Pa.s.sIFLORA _coerulea_ foliis palmatis integerrimis. _Lin. Syst.
Vegetab. p._ 823. _Sp. Pl. p._ 1360.
GRANADILLA polyphyllos, fructu ovato. _Tourn. inst._ 241.
FLOS Pa.s.sIONIS major pentaphyllus. _Sloan. Jam._ 104. _hist._ 1. _p._ 229.
[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 28]
The Pa.s.sion-Flower first introduced into this country was the _incarnata_ of Linnaeus, a native of Virginia, and figured by Parkinson in his _Paradisus Terrestris_, who there styles it the surpa.s.sing delight of all flowers: the present species, which, from its great beauty and superior hardiness, is now by far the most common, is of more modern introduction; and, though a native of the Brasils, seldom suffers from the severity of our climate; flowering plentifully during most of the summer months, if trained to a wall with a southern aspect, and, in such situations, frequently producing ripe fruit, of the size and form of a large olive, of a pale orange colour.
This most elegant plant may be propagated by seeds, layers, or cuttings; foreign seeds are most to be depended on; they are to be sown in the spring, on a moderate hot-bed, and when the plants are grown to the height of two or three inches, they are to be carefully taken up, and each planted in a separate small pot, filled with good loam, then plunged into a moderate hot-bed, to forward their taking new root; after which they should be gradually inured to the common air: the younger the plants the more shelter they require, and if ever so old or strong, they are in danger from severe frosts. The layers and cuttings are to be treated in the common way, but seedling plants, if they can be obtained, are on many accounts to be preferred.
[29]
~Reseda odorata. Sweet-scented Reseda or Mignonette.~
_Cla.s.s and Order._
~Dodecandria Trigynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Cal._ 1-phyllus, part.i.tus. _Petala_ laciniata. _Caps._ ore dehiscens, 1-locularis.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
RESEDA _odorata_ foliis integris trilobisque, calycibus florem aequantibus. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p._ 449.
RESEDA foliis integris trilobisque, floribus tetragynis. _Mill. Dict.
t._ 217.
[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 29]
_Mignonette_ grows naturally in Egypt, it was unknown to the older Botanists; Miller says he received the seeds of it from Dr. Adrian Van Royen, Professor of Botany at Leyden, so that it is rather a modern inhabitant of our gardens.
The luxury of the pleasure-garden is greatly heightened by the delightful odour which this plant diffuses; and as it is most readily cultivated in pots, its fragrance may be conveyed to the parlour of the recluse, or the chamber of the valetudinarian; its perfume, though not so refreshing perhaps as that of the Sweet-Briar, is not apt to offend on continuance the most delicate olfactories.
Being an annual it requires to be raised yearly from seed; when once introduced on a warm dry border it will continue to sow itself, and grow very luxuriantly, flowering from June to the commencement of winter; but as it is desirable to have it as early as possible in the spring, the best way is either to sow the seed in pots in autumn, securing them through the winter in frames, or in a greenhouse, or to raise the seeds early on a gentle hot bed, thinning the plants if they require it, so as to have only two or three in a pot.
[30]
~Lilium chalcedonic.u.m. Chalcedonian Lily.~
_Cla.s.s and Order._
~Hexandria Monogynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Cor._ 6-petala, campanulata: _linea_ longitudinali nectarifera. _Caps._ valvulis pilo cancellato connexis.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
LILIUM _chalcedonic.u.m_ foliis sparsis lanceolatis, floribus reflexis, corollis revolutis. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p._ 324.
LILIUM byzantium miniatum. _Bauh. Pin._ 78.
The Red Martagon of Constantinople. _Park. Parad. p._ 34.
[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 30]
This species is best known in the nurseries by the name of the _Scarlet Martagon_; but as it is not the Martagon of Linnaeus, to avoid confusion it will be most proper to adhere to the name which Linnaeus has given it.
It is a native not only of Persia, but of Hungary; Professor Jacquin, who has figured it in his most excellent _Flora Austriaca_, describes it as growing betwixt Carniola and Carinthia, and other parts of Hungary, but always on the tops of the largest mountains.
It varies in the number of its flowers, from one to six, and the colour in some is found of a blood red.
Authors differ in their ideas of its smell: Jacquin describing it as disagreeble, while Scopoli compares it to that of an orange.
It flowers in June and July; and is propagated by offsets, which it produces pretty freely, and which will grow in almost any soil or situation.
The best time for removing the roots is soon after the leaves are decayed, before they have begun to shoot.
[31]
~Jasminum officinale. Common Jasmine or Jessamine.~
_Cla.s.s and Order._
~Diandria Monogynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Cor._ 5-fida. _Bacca_ dicocca. _Sem_. arillata. _Antherae_ intra tub.u.m.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
JASMINUM _officinale_ foliis oppositis; foliolis distinctis. _Lin. Syst.
Vegetab. p._ 56.