Though Summer with her fervid ray,
No longer leads the lengthened day,
Though Autumn with her sober tread
Appears upon the russet mead,
For her shall Flora form her wreath,
And still around her fragrance breathe;
Shall still with beauty deck the plain,
Nor cease midst darker hours to reign.
[Illustration: _Plate 33._ _Eschscholtzia Californica._
_Drawn from Nature by M.R._ _Engraved by R. Havell Jun^{r.}_]
ESCHSCHOLTZIA Californica.
_Californian Eschscholtzia._
_Class and Order._--POLYANDRIA TETRAGYNIA.
Syn. Eschscholtzia Californica. _Bot. Reg._ _pl._ 1168.
Root fusiform--stem branching, growing to the height of one foot
or more--leaves glaucous, tri-pinnatifid, segments acute--flowers
terminal, on long peduncles--Calyx formed like the Calyptra of a
Moss, which falls off previous to the expansion of the flower--petals
four--large, spreading, slightly striated, narrower at the base,
margins undulate, of a brilliant yellow, which increases to an orange
in the centre of the flower--stamens numerous, filaments very short,
anthers long, acute--stigmas four--seed vessel subulate.
Fig. 1. represents the seed pod. Fig. 2. the curiously formed Calyx.
This elegant flower was originally discovered by Mr. Menzies, during
the expedition of Vancouver, in the year 1792, on the coast of
California. It has been named by Chamisso after Dr. Eschscholtz, a
companion of Kotzebue, in his voyage round the world, and was sent to
the Hort. Soc., by Mr. Douglas, in 1826, who found it on the N. W.
coast of America. It promises to be a very desirable and beautiful
addition to our catalogue of herbaceous plants, flowering abundantly
all thro' the summer 'till destroyed by frost. It may be propagated
either by seeds, which should be sown in a hot-bed early in the spring,
or by parting the roots in autumn, and grows best in a pure air, and a
light, or sandy soil.
Pl. 33.
[Illustration: _Plate 34._ _Catananche Cœrulea._
_Drawn from Nature by M.R._ _Engraved by R. Havell Jun^{r.}_]
CATANANCHE cœrulea.
_Blue Catananche._
_Class and Order._--SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA ÆQUALIS.
Syn. Catananche Cœrulea. _Curtis Bot. Mag._ _pl._ 293.
Root fibrous--Stem radical, branching--growing to the height of two
feet--Radical leaves, long, lanceolate, margins deeply toothed--back
of the leaf downy, and strongly nerved--Cauline leaves, sessile,
linear, acute. Flowers terminal on very long peduncles on which
are scattered membranaceous bracteas--Calyx imbricate, squamose,
membranaceous, striate--Corolla blue--Florets ligulate, apex
three toothed, purple at the base, fertile--Stamens five, Anthers
united--style one, stigma bifid.
There are only two species known of this genus, the one here figured is
a native of the South of Europe, and is said to have been cultivated
by Parkinson as far back as the year 1640, it is however by no means
a common plant, owing perhaps to the difficulty of keeping it through
the winter, when it is very apt to be destroyed by frost; it is easily
raised from seeds which may be sown in the autumn, and if protected
during the winter, will make strong plants to flower through the
ensuing summer, continuing in beauty until the approach of winter--it
likes a dry, sandy soil, and will not bear frequent removal,--the other
species, Catananche lutea, is an annual not deserving of cultivation.
Pl. 34.
[Illustration: _Plate 35._ _Coreopsis Grandiflora._
_Drawn from Nature by M.R._ _Engraved by R. Havell Jun^{r.}_]
COREOPSIS Grandiflora.
_Large flowered Coreopsis._
_Class and Order._--SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA FRUSTRANEA.
Syn. Coreopsis Grandiflora. _Sweet's B. F. G._ _Vol._ 2. _pl._ 175.
Root fibrous, creeping--Stem, tall, erect, branched. Leaves on
short petioles ternate, leaflets lanceolate, acute--cauline leaves
becoming more linear. Flowers large, terminal, on long, slender
peduncles--Calyx double, exterior segments green, lanceolate acute;
interior segments brown, membranaceous--Corolla bright yellow,
radiated florets barren, dentate; florets of the disk fertile.
This fine species is so similar to C. Lanceolata, that it is only to be
distinguished by the leaf, the flowers being alike in form and color,
though perhaps a little larger in C. grandiflora--it was found by
Professor Nuttall in the Arkansas, and was sent by him to Mr. Barclay
about the year 1826; it is therefore from its late introduction yet
rare in our collections, it promises to be of easy cultivation, its
creeping roots throwing up a plentiful supply of young plants from
which it may easily be propagated--a little protection in the winter
may perhaps be desirable.