active 1799-1828 Henry Cranke Andrews

“ Africa has long been celebrated as the land of wonders and novelties, and its vegetable as well as animal productions well entitle it to that character. The beauty and astonishing variety of ever-varying Geraniums, delicate Ixias, elegant Ericas, superb Amaryllises, and magnificent Proteas, received from the Cape of Good Hope alone within these few years, and many of them totally unknown before, have given to our gardens that splendour and perpetual novelty which justly make them the admiration of the world. ”

“ Commersonia dasyphylla is a low branching shrub, a native of New Holland or Van Diemen’s Land, and is remarkable for a powerful odour of cucumbers which it emits when in blossom, and even retains for some time after it is dried. Being a plant which blossoms freely in early spring, and of very easy culture, it well deserves a place in the green-house or conservatory. ”

“ We have seen a very good coloured drawing of the plant taken in India in the collection of J. Fleming, esq. which represents the fruit (which has not yet ripened in England) as a bluntly oval, fleshy berry, with the seeds in pairs as in the germ. Both this drawing and the plant received from India by Lady Amelia Hume were marked Teta viridiflora; Teta being perhaps (if we may hazard a conjecture) the name applied to the plant by the native Indians. ”

“ Mimosa elegans is one of the handsomest of the family that yet been introduced from New Holland, and very rare, being at this time in no other private collection in this country, but that of A. B. Lambert, esq. from whom we received our specimens; and in whose conservatory it is now in full flower, his plant being about ten feet high and very much branched, with profusion of flowers. It is hardly possible to express the extreme delicacy of the blossoms. ”

“ The woolliness and bulbs on the stem in our specimen, and the want of constriction at the base of the leaves, (if any such ever exists in nature,) differ considerably from the figure above quoted; but the strong general resemblance, and a consideration of the many variations to which other species of this genus are subject, induce us to regard it as a variety from the same common stock. The stem rises to between three and four feet in height, and sometimes even higher; and produces from three to nine or more flowers, according to its strength and situation. ”

“ The seeds but rarely ripen in this country, and are generally imported from Spain or Portugal. The plant, however, may be propagated by cuttings. Besides the five species of Tropæolum enumerated in the edition of the Species Plantarum by Willdenow, and the new species in our last volume (T. pennatum) , three more species are described and figured in the Flora Peruviana of Ruiz and Pavon; some of which, and others of the many beautiful flowers of that country, the great intercourse now carried on with South America gives us to hope that we may soon see. ”

“ The blossoms grow in a kind of raceme formed of little bunches or tufts of two to four flowers each: the footstalks are of unequal lengths with a joint near the top, and are attended by incurved bracts at the base, the lowermost bract at each tuft being always the largest. The germ is nearly top-shaped, but a little hexangular upwards. Three of the divisions of the blossom are just perceptibly broader than the other three, and both the corolla and nectary are closely pierced with transparent dots hardly visible to the naked eye, but very distinct when magnified. ”

“ What still more enhances the pleasure is, that the mine is yet unexhausted, as our present charming subject, not before enumerated in any of our catalogues of cultivated plants will testify. Mr. Milne, gardener at Fonthill, well known for his zeal and skill in the cultivation of rare plants, obligingly communicated the specimens. Having forwarded the first a little too early, being struck with the singular beauty, and not knowing the habits of the plant, a fortnight after he forwarded a third specimen fully expanded, from which the figure is taken. ”

“ Throughout this extensive tribe of plants, this is the most splendid species of Mesembryanthemum we are at present acquainted with; and although an old plant in the gardens, it is quite a rarity to meet with it in flower. Our specimen is from the collection of Mr. Trimmer, of Kew Bridge, whose method of forcing it into bloom may be worth the attention of cultivators. It is by training it up against the glass, and watering it very sparingly ”

“ The Tropæolum peregrinum grows naturally in Peru, and was gathered wild by the French naturalist Feuillée near the town of Lima. The native name, according to that author, is Malla; the Spaniards call it Paxarito, which signifies a little bird; from the resemblance the expanded blossoms have to little humming-birds flying. Attaching itself by the long footstalks of the leaves to the branches, the plant often ascends to the very summits of trees in its native soil ”

“ From these authorities, therefore, in consonance with our own observations, we have enlarged the character of the genus to include the species. Panax fruticosum, as we learn from Rumphius’s Herbarium Amboinense, vol. iv. p. 78 and 79, rises to between five and six feet in height, with a stem as thick as a man’s arm, and grows naturally in the Island of Ternate, where it is also much cultivated by the natives for food, medicine, and œconomy; being planted to separate the areas of their gardens and mark the boundaries of their fields. ”

“ This very curious plant, so distinct from every genus hitherto described, was introduced from the East Indies, at the same time with the Gærtnera figured in our last number, by the late Lady Amelia Hume. The roots are fibrous and perennial, as are also the leaves, which rise from the root upon footstalks embracing one another at the base, and are of a long lance-shape with strong longitudinal nerves, which are transversely interwoven with little branching veins. ”

“ This very natural genus was established by Jacquin from the Bois Cabril of the Creoles in Martinico, a shrub, the young shoots of which are greedily sought for and eaten by their cattle, particularly goats, whence the name (in English) Goatwood; and which Jacquin, following the botanical canon, elegantly turned into Ægiphila. With this species the celebrated Swartz has conjoined the Knoxia of Browne’s Jamaica and Manabea lævis of Aublet’s Guiana, and added two more species, Æ. fœtida and Æ. trifida, discovered by himself ”

“ Many of our fair countrywomen, we fear, spend their evenings less usefully. Professor Pontedera, in his Anthologia, published at Padua in 1720, has given three good plates of the Chamærops and its fructification, taken from a plant, the stem of which was twelve feet high, growing in the public garden there. ”

“ To those who are desirous of cultivating the Azarole, and adding another variety to their deserts, we would recommend planting it in well sheltered situations; or perhaps training against a wall, as practised for peaches and other delicate fruits, would be still better. Considerable trees of the Azarole formerly existed in His Majesty’s Gardens at Kew, and in those of the Duke or Northumberland at Sion House ”

“ A fine species of that description our figure represents, drawn from a plant seven feet high in the nursery-ground of Messrs. Whitley and Brames, who inform me that it was sent to them from Maryland in North America, by Mr. Bartram, about the year 1793. It does not seed with us, as very few of the genus do; and when any of them appear to have ripened their seed perfectly, we understand they have very rarely if ever vegetated. This species is perfectly hardy, but is with difficulty raised by layers ”

“ Although the Clerodendrum tomentosum has been in England above ten years, no figure of it has before been given in this country. All the plants which we have seen of it form erect shrubs from four to six feet in height. The time of blossoming is March and April. We have been favoured with specimens in blossom from the botanic garden of the Company of Apothecaries at Chelsea, and with the ripe fruit from Sir Abraham Hume’s collection at Wormley-bury, but are uncertain who first introduced it.
[Pg 112]
PLATE DCVIII.
CITRUS NOBILIS.
Mandarin Orange. ”

“ The stamens are united (monadelphous) towards the base, and are above two hundred in a single flower. What an apparatus for the impregnation of a single stigma!
[Pg 23]
From what we have already seen of the beautiful and interesting plants of this country, cultivators will do well to give them as much both of pot and branch room as their houses will afford; as well for the health of the plant as to advantage the size of its fine foliage, of which the circumscribed scale of our work would only allow us to represent one half.
[Pg 24]
PLATE DLXIV.
IXIA CURTA.
Short Ixia. ”

“ It is in this province also, that the principal cultivation of this useful plant in Spain is situated. The propagation is from seeds, and the diœcious plants are always selected in preference to the hermaphrodites, being better bearers. Some of the more skilful cultivators engraft a male bough upon their female plants for their impregnation, and by this means have no sterile plants in their collections. ”

“ The name Samia is derived from the island of Samos; but Monsieur Desfontaines informs us (in his Flora Atlantica) that the original Samian plant of Tournefort and the Phlomis Samia of Linnæus (which he found wild about Mount Atlas) are different species. Both may possibly be natives of Samos: the posthumous Flora Græca of Dr. Sibthorpe, now publishing by his friend Dr. Smith, will, we trust, decide it. There is no prior figure of the plant.
[Pg 66]
PLATE DLXXXV.
SOPHORA JAPONICA.
Japanese Sophora. ”

“ A few small scattered hairs are just visible on their upper surface. The panicles of flowers rise from the axils of the leaves, which they often excel in length, and branch in the same opposite manner as the stem, with linear bracts at the divisions. The cups are very short, finely haired and dotted as the leaves. The petals are broad-lanced, pointed, and slightly tinged with purple on the outside. The genus was established by Dr. ”

“ This species, conspicuous by its tall woody stems, large purple blossoms, and delicate foliage, was brought to the Royal Gardens at Kew from India by Mrs. Norman, about the year 1769. It is a plant of quick growth, and blossoms freely, but has never produced any pods in this country. ”

“ Donn’s plant was between 4 and 5 feet high, moderately branched, and had the same treatment as his other green-house shrubs. We are uncertain whether the hermaphrodite or female plant be yet in this country; but as the propagation is principally from seed, we think it is very probable. The stamens in our specimen vary in number, being commonly 5, sometimes 6, and more rarely 8. The fruit is added from a dried legume in the Lambertian collection, which was sent from Spain by the late Abbé Cavanilles, who in his Icones Plantarum, vol. ”

“ Proper trees being selected, that is, those that are neither too young nor too old, the branches of three years growth are cut off with a pruning-knife, and their green outer bark scraped off with a crooked knife. ”

“ Hope at Edinburgh, by Dr. Guthrie, to whom they had been presented by Professor Pallas, in whose herbarium we have seen specimens of it, but without fructification. One of these plants flowered and ripened seeds in the Botanic Garden at Edinburgh, and is described by Dr. Hope in the lxxvth vol. of the Philosophical Transactions, and a figure annexed, the only one hitherto published of the species; the Assa fœtida of Kæmpfer being undoubtedly a different plant. ”

“ A blossom spread open.
3. Seed-buds and pointals.
4. The same magnified.
[Pg 17]
This new species of Verea flowered (we believe, for the first time in this country) in the collection of the Hon. C. Greville at Paddington, whence our drawing was taken. The foliage is compact, and rather handsome. The flowers are by no means specious; but, as it blossoms in the depth of winter, its rivals are but few. This considered, with the addition of its novelty, renders it a valuable acquisition to the hot-stove.
[Pg 18]
PLATE DLXI.
XERANTHEMUM FRAGRANS.
Fragrant Xeranthemum. ”

“ Malpighia with lance-ovate, entire smooth shining leaves, with two glands on their underside near the base; bunches both from the sides and tops of the branches; flowerstalks with one gland; style one; stigma headed.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The empalement.
3. The chives spread open.
3. Seed-bud and pointals.
This splendid Malpighia is one of that fine collection of West Indian and American plants (we have before mentioned) made by Lord Seaforth when Governor of Barbadoes, and brought home with him on his return to England. ”

“ Downy Clerodendrum. CLASS XII. ORDER II.
DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Two Chives longer. Seeds covered.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Calyx campanulatus, quinquefidus. Corolla tubo elongato, limbo quinquepartito, æquali. Stamina exserta. Germen quadriloculare, loculis monospermis. Drupa tetrapyrena.
Cup bell-shaped, five-cleft. Tube of the blossom elongated, with the limb equally five-parted. Stamens longer than the tube. Seed-bud four-celled, the cells one-seeded. Fruit a dry berry including four nuts.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Clerodendrum tomentosum, foliis ellipticis acutis integris calycibusque tomentosis ”

“ Calyx quinquefidus, Corolla monopetala, irregularis. Antheræ cohærentes. Capsula infera, 2-seu 3-locularis.
Empalement five-cleft. Blossom of one petal, irregular. Anthers cohering. Seed-vessel below, with 2 or 3 partitions.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Lobelia foliis lanceolatis serratis, infernè denticulatis decurrentibus, racemis compositis terminalibus.
Lobelia with leaves lance-shaped, serrate, toothed towards the base, and running down the stem; the racemes compound and terminal.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. ”