Part 111

See GERANIUM GRANDIFLORUM, Pl. XII. Vol. 1.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Geranium foliis acuminatis, lobato-pinnatis, sub-carnosis, laciniis inequaliter dentatis; pedunculis subquadrifloris; floribus pentandris; petalis æqualibus, purpureis.

Geranium with leaves tapering to the point, winged in lobes and rather fleshy, the segments unequally toothed; foot-stalks generally four flowers; the flowers have five fertile tips; petals equal and purple.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement. 2. One Petal of the Blossom. 3. The Chives and Pointal. 4. The Chives, spread open. 5. The same, magnified. 6. The Pointal, magnified.

The thick-leaved Geranium is a native of the island of Cyprus, and was introduced by Dr. Sibthorpe, on his return from visiting the Grecian islands, in the year 1788. It is, we think, no more than a biennial plant at best, as it seldom survives the second winter, and but rarely the first. If the seeds are sown in the month of March, the plants will flower the ensuing autumn, and generally produce ripe seeds, if kept in a sheltered and warm situation. This plant is unquestionably the true Erodium of L’Heritier, and those who admit of that innovation, being the one, apparently, upon which he formed his Generic distinction; as we believe, no other species, so denominated, has every constituent Essential part necessary to his Genus.

PLATE CXXXVII.

GLADIOLUS NANUS.

Dwarf Gladiolus.

CLASS III. ORDER I.

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

COROLLA sexpartita, ringens. Stamina adscendentia.

BLOSSOM six divisions, gaping. Chives ascending.

See GLADIOLUS ROSEUS. Plate XI. Vol. I.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Gladiolus foliis lanceolatis, plicatis, pilosis; scapo toto florigero longitudine foliorum; corolla ringente, laciniis longissimis, divaricatis, undulatis; spatha trivalvi.

Gladiolus with lance-shaped leaves, plaited and hairy; flower-stem quite covered with flowers the length of the leaves; blossom gaping, the segments very long, spreading different ways and waved; sheath three valved.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The three valved Sheath. 2. A Blossom cut open and expanded, the Chives remaining attached. 4. The Seed-bud, Shaft and its Summits, one of them detached and magnified.

The Hibbertian collection has furnished us with this extraordinarily handsome Gladiolus. Our drawing was taken at Clapham, in August this year, when we were informed by Mr. Hibbert that he had received the bulbs but a few months before, from his collector at the Cape. It has little likeness to any one of the Genus yet in England; but from the character of the leaves, we should incline to think, the treatment required for Ixia plicata, (of which species we have drawings of more than twenty varieties, known under the names of I. villosa, I. rubro-cyanea, I. punicea, I. purpurea, &c. &c.) that is to say, to be kept through the winter months, in more heat than is required for the generality of Ixias and Gladioluses.

PLATE CXXXVIII.

VACCINIUM AMOENUM.

Broad-leaved Whortle-berry.

CLASS VIII. ORDER I.

OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Eight Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.