The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 3 Or, Flower-Garden Displayed

Excerpt

[73]

Monsonia speciosa. Large-flower'd Monsonia.

Class and Order.

Polyadelphia Dodecandria.

Generic Character.

Cal. 5-phyllus. Cor. 5-petala. Stam. 15. connata in 5 filamenta. Stylus 5-fidus. Caps. 5-cocca.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

MONSONIA speciosa foliis quinatis: foliolis bipinnatis, Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 697.

MONSONIA grandiflora. Burm. prodr. 23.

The genus of which this charming plant is the most distinguished species, has been named in honour of Lady Anne Monson. The whole family are natives of the Cape, and in their habit and fructification bear great affinity to the Geranium. The present species was introduced into this country in 1774, by Mr. Masson.

We received this elegant plant just as it was coming into flower, from Mr. Colvill, Nurseryman, King's-Road, Chelsea, who was so obliging as to inform me that he had succeeded best in propagating it by planting cuttings of the root in pots of mould, and plunging them in a tan-pit, watering them as occasion may require; in due time buds appear on the tops of the cuttings left out of the ground.

It rarely or never ripens its seed with us.

Should be treated as a hardy greenhouse plant; may be sheltered even under a frame, in the winter.

Antirrhinum triste. Melancholy or black-flower'd Toad-Flax.

Class and Order.

Didynamia Angiopspermia.

Generic Character.

Cal. 5-phyllus. Cor. basis deorsum prominens, nectarifera. Caps. 2. locularis.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

ANTIRRHINUM triste foliis linearibus sparsis inferioribus oppositis nectariis subulatis, floribus sub-sessilibus. Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 555.

LINARIA tristis hispanica. Dill. Elth. 201. t. 164. f. 199.

Receives its name of triste from the sombre appearance of its flowers; but this must be understood when placed at some little distance, for, on a near view, the principal colour of the blossoms is a fine rich brown, inclined to purple.

Is a native of Spain, and of course a greenhouse plant with us, but it must not be too tenderly treated, as it loses much of its beauty when drawn up, it should therefore be kept out of doors when the season will admit, as it only requires shelter from severe frost, and that a common hot-bed frame will in general sufficiently afford it.

It flowers during most of the summer months; as it rarely or never ripens its seeds with us, the usual mode of propagating it, is by cuttings, which strike readily enough in the common way.

Miller relates that it was first introduced into this country by Sir Charles Wager, from Gibraltar seeds.

[75]

Potentilla grandiflora. Large-flower'd Potentilla.

Class and Order.

Icosandria Polygynia.

Generic Character.

Cal. 10-fidus. Petala 5. Sem. subrotunda, nuda, receptaculo parvo exsucco affixa.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

POTENTILLA grandiflora foliis ternatis dentatis utrinque subpilosis, caule decumbente foliis longiore, Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 715.

FRAGARIA sterilis, amplissimo folio et flore petalis cordatis, Vaill. Paris. 55. t. 10. f. 1.

Culture is well known to produce great alterations in the appearance of most plants, but particularly in those which grow spontaneously on dry mountainous situations, and this is strikingly exemplified in the present instance, this species of Potentilla, becoming in every respect much larger, as well as much smoother than in its natural state. Vid. Vaill....