The Botanical Magazine.

by William Curtis.

VOL. III.

"The spleen is seldom felt where Flora reigns; The low'ring eye, the petulance, the frown, And sullen sadness, that o'ershade, distort, And mar the face of beauty, when no cause For such immeasurable woe appears; These Flora banishes, and gives the fair Sweet smiles and bloom, less transient than her own."

COWPER.

LONDON:

Printed by Couchman and Fry, Throgmorton-Street,

For W. CURTIS, at his Botanic-Garden, Lambeth-Marsh;

And Sold by the princ.i.p.al Booksellers in Great-Britain and Ireland.

M DCC XC.

[73]

MONSONIA SPECIOSA. LARGE-FLOWER'D MONSONIA.

_Cla.s.s 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._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 73]

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. Ma.s.sON.

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.

[74]

ANTIRRHINUM TRISTE. MELANCHOLY OR BLACK-FLOWER'D TOAD-FLAX.

_Cla.s.s 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._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 74]

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 princ.i.p.al 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.