William Curtis

“ The Passion-Flower first introduced into this country was the incarnata of Linnæus, a native of Virginia, and figured by Parkinson in his Paradisus Terrestris, who there styles it the surpassing delight of all flowers: the present species, which, from its great beauty and superior hardiness, is now by far the most common, is of more modern introduction; and, though a native of the Brasils, seldom suffers from the severity of our climate ”

“ Of this genus there are only two species, both natives of South-America, the elata, so called from its being a much taller plant than the demissa, is a very beautiful, and not uncommon stove or green-house plant; it is impossible, by any colours we have, to do justice to the brilliancy of its flowers. ”

“ Like most other alpine plants, it loves a pure air, a situation moderately moist, and a soil unmanured: as the beauty of its flowers is apt to be destroyed by severe frosts, it should be covered during the winter with a hand-glass, or if it be treated in the manner recommended for the round-leav'd Cyclamen, it may be had to flower in still greater perfection.
It is propagated by parting its roots in autumn: neither this species nor the hyemalis thrive very near London. ”

“ This most elegant plant may be propagated by seeds, layers, or cuttings; foreign seeds are most to be depended on; they are to be sown in the spring, on a moderate hot-bed, and when the plants are grown to the height of two or three inches, they are to be carefully taken up, and each planted in a separate small pot, filled with good loam, then plunged into a moderate hot-bed, to forward their taking new root; after which they should be gradually inured to the common air: the younger the plants the more shelter they require, and if ever so old or strong, they are in danger from severe frosts. ”

“ Being an annual it requires to be raised yearly from seed; when once introduced on a warm dry border it will continue to sow itself, and grow very luxuriantly, flowering from June to the commencement of winter; but as it is desirable to have it as early as possible in the spring, the best way is either to sow the seed in pots in autumn, securing them through the winter in frames, or in a greenhouse, or to raise the seeds early on a gentle hot bed, thinning the plants if they require it, so as to have only two or three in a pot. ”

“ The Red Martagon of Constantinople. Park. Parad. p. 34.
This species is best known in the nurseries by the name of the Scarlet Martagon; but as it is not the Martagon of Linnæus, to avoid confusion it will be most proper to adhere to the name which Linnæus has given it.
It is a native not only of Persia, but of Hungary; Professor Jacquin, who has figured it in his most excellent Flora Austriaca, describes it as growing betwixt Carniola and Carinthia, and other parts of Hungary, but always on the tops of the largest mountains. ”

“ According to Miller, this plant delights in a loamy soil, and in an eastern position where it may have only the morning sun: the single sorts are easily raised from seed; the double, increased by parting the roots, which ought to be done in March when they are in bloom; they should not be divided into very small heads: these plants, if often removed and parted, are apt to die, but left undisturbed for many years, they will thrive exceedingly, and become very large roots. ”

“ A native of Persia. Flowers in February and March. Its beauty, early appearance, and fragrant blossoms, make it highly esteemed by all lovers of flowers; like the Hyacinth or Narcissus it will blow within doors in a water-glass, but stronger in a small pot of sand, or sandy loam; a few flowers will scent a whole apartment: it will also blossom in the open air, but requires warmth and shelter; it is propagated by offsets and seeds; the best flowering roots are imported from Holland, they bear forcing well ”

“ It is superior to all its congeners in the brilliancy of its colour, nor are its blossoms so fugacious as many of the other species.
No plant is more easily propagated by cuttings; these Miller recommends to be laid by in a dry place for a fortnight, or three weeks, then to be planted in pots, filled with a mixture of loam and lime rubbish, having some stones laid in the bottom of the pot to drain off the moisture, and afterwards plunged into a gentle hot-bed of Tanners bark, to facilitate their rooting, giving them once a week a gentle watering: this business to be done the beginning of July. ”

“ Grows spontaneously in the south of France, about Montpelier; also, in Spain, Italy, Sicily, and elsewhere in the south of Europe: is one of the most common annuals cultivated in our gardens. It begins flowering in July, and continues to blossom till the frost sets in.
No other care is necessary in the cultivation of this species than sowing the seeds in the spring, in little patches, on the borders where they are to remain, thinning them if they prove too numerous. ”

“ Of this genus Mr. Miller makes two species; Linnæus, perhaps with more propriety, only one, for breadth of leaves or colour of flowers can scarcely be considered as sufficient to constitute a specific difference.
It is found in the gardens with purple flowers of two different tints, also with white and yellow blossoms, grows naturally in Hungary and some parts of Italy, and blows in the open border at the beginning of April.
"They are propagated by offsets from their roots. They love a shady situation and a gentle loamy soil, but should not be too often removed. ”

“ The whole plant with us is in general hairy, hence it does not well accord with Linnæus's description. It is propagated by seeds, which should be sown on the flower-borders in the spring, where the plants are to remain: they require no other care than to be thinned and weeded. ”

“ Grows wild in many parts of Italy and Germany, and is sometimes found with white flowers; if the season be mild, or the plants sheltered from the inclemency of the weather, this species will flower as early as February, or much earlier by artificial heat. ”

“ Linnæus describes many of the Geraniums, as having only five antheræ, though several of those he thus describes have to our certain knowledge ten, the five lowermost of which shedding their pollen first, often drop off, and leave the filaments apparently barren: but in this species (with us at least) there never are more than five, but betwixt each stamen, there is a broad pointed barren filament or squamula, scarcely to be distinguished by the naked eye. ”

“ Gardeners, in former days, not having that profusion of plants to attend to and cultivate, which we can at present boast, appear to have been more solicitous in increasing generally the varieties of the several species ”

“ They all flower in June and July, and their stalks decay in September, when the roots may be transplanted and their offsets taken off, which should be done once in two or three years, otherwise their branches will be too large, and the flower-stalks weak. This doth not put out new roots till towards spring, so that the roots may be transplanted any time after the stalks decay till November. It will thrive in any soil or situation, but will be strongest in a soft gentle loam, not too moist." Mill. Dict.
Bears the smoke of London better than many plants. ”

“ Miller very justly observes, it will always be prudent to shelter two or three plants under a common hot-bed frame in winter, to preserve the kind, because in very severe winters, those in the open air are sometimes killed. It flowers in July. As it rarely ripens its seeds with us, the only mode of propagating it, is by parting the roots ”

“ STAPELIA variegata denticulis ramorum patentibus. Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 260. Sp. Pl. p. 316.
ASCLEPIAS aizoides africana. Bradl. suc. 3. p. 3. t. 22.
This very singular plant is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, where it grows and flourishes on the rocks with the Stapelia hirsuta.
If these plants be kept in a very moderate stove in winter, and in summer placed in an airy glass-case where they may enjoy much free air, but screened from wet and cold, they will thrive and flower very well ”

“ Iris pumila. Dwarf Iris.
Class and Order.
Triandria Monogynia.
Generic Character.
Corolla sex-partita: Petalis alternis, reflexis. Stigmata petaliformia.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
IRIS pumila corollis barbatis, caule foliis breviore unifloro. Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 78. Sp. Plant. p. 56. Jacq. Fl. Austr. t. 1. ”