The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 08
Text[267]
Pyrus Spectabilis. Chinese Apple Tree
Class and Order
Icosandria Pentagynia
Generic Character
Cal. 5-fidus. Petala 5. Pomum inferum, 5-loculare, polyspermum.
Specific Character and Synonyms
PYRUS spectabilis umbellis sessilibus, foliis ovali oblongis serratis lævibus, unguibus calyce longioribus, stylis basi lanatis. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 175. Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 13. Gmel. p. 842.
No267.
The Chinese Apple-Tree when it blossoms in perfection, answers truly to the name of spectabilis; a more shewy or ornamental tree can scarcely be introduced to decorate the shrubbery or plantation; its beauty like that of most trees, whose ornament consists chiefly in their blossoms, is however but of short duration, and depends in some degree on the favourableness of the season at the time of their expansion, which usually takes place about the end of April or beginning of May; the flowers are large, of a pale red when open, and semi-double, the buds are of a much deeper hue, the fruit is of little account, and but sparingly produced. Trees of this species are to be met with in some gardens of the height of twenty or thirty feet.
Dr. Fothergill is regarded as the first who introduced this Chinese native, he cultivated it in the year 1780; such plants of it as were in his collection, passed at his decease into the hands of Messrs. Gordon and Thompson, in whose rich and elegant Nursery, at Mile-End, this tree may be seen in great perfection.
Though perfectly hardy, as its blossoms are liable to be injured by cutting winds, it will be most proper to plant it in a shelter'd situation.
It is usually increased by grafting it on the Crab stock.
[268]
Glycine Rubicunda. Dingy-flowered Glycine
Class and Order
Diadelphia Decandria
Generic Character
Cal. 2-labiatus. Corollæ carina apice vexillum reflectens.
Specific Character
GLYCINE rubicunda caule perenni volubili, foliis ternatis, foliolis subovalibus integerrimis, pedunculis subtrifloris.
No268.
The plant here figured, and very generally known to the Nurserymen, in the neighbourhood of London, by the name of Glycine rubicunda, is a native of New South-Wales, and was introduced to this country about the same time as the Glycine bimaculata already figured.
It is a shrubby, twining plant, running up to the height of five, six, or more feet, producing blossoms abundantly from April to June, which are usually succeeded by seed-vessels which ripen their seeds with us.
The flowers though large and shewy, have a kind of dingy or lurid appearance, which greatly diminishes their beauty. We have observed the blossoms of some plants more brilliant than those of others, and we think it highly probable, that, at some future period, seminal varieties may be obtained with flowers highly improved in colour.
This species is readily raised from seeds, is of quick growth, and may be regarded as one of our more hardy green-house plants: probably it may succeed in the open air, if planted in a warm situation, and sheltered in inclement seasons.
[269]
Ornithogalum Nutans. Neapolitan Star of Bethlehem
Class and Order
Hexandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Cor. 6 petala, erecta, persistens, supra medium patens, Filamenta alterna basi dilatata.
Specific Character and Synonyms
ORNITHOGALUM nutans floribus secundis pendulis, nectario stamineo campaniformi. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 328. Ait. Kew. v. i. p. 443.
ORNITHOGALUM exoticum magno flore minori innato. Bauh. Pin. p. 70.
ORNITHOGALUM Neopolitanum, the Starre-flower of Naples. Park. Parad. p. 138. p. 137. f. 8. Clus. app. alt. p. 9. fig. 7.
No269.
Authors have given to this species of Ornithogalum the name of Neapolitan, following Clusius by whom the plant is figured and described, and who so called it, merely on receiving it from Naples; it may perhaps be doubted whether it be originally a native of Italy. Prof. Jacquin has figured it in his Flora Austriaca, the plant being common about Vienna, in garden-walks, under hedges, and in meadows, he does not however, from that circumstance, regard it as an original native there. Casp. Bauhin informs us that Honorius Belli sent it him from Crete under the name of Phalangium, leaving its true habitat to be settled more precisely hereafter, we shall observe, that it is one of those plants which soon accommodate themselves to any country; producing a numerous progeny both from roots and seeds, and by no means nice as to soil or situation; it is not long before it becomes a weed in the garden, from whence it is apt like the Hyacinthus racemosus, already figured, to pass into the field or meadow.
Its flowers, which if not beautiful are singular and delicate, make their appearance towards the end of April, they are of no long duration, seldom continuing above a fortnight, and are succeeded by seed-vessels which produce abundance of ripe seed, by which, as well as by its bulbs, the plant may be increased.
In the Hortus Kewensis it is set down as a Greenhouse plant, one of the rare errors which occur in that most useful work.
[270]
Glycine Coccinea. Scarlet Glycine
Class and Order
Diadelphia Decandria
Generic Character
Cal. 2-labiatus. Corollæ carina apice vexillum reflectens.
Specific Character
GLYCINE coccinea foliis ternatis, foliolis subrotundis undulatis.
No270.
We here present our readers with another Glycine, very lately raised by several persons in the neighbourhood of London from Botany-Bay seeds, and which we have called coccinea from the colour of its blossoms.
It is a shrubby, climbing plant, which, if supported, will grow to the height of many feet, producing a great number of flowers on its pendant branches; the leaves, which grow three together, are nearly round, and, in the older ones especially, are crimped or curled at the edges; the flowers grow for the most part in pairs, are of a glowing scarlet colour, at the base of the carina somewhat inclined to purple, the bottom of the vexillum is decorated with a large yellow spot, verging to green, which adds much to the beauty of the flower.
It blossoms from April to June, and appears to be fully as much disposed to produce seed vessels, and perfect seeds, as the rubicunda, and by which alone it has hitherto been propagated.
We must rank it among the more tender green-house plants.
[271]
Cyrtanthus Angustifolius. Narrow-leaved Cyrtanthus
Class and Order
Hexandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Cor. tubulosa, clavata, curva, 6-fida, laciniæ ovato-oblongæ. Filamenta tubo inserta, apice conniventia. Linn. Fil.
Specific Character and Synonyms
CYRTANTHUS angustifolius foliis obtuse carinatis rectis, floribus cernuis, Linn. Fil. Ait. Kew. v. i. p. 414.
CRINUM angustifolium foliis linearibus obtusis, corollis cylindricis: laciniis alternis interglandulosis. Linn. Suppl. 195.
No271.
Cyrtanthus is a genus which takes its name from the curvature of its flower, was established by the younger Linnæus, and adopted by Mr. Aiton in the Hortus Kewensis.
The present species is a native of the Cape, and was added to the royal collection at Kew, by Mr. Masson, in the year 1774. The plant from whence our drawing was made flowered the preceding May with Mr. Whitley, Nurseryman, Old Brompton, who received it from Holland, and who has been so fortunate as to obtain young plants of it from seed.
It flowers in May and June; requires the same treatment as other Cape bulbs, and may be increased by offsets and seeds.
At the extremity of each alternate segment of the corolla there is a kind of small glandular hook, deserving of notice.
[272]
Gladiolus Tristis. Square-leaved Corn-flag
Class and Order
Triandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Cor. 6-partita, ringens. Stamina adscendentia.
Specific Character and Synonyms
GLADIOLUS tristis foliis lineari-cruciatis, corollis campanulatis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 86. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 63.
LILIO-GLADIOLUS bifolius et biflorus, foliis quadrangulis. Trew. Ehret. t. 39.
GLADIOLUS tristis foliis linearibus sulcatis, caule bifloro, tubo longissimo, segmentis æqualibus. Mill. Dict. ed. 6. 4to.
No272.
Linnæus gave to this species of Gladiolus the name of tristis, from the colour of its flowers, which however possess scarcely sufficient of the sombre to justify the appellation; still less so if they vary in the manner represented in Trew's Ehret, where they are painted in gay and lively colours: in the specimens we have seen, the blossoms have been of a sulphur colour, shaded in particular parts with very fine pencillings, especially on the under side: most authors describe the flowering stems as producing only two flowers, Linnæus has observed that they sometimes produce many, we have seen them do so where the plant has grown in perfection; in their expansion, which usually takes place in April and May, they give forth a most agreeable fragrance.
It is a native of the Cape, and other parts of Africa; was cultivated by Mr. Miller, and flowered in the Chelsea Garden in the year 1745. Ait. Kew.
The leaves which so characteristically distinguish this species are highly deserving of notice, instances of such rarely occur; as the bulbs produce numerous offsets, the plant is propagated by them without difficulty, and requires the same treatment as other Cape bulbs.
[273]
Diosma Uniflora. One-flowered Diosma
Class and Order
Pentandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Cor. 5-petala. Nectaria 5, supra germen. Caps. 3. s. 5. coalitæ. Sem. calyptrata.
Specific Character and Synonyms
DIOSMA uniflora foliis ovato oblongis, floribus solitariis terminalibus. Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. 3. p. 287. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 239. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 276.
CISTUS humilis æthiopicus, inferioribus foliis rosmarini sylvestris punctatis, cæteris autem serpylli subrotundis, flore carneo. Pluk. mant. 49. t. 342. f. 5.
No273.
The Diosma uniflora another native of the Cape, that never failing source of vegetable riches, was introduced to the Royal Garden at Kew by Mr. Masson in the year 1775, it flowers in our Green-Houses from April to June, and is usually propagated by cuttings.
This plant forms a small bushy shrub, the leaves are thickly and irregularly set on the branches, quite up to the flowers, which stand singly on their summits, and are larger than those of any other known species of Diosma, expanding as we have found on trial beyond the size of half-a-crown, which the blossom does in our figure, though it will not appear to do so to the eye of most observers; they are without scent, the calyx is large and continuing, composed of five ovato-lanceolate leaves, reddish on the upper side, and if viewed from above visible between the petals; the petals are five in number, much larger than the calyx, and deciduous, of a white colour with a streak of red running down the middle of each, surface highly glazed, the stamina are composed of five short filaments, white and slightly hairy, broad at their base and tapering gradually to a fine point, by which they are inserted into the hind part of the antheræ, near the bottom; the antheræ are as long as the filaments, of a brown purple colour, bending over the stigma, and opening inwardly, each carrying on the upper part of its back a gland-like substance, of a pale brown colour: besides these parts there are five filamentous bodies alternating with, and of the same length as the stamina, of a white colour, and hairy, each dilating at its extremity where it is of a reddish hue, and presenting towards the antheræ an oval somewhat concave surface, which secretes a viscous liquid; in some flowers that we have examined, and we regret seeing but few, we have observed these nectaries (for such they may be strictly called) closely adhering by their viscous summits to the glandular substances at the back of the antheræ2; the germen is studded with a constellation of little glands, which pour forth, and almost deluge it with nectar; the stigma is composed of five little round knobs: seed vessels we have not seen.