Part 92

Protea foliis lanceolato-ovatis; squamæ calycinæ interiores barbatæ, apice incurvatæ, incarnatæ.

Protea with leaves between oval and lance-shaped; the inner scales of the empalement are bearded, turned inward at the ends, and flesh coloured.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A Blossom complete, as it stands in the Empalement. 2. The same opened, to shew the situation of the Chives. 3. The Seed bud and Pointal.

The drawing of this magnificent plant was made at the nursery of Messrs. Grimwood and Wykes, Kensington, this year, early in the month of August; as we were informed by Mr. Wykes it was then in flower for the first time in England. In the year 1786 it was sent, in seeds, to the royal gardens, Kew, by Mr. F. Masson, from the Cape of Good Hope; where certainly its beauty must be great; as, even there, amidst that world of beauties, it should be honoured with such a specific title; in which, considering it as only a variety of our P. speciosa nigra, we entirely agree with Willdenow; where the last synonim of that species, copied by him in his Sp. Pl. from Ray’s Historia Plantarum of 1719, must have been taken from a plant of this variety. The treatment, and culture of this, and P. Speciosa nigra, are exact in every thing.

PLATE CXI.

GLADIOLUS STRIATUS.

Streaked-flowered 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 lanceolato ensiformibus, scapo æquantibus; scapo subtrifloro, erecto; floribus erectis; corolla ringente, laciniis acutis, undulatis, medio striatis.

Gladiolus with leaves between lance and sword-shaped, the length of the flower-stem; generally three flowers on the stem; flowers grow upright; blossom gaping, the segments pointed, waved, and streaked in the middle.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The two Sheaths of the Empalement. 2. A Flower cut open with the Chives attached. 3. The Seed-bud and Pointal, natural size, one Summit detached, magnified.

This species of Cape Gladiolus was brought to us, from Holland, about the year 1788; it is a very hardy bulb, the flowers continuing perfect more than a week, and are not easily injured either by wind or rain. But the greatest merit of this plant is, that the blossoms are only produced when most of the other species of Ixiæ, Gladioli, &c. have done flowering; which is generally about the end of July. Before the stem decays, the bulb should be taken from the pot, and dried. The increase of this plant is not great, as seldom more than two roots are produced from the old one. Our drawing was made at the Hammersmith nursery, in 1799. Willdenow has a Gladiolus from Jacquin’s Icon. Rar. under the specific title here given to this, undoubtedly not the same plant; but as our name is that by which this species is in general known, and by which it came from Holland, we have not thought fit to alter it.

PLATE CXII.

VACCINIUM DUMOSUM.

Bushy Whortle-berry.

CLASS VIII. ORDER I.

OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Eight Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX superus. Corolla monopetala. Filamenta receptaculo inserta. Bacca quadrilocularis, polysperma.

CUP superior. Blossom of one petal. Threads fixed to the receptacle. A Berry with four cells and many seeds.