The Botanical Magazine Volume I Part 10

JASMINUM vulgatius flore albo. _Bauh. Pin._ 397.

Jasmine or Gesmine. _Park. Parad. p._ 406.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 31]

There is an elegance in the Jasmine which added to its fragrance renders it an object of universal admiration.

"It grows naturally at Malabar, and in several parts of India, yet has been long inured to our climate, so as to thrive and flower extremely well, but never produces any fruit in England. It is easily propagated by laying down the branches, which will take root in one year, and may then be cut from the old plant, and planted where they are designed to remain: it may also be propagated by cuttings, which should be planted early in the autumn, and guarded against the effects of severe frosts.

"When these plants are removed, they should be planted either against some wall, pale, or other fence, where the flexible branches may be supported. These plants should be permitted to grow rude in the summer, otherwise there will be no flowers; but after the summer is past, the luxuriant shoots should be pruned off, and the others must be nailed to the support.

"There are two varieties of this with variegated leaves, one with white, the other with yellow stripes, but the latter is the most common: these are propagated by budding them on the plain Jasmine; they require to be planted in a warm situation, especially the white-striped, for they are much more tender than the plain, and in very severe winters their branches should be covered with mats or straw to prevent their being killed." _Miller's Gard. Dict._

[32]

~Mesembryanthemum dolabriforme. Hatchet-leav'd Fig-Marigold.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Icosandria Pentagynia.~

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-fidus. _Petala_ numerosa, linearia. _Caps._ carnosa infera, polysperma.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM _dolabriforme_ acaule, foliis dolabriformibus punctatis. _Lin. Syst. Veg. p._ 470.

FICOIDES capensis humilis, foliis cornua cervi referentibus, petalis luteis noctiflora, _Bradl. suc._ 1. _p._ 11. _t._ 10. _Dillen Hort.

Elth. t._ 191. _f._ 237.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 32]

Though many Latin names of plants, as _Geranium_, _Hepatica_, _Convolvulus_, &c. are more familiar to the ear, and more generally used than their English ones, yet _Mesembryanthemum_ though used by some, appears too long to be generally adopted, its English name of _Fig-marigold_ is doubtless to be preferred.

The Fig-marigolds are a very numerous tribe, chiefly inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope; no less than thirty-three species are figured in that inestimable work the _Hortus Elthamensis_ of Dillenius. As most of these plants grow readily from slips, or cuttings, and require only the shelter of a common greenhouse, and as they recommend themselves to our notice, either from the extreme singularity of their foliage, the beauty of their flowers, or the peculiarity of their expansion, so they are a favourite cla.s.s of plants with many.

The present species is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and is particularly distinguished by having leaves somewhat resembling a hatchet, whence its name; it is as hardy as most, and flowers as freely, but its blossoms fully expand in the evening and night only.

It is very readily propagated by cuttings.

[33]

~Aster tenellus. Bristly-leav'd Aster.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Syngenesia Polygamia Superflua.~

_Generic Character._

_Recept._ nudum. _Pappus_ simplex. _Cor._ radii plures 10. _Cal._ imbricati squamae inferiores patulae.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ASTER _tenellus_ foliis subfiliformibus aculeato-ciliatis, pedunculis nudis, calycibus hemisphaericis aequalibus. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p._ 760.

ASTER parvus aethiopicus, chamaemeli floribus, tamarisci aegyptiaci foliis tenuissime denticulatis. _Pluk. alm._ 56. _t._ 271. _f._ 4. _Raii.

Suppl._ 164. _n._ 84.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 33]

Most of the numerous species of this genus flower about Michaelmas, hence their vulgar name of _Michaelmas-Daisy_; a name exceptionable not only on account of its length, but from its being a compound word.

_Aster_, though a Latin term, is now so generally received, that we shall make no apology for adopting it.

We are indebted to North-America for most of our Asters, but the present species, which is omitted by _Miller_, and is rather a scarce plant in this country, though not of modern introduction, being figured by _Plukenet_ and described by _Ray_, is a native of Africa, and, like a few others, requires in the winter the shelter of a greenhouse.

It is particularly distinguished by having very narrow leaves with short bristles on them, and by its blossoms drooping before they open.

It is a perennial, flowers in September and October, and may be propagated by slips or cuttings.

The plant from whence our drawing was made, came from Messrs. _Gordon_ and _Thompson_'s Nursery, Mile-End.

[34]

~Browallia elata. Tall Browallia.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Didynamia Gymnospermia.~

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-dentatus. _Cor._ limbus 5-fidus, aequalis, patens: umbilico clauso Antheris 2, majoribus. _Caps._ 1-locularis.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

BROWALLIA _elata_ pedunculis unifloris multiflorisque. _Lin. Syst.