active 1799-1828 Henry Cranke Andrews

“ As a native of that burning clime, it will not endure our winters, without the protection of the hothouse; to which, as a climber, it is a considerable ornament, both in foliage, and flower; the flowers coming, in succession, from June, till August; perhaps, much later, as we believe, this is the first time its blossoms have been produced in England. The propagation is extremely easy, by cuttings; but, to give the plant sufficient vigour for flowering, it must be planted in a border, prepared of old rotten dung, sandy peat, and loam, of each, equal parts ”

“ The plant from which our figure was taken, had been sent to the Clapham collection amongst other bulbs which were received from Mr. Niven in the year 1800; it flowered the succeeding year, when our drawing was made. We believe, at present, it is in no other collection than that of Mr. Hibbert; nor do we think, without a fresh supply, it will be long seen in this country, as it has been often introduced, and as often lost; nor does it increase with us by the root, and the seeds have not, as yet, matured in this country; it appears to grow luxuriantly in sandy peat earth, and flowers in July. ”

“ CXCI., and our present plant to the Genus Platylobium, is the occasion of the above prelude; as it may be thought by some who have not seen the seed vessel and seeds, the principal parts upon which the Genus is founded, that nature is a little outraged in so doing; but, without we had so joined them, we must have given them a new title. This plant was introduced at the same time as the P. scolopendrum, and the three other species now in Britain; not one of them, but has baffled all our most experienced cultivators to increase it, by any other mode than from the seed ”

“ We have followed the latter name that ours may go in unison with the author of the last Species plantarum now publishing by Willdenow, as well as professor Martyn, who in his edition of Miller’s Dictionary has followed Swartz; they appearing to be the most accurate, as well as the most read and followed of any modern Botanical authorities. It is a tender hot-house plant, strikes easily from cuttings, thrives in rich mould and flowers about the end of February. ”

“ It is a very delicate shrub; grows to the height of eighteen inches; branching but little, and producing mostly two flowers at the termination of each branch. It may be increased by cuttings, or from the seed, which ripens in this country; but, like most of the species of this genus, it is not a long lived plant. It approves most of a light sandy peat, with a small mixture of loam; and to be kept in rather a small pot, in proportion to the general size used for plants of the same bigness. Flowers in July. ”

“ Although the flowers are double; yet good seeds are produced, which is common to most plants of this natural order, such as Alcea Malva, &c. the fullness of the blossoms being, as usual, formed from some of the chives becoming petals, many nevertheless remaining perfect; which in these plants stand particularly distinct from the pointal, being seated on the upper part of the tube, formed by the connection of the lower part of the threads, leaving the pointal as perfect as in a single flower. It is also propagated by cutting, and thrives in rich earth. ”

“ The Pitcairnias are all natives of West India Islands, and stand, as the link, between the Bromelia or Pine-apple plant, and the Tillandsia; to either of which Genera the first sight of the leaves, only, would consign them. Five species are now in Britain, and we do not doubt, but the species are as numerous, as those of Tillandsia. The cultivation of all the species is perfectly easy, as they require no particular soil, or management, if kept in the hot-house; where they grow luxuriantly and throw out, from the roots, abundance of suckers ”

“ We now exhibit a plant which may, perhaps, be known by many, under the name of Portulaca, rather than that of Talinum. But, as the adoption of this new formed genus, upon a division of the species which have capsules of a different construction, from the old generic character of Portulaca, seems generally to obtain, amongst modern botanists; such as Jussieu, Cavanilles, Willdenow, &c. we shall not dissent ”

“ This plant, as may be seen from our dissections, is much nigher affined to Sisyrinchium, as it wants every essential character of Ferraria, such as a sheath of one leaf, undulated crisped petals, hooded and fringed summits, &c. for we do not consider the length of the tube of the blossom of any moment, as it is not constant. ”

“ Dic. Art. Ferraria 2. This Genus, which was originally formed on the Ferraria undulata of the Cape, and placed to the class Gynandria by Linnæus, has been so continued by Martyn, &c. but upon what grounds, we are unable to determine; unless the mistake arose from the impracticability of dividing the tube of the chives, from the shaft, in a dried specimen; which, in such transitory flowers as those of Ferraria, Sisyrinchium, Galaxia, &c. all of this class, seem, in that state, to form a perfect unison. Schreber has referred these Genera, in his Ed. of Linn. Gen. Plant. ”