformis,
staminibus longior. Stigmata duo, revoluta.
_Femineis_ germen ovatum. Stylus filiformis, cum hermaphroditis
æqualis. Stigmata duo, obtusa, revoluta.
PERICARPIUM nullum. Calyx immutatus.
SEMINA. Hermaphroditis solitaria, oblonga. Pappus nullus.
_Femineis_ simillima hermaphroditis.
RECEPTACULUM nudum, punctatum, convexum.
EMPALEMENT. Common, hemispherical, tiled; scales lying close upon
each other; the inner ones becoming gradually larger, skinny at the
edge; the innermost terminating in a skinny substance.
BLOSSOM. Compound radiate. Florets with chives and pointals, of the
centre, tubular and numerous; those with only pointals, of the ray,
twelve or more.
_Individuals_ with chives and pointals, funnel-shaped, five-cleft,
open, the length of the cup.
_Individuals_ with only pointals, ligulate, oblong, with three
teeth.
CHIVES. Those with chives and pointals have five, hair-like, very
short threads. Tips cylindrical and tubular, scarcely shorter than
the blossom.
POINTAL. Seed-bud, where there are chives and pointals egg-shaped.
Shaft thread-shaped, longer than the chives. Summits two, rolled
back.
_Seed-bud_ where there are only pointals egg-shaped. Shaft
thread-shaped the length of those where there are chives and
pointals Summits two, blunt and rolled back.
SEED-VESSEL none. Cup unchanged.
SEEDS of those with chives and pointals solitary, oblong. Feather
none.
Those where there are only pointals like the others.
RECEPTACLE naked, dotted, and convex.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.