_Specific Character and Synonyms._

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM _bicolorum_ foliis subulatis punctatis laevibus distinctis, caule frutescente, corollis bicoloribus. _Linn. Syst.

Vegetab. p. 470._

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM tenuifolium fruticescens, flore croceo. _Dill. Elth.

267. t. 202. f. 258._

[Ill.u.s.tration: 59]

Contrary to the _Mesembryanthemum dolabriforme_, lately figured in this work, this species expands its flowers in the day-time, and that only when the sun shines powerfully on them; on such occasions, the blossoms on the top of the branches being very numerous, exhibit a most splendid appearance.

It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, flowers in July, and is most readily propagated by cuttings.

Like most of the Cape plants, it requires the shelter of a green-house during the winter.

[60]

~Lathyrus odoratus. Sweet Pea, or Vetchling.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Diadelphia Decandria.~

_Generic Character._

_Stylus_ pla.n.u.s, supra villosus, superne latior. _Cal._ laciniae superiores 2-breviores.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

LATHYRUS _odoratus_ pedunculis bifloris, cirrhis diphyllis, foliolis ovato-oblongis, leguminibus hirsutis, _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 663._

LATHYRUS distoplatyphyllos hirsutus mollis, magno et peramaeno flore odoro. _Comm. hort. 2. p. 219. t. 80._

[Ill.u.s.tration: 60]

There is scarcely a plant more generally cultivated than the _Sweet Pea_, and no wonder, since with the most delicate blossoms it unites an agreeable fragrance.

Several varieties of this plant are enumerated by authors, but general cultivation extends to two only, the one with blossoms perfectly white, the other white and rose-coloured, commonly called the _Painted Lady Pea_.

The Sweet Pea is described as a native of Sicily, the Painted Lady Variety as an inhabitant of Ceylon; they have both been introduced since the time of PARKINSON and EVELYN.

It is an annual, and not a very tender one; seedling plants sown in Autumn frequently surviving our winters.

As it is desirable to have this plant in flower for as great a length of time as possible, to have them early, we must sow them in the Autumn, either in pots or in the open border; if sown in pots, they can the more readily be secured from any severe weather, by placing them in a hot-bed frame, a common practice with gardeners who raise them for the London markets, in which they are in great request: others again should be sown early in the spring, and the sowings repeated every month; they grow readily in almost any soil or situation, and by this means may be had to flower most of the year through.

If sown in pots, care must be taken to water them frequently.

[61]

~Iris ochroleuca. Tall Iris.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Triandria Monogynia.~

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ 6-petala, inaequalis, petalis alternis geniculato-patentibus.

_Stigmata_ petaliformia, cucullato-bil.a.b.i.ata. _Thunb. Diss. de Iride._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IRIS _ochroleuca_ imberbis foliis ensiformibus, scapo subtereti germinibus hexagonis. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 90._

[Ill.u.s.tration: 61]

Of the several species of Iris cultivated in our gardens, this excels in point of height; we have taken our English name therefore from this character, and not from the term _ochroleuca_, which, if translated, would be too expressive of the colour of the blossoms of the _Iris Pseudacorus_, with which the _ochroleuca_ has some affinity in point of size as well as colour.

Notwithstanding Mr. MILLER's description of his _orientalis_ accords very badly with that of LINNaeUS's _ochroleuca_, they have been generally considered in this country as one and the same plant, distinguished by the name of POc.o.c.kE's Iris, Dr.

POc.o.c.kE being the person who, according to MILLER, in his time first introduced it from _Carniola_ (by inadvertence spelt _Carolina_, in the 6th 4to edition of the Dictionary). There are grounds, however, for suspecting some error in the habitat of this plant, for had it grown spontaneously in Carniola, it is not probable that SCOPOLI would have omitted it in his _Flora Carniolica_.

Leaving its place of growth to be more accurately ascertained hereafter, we shall observe, that it appears perfectly naturalized to this country, growing luxuriantly in a moist rich soil, and increasing, like most of the genus, very fast by its roots. It flowers later than most of the others.

[62]

~Centaurea glastifolia. Woad-Leaved Centaurea.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~SyngenesiA Polygamia Superflua.~

_Generic Character._

_Receptaculum_ setosum. _Pappus_ simplex. _Corollae_ radii infundibuliformes, longiores, irregulares.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._