_Miller's Dict._

It is more usual with Nurserymen to increase this plant by cuttings.

Our drawing was made from a plant which flowered this Spring, with Mr.

COLVILL, Nurseryman, King's-Road, Chelsea.

It flowers most part of the Summer, but not so freely as many other stove-plants.

[132]

RUBUS ARCTICUS. DWARF BRAMBLE.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

ICOSANDRIA POLYGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-fidus. Petala 5. _Bacca_ composita acinis monospermis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

RUBUS _arcticus_ foliis ternatis, caule inermi unifloro. _Linn. Syst.

Vegetab. p. 476._

RUBUS humilis flore purpureo. _Buxb. Cent. 5. p. 13. t. 26._

RUBUS trifolius humilis non spinosus, sapore et odore fragariae, fructu rubro polycocco. _Amm. Ruth. 185._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 132]

The Rubus arcticus grows wild in the northern parts of Europe and America, in moist, sandy, and gravelly places. LINNaeUS has figured and minutely described it in his _Flora Lapponica_, out of grat.i.tude, as he expresses himself, for the benefits reaped from it in his Lapland journey, by the nectareous wine of whose berries he was so often recruited when sinking with hunger and fatigue; he observes that the princ.i.p.al people in the north of Sweden make a syrup, a jelly, and a wine, from the berries, which they partly consume themselves, and partly transmit to Stockholm, as a dainty of the most delicious kind; and truly he adds, of all the wild Swedish berries this holds the first place.

Our figure does not correspond altogether with LINNaeUS's description, but it is drawn as the plant grew; culture doubtless made it produce more than its usual number of flowering stems and petals.

It grows readily and increases rapidly in bog-earth, on a north border, and flowers in May and June, but very rarely ripens its fruit in Gardens.

[133]

HYACINTHUS COMOSUS. TWO COLOURED, or, Ta.s.sEL HYACINTH.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ campanulata: pori 3-melliferi germinis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

HYACINTHUS _comosus_ corollis angulato-cylindricis: summis sterilibus longius pedicellatis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. 336._

HYACINTHUS comosus major purpureus. _Bauh. Pin. 42._ The purple faire haired Jacinth; or Purse ta.s.sels. _Park. Parad. p. 117._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 133]

Most of the old Botanists arranged this plant, the _racemosus_, and others having almost globular flowers with the Hyacinths. TOURNEFORT, struck with the difference of their appearance, made a distinct genus of them under the name of _Muscari_, in which he is followed by MILLER, and should have been by LINNaeUS, for they differ so much that no student would consider the present plant as belonging to the same genus with the Hare-bell.

This species grows wild in the corn-fields of Spain, Portugal, and some parts of Germany, and flowers in May and June.

It is distinguished more by its singularity than beauty, the flowers on the summit of the stalk differing widely in colour from the others, and being mostly barren: PARKINSON says, "the whole stalke with the flowers upon it, doth somewhat resemble a long Purse ta.s.sell, and thereupon divers Gentlewomen have so named it."

It is a hardy bulbous plant, growing readily in most soils and situations, and usually propagated by offsets.

[134]

ADONIS VERNALIS.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-phyllus. _Petala_ quinis plura absque nectario. _Sem._ nuda.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ADONIS _vernalis_ flore dodecapetalo, fructu ovato. _Linn. Syst.

Vegetab. ed. Murr. p. 514._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. Vol. 2. p. 264._

h.e.l.lEBORUS niger tenuifolius, Buphthalmi flore. _Bauh. Pin. 186._

BUPHTHALMUM _Dodon. Pempt. 261._

h.e.l.lEBORUS niger ferulaceus sive Buphthalmum. The great Ox-eye, or the great yellow Anemone. _Parkins. Parad. p. 291. f. 6._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 134]