[196]

SAXIFRAGA CRa.s.sIFOLIA. OVAL-LEAVED SAXIFRAGE.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

DECANDRIA DIGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-part.i.tus. _Cor._ 5-petala. _Caps._ 2-rostris, 1-locularis, polysperma.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

SAXIFRAGA _cra.s.sifolia_, foliis ovalibus retusis obsolete serratis petiolatis, caule nudo, panicula conglomerata. _Linn. Sp. Pl ed. 3.

p. 573._ _Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 412._

SAXIFRAGA foliis ovalibus crenulatis, caulibus nudis. _Gmel. Sib.

4. p. 166. t. 66._

The term _grandifolia_ would have been more applicable to this species of Saxifrage than _cra.s.sifolia_, for it is not so much distinguished for the thickness as the largeness of its leaves; these are almost equal in size to those of our broad-leaved Dock, red on the under and of a fine shining green on their upper surface; they may be ranked indeed among the more handsome kinds of foliage; the flowering stems, according to the richness and moisture of the soil in which they are planted, rise from one to two or even three feet high; at top supporting a large bunch of purple pendulous flowers, which blossom in April and May, and, if the season prove favourable, make a fine appearance. Should cold winds prevail at the time of their flowering, which they are very apt to do, the plants should be covered with a hand-gla.s.s; or, if in a pot, it may be removed into the green-house, which they will not disgrace.

Is found spontaneously on the Alps of Siberia, and, according to Mr.

AITON, was introduced in 1765 by Dr. SOLANDER. No plant is more readily increased by parting its roots, which may be done either in spring or autumn.

There is another Saxifrage in our gardens exceedingly like this in appearance, but differing, in producing larger bunches of flowers, and in having larger, rounder, and more heart-shaped leaves; Mr. AITON regards this as a variety of the _cra.s.sifolia_, we are inclined to consider it as a species under the name of _cordifolia_. The parts of fructification in the _cra.s.sifolia_ are apt to be preternaturally increased.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[197]

NARCISSUS BIFLORUS. TWO-FLOWER'D NARCISSUS.

NARCISSUS _biflorus_ spatha biflor, nectario brevissimo scarioso.

NARCISSUS pallidus circulo luteo. _Bauh. Pin. p. 50._

NARCISSUS medio luteus. _Dod. Pempt. p. 223. f. 2._

NARCISSUS medio luteus. Primrose Peerles, or the common white Daffodil. _Ger. Herb. p. 110. f. 6._

NARCISSUS medio luteus vulgaris. The common white Daffodill, called _Primrose Peerlesse_. _Park. Par. P. 74. t. 75. f. 1._

NARCISSUS latifol cla.s.sis altera, lin. 1. Nasc.u.n.tur, &c. ad intellexisse. _Clus. Hist. Pl. rar. lib. 2. p. 156._

Both GERARD and PARKINSON describe and figure this plant, informing us that it was very common in the gardens in their time; the former indeed mentions it as growing wild in fields and sides of woods in the West of England; the latter says he could never hear of its natural place of growth. CLUSIUS reports that he had been credibly informed of its growing wild in England; it probably may, but of this it remains for us to be more clearly ascertained; it undoubtedly is the plant mentioned by RAY in his Synopsis.

As it grows readily, increases in a greater degree than most others and is both ornamental and odoriferous, it is no wonder that we meet with it in almost every garden, and that in abundance, flowering towards the end of April, about three weeks later than the angustifolia. It usually produces two flowers, hence we have called it biflorus; it frequently occurs with one, more rarely with three, in a high state of culture it probably may be found with more; when it has only one flower it may easily be mistaken for the _majalis_, but may be thus distinguished from it; its petals are of a more yellow hue, the nectary is wholly yellow, wanting the orange rim, it flowers at least three weeks earlier; but the character, which by observation we have found most to be depended on, exists in the flowering stem, the top of which in the biflorus, very soon after it emerges from the ground, bends down and becomes elbowed, as our figure represents; in the _majalis_, it continues upright till within a short time of the flowers expanding.

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[198]

INDIGOFERA CANDICANS. WHITE-LEAVED INDIGO.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ patens. _Cor._ carina utrinque calcari subulato patulo.

_Legumen_ lineare.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

INDIGOFERA _candicans_ foliis ternatis lanceolato-linearibus subtus sericeis, spicis pedunculatis paucifloris, leguminibus cylindraceis rectis. _Ait. Hort. Kew. V. 3, p. 67._

Of the genus _Indigofera_, twenty-three species are enumerated in Prof.

MURRAY'S edition of the _Syst. Vegetab._ of LINNaeUS; ten in the _Hortus Kewensis_ of Mr. AITON; in which last work only, the present plant, distinguished by the whiteness of its stalks and of the underside of its leaves, is described, and in which we are informed, that it is a native of the Cape, from whence it was introduced by Mr. Ma.s.sON in 1774.

Its princ.i.p.al period of flowering is from about the beginning of May to the middle of June, at which time it is highly ornamental in the green-house: strong healthy plants produce from five to eight blossoms in a spike: on a plant growing with Mr. COLVILL, Nurseryman, King's-Road, Chelsea, we once counted nine: a few of these usually produce seed-vessels containing perfect seeds, by which the plant is mostly propagated; it may also be raised by cuttings, but not very readily.

[199]

ASTER ALPINUS. ALPINE ASTER.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA.

_Generic Character._