William Curtis

“ Plumeria is a genus of plants named by Tournefort in honour of his countryman the celebrated Plumier, it comes near to Nerium or Oleander, and contains several species, all natives of warm climates.
The present plant is a native of Jamaica, where it is known by the name of Red Jasmine, from whence seeds and large cuttings are often sent to this country; here they require the stove to bring them to flower: seed-vessels they are never known to produce. ”

“ 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 plant succeeds best in a moist and somewhat shady situation, with a loamy soil.
A perusal of the synonyms will shew to what a variety of genera this plant has been referred by different authors; Linnæus first gave to it the name of Mimulus, of which term we find in his Philosophia Botanica the following concise explanation:—"Mimulus mimus personatus;" in plain English, a masked mimick: Mimmulus is a classical word for the Pedicularis, or Lousewort; the English term Monkey flower has probably been given it, from an idea that mimulus originated from μιμω a monkey, as in mimusops monkey face. ”

“ This is one of the few hardy species of the genus, and grows wild in many parts of Spain and Italy; it is said to have been found in Guernsey: it affects hilly and dry situations, will grow readily in almost any soil, especially if fresh, and not infested with vermin: it flowers about the middle of April, the blossoms do not expand fully unless exposed to the sun, and are not of long duration: authors describe the wild plants as varying greatly in colour, vid. Clus. they are most commonly pale blue.
Like the Crocus, it increases readily by offsets. ”

“ Tolfrey, that those earths might possibly contain the seeds of some curious and unknown plants; he readily acquiesced in the idea, and permitted me to make trial of them: accordingly, in the Spring of 1793, I exposed them in shallow pans, on a gentle tan heat, keeping them duly watered; in the course of the Summer they yielded me fourteen plants, most of which were altogether new, and among others the species of Goodenia here figured; this we have since found to be a hardy greenhouse plant, flowering from July to October, and very readily increased by cuttings. ”

“ It flowers in June and July.
The single sort may be increased by parting its roots in autumn, but more abundantly by seeds, which should be sown in the spring; the double sort may also be increased by dividing its roots, but more plentifully by cuttings of the stalk, put in in June, before the flowers make their appearance; in striking of these, however, there requires some nicety.
This plant is found to succeed best in a rich, loamy, soil; and certain districts have been found to be more favourable to its growth than others. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Miller regards this plant as a distinct species, and those who have attentively examined the figures and descriptions of Clusius and the Hort. Eyst. will be of the same opinion.
The Lily increases most abundantly by offsets, hence it becomes necessary that the bulbs should be taken up, and reduced every second or third year; but the striped leaved variety increasing much more slowly, should remain unmolested for a greater length of time.
There is scarcely a soil or situation in which the Lily will not grow, it will thrive most in a soil moderately stiff and moist ”

“ Ord's garden, at Walham-Green, there is, among other choice old trees, a very fine tulip-tree, which is every year covered with blossoms, and which afforded us the specimen here figured. It flowers in June and July, rarely ripens its seeds with us, though it does readily in America.
The foliage of this plant is extremely singular, most of the leaves appearing as if truncated, or cut off at the extremity; they vary greatly in the division of their lobes, the flowers differ from those of the tulip in having a calyx, but agree as to the number of petals, which is six ”

“ Miller recommends March as the most proper season, or it may be raised from seeds, which in certain situations and seasons ripen here.
The flowers of this Apocynum have a sweet honey-like fragrance, which perfumes the air to a considerable distance, and no doubt operates powerfully in attracting insects; when a plant of this sort is fully blown, one may always find flies caught in its blossoms, usually by the trunk, very rarely by the leg ”

“ Styles green; Stigmata of a dark green; Filaments six in number; Antheræ pale yellow green, the former dotted with purple; of Radii, there may be said to be four rows, variegated with white and purple, petals ten, externally greenish, internally red, deeper or paler according to circumstances.
The leaves of this plant vary greatly in form, according to the health and luxuriance of the plant; on comparing it with the fœtida, we strongly suspect it to be a variety merely of that species: time will shew.
It is increased by cuttings, or seeds. ”

“ The largest plants we have seen have not exceeded three feet, it may no doubt be trained to a much greater height; a variety of it much more robust, having usually several flowers on a footstalk, of a pale red colour, and semi-double also, has more lately been introduced, and as far as we can learn from the same source. ”

“ 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. ”

“ It affects a dry soil, and open situation; in such there is no necessity to give any particular directions for its cultivation, as it comes up readily from seed spontaneously scattered, so much so as sometimes to prove a troublesome weed. ”

“ Strawberry Blite is a hardy annual, growing spontaneously in some parts of France, Spain, and Tartary; is not a very old inhabitant of our gardens, Mr. Aiton mentioning it as being first cultivated by Mr. Miller in 1759. Its berries are produced from June to September; in their taste they have nothing to recommend them, though not pleasant they are harmless. ”

“ 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 ”

“ Antheræ oval, flattened, yellow, bilocular, a little bent, the length of the pistillum; but this is to be understood of such flowers as are not yet fully expanded, in those that are, they are much shorter, and appear withered; the Style, in flowers about to open, the length of the filaments, upright, in those that are opened much longer, and bent somewhat downward; Stigma at first upright, in the form of a cup, having the edge curiously fringed with white hairs, afterwards it closes together, loses its hollow, and assumes a flat appearance, and nods somewhat, the back part of it is bearded ”

“ Previous to our explaining the manner in which it appears to us that these insects are caught, it will be necessary that we should describe, in as plain a manner as possible, those parts of the flower which more particularly constitute this fatal fly trap. ”

“ This plant may be raised from seeds, or increased by offsets, which, however, are not very plentifully produced, nor is the plant to be made grow in perfection without great care, the roots in particular are to be guarded against frost ”

“ It will grow in any soil or situation, but blossoms and seeds most freely in a soil moderately dry.
Parkinson in his Theater of Plants, mentions its being cultivated, as an ornamental plant. Ait. Kew. ”

“ Specific Character and Synonyms.
TURNERA angustifolia floribus sessilibus petiolaribus, foliis lanceolatis rugosis acuminatis. Mill. Dict. ed. 6. 4to.
TURNERA frutescens folio longiore et mucronato. Mart. Cent. 49. t. 49. ”