[243]
Argemone Mexicana. Mexican Argemone, or Prickly Poppy
Class and Order
Polyandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Cor. 6-petala. Cal. 3-phyllus. Caps. semivalvis.
Specific Character and Synonyms
ARGEMONE mexicana capsulis sexvalvibus, foliis spinosis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 490. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 225.
PAPAVER spinosum. Clus. Hist. 2. p. 93.
CARDUUS chrysanthemus Peruanus. The Golden Thistle of Peru. Ger. Herb. p. 993.
No243.
This species of Argemone is a native of Mexico, and the West-Indies, where we should suppose it to be a very common and noxious weed, from the name there given it of Fico del inferno, or the Devil's Fig: it has long been introduced to this country; Gerard, who cultivated it with success, ludicrously attributes its nickname to a different source: "The golden Thistle of Peru, called in the West-Indies, Fique del inferno, a friend of mine brought it unto me from an iland there, called Saint Johns Iland, among other seedes, what reason the inhabitants there have to call it so it is unto me unknown, unless it be bicause of his fruite, which doth much resemble a figge in shape and bignesse, but so full of sharpe and venemous prickles, that whosoever had one of them in his throte, doubtless less it would send him packing either to heaven or to hell."
Miller mentions it as a plant of no great use or beauty, in the latter point of view Clusius, who was one of the first to figure and describe it, and Gerard, thought differently; its foliage is certainly beautiful, somewhat like that of the milk thistle, its blossoms are large and shewy, though not of long duration; like the Celandine, the whole plant abounds with a yellow juice, which flows out when it is wounded; it differs from the poppy, to which it is nearly related, in having a calyx of three leaves.
Though a native of a very warm climate, it is cultivated with as much facility as any annual whatever; in the gardens about London, where it has once grown, and scattered its seeds, it comes up spontaneously every spring, flowers in July and August, and ripens its seeds in September; these are large, somewhat round, of a black colour, with a beautiful surface; a light rich soil and warm situation suits it best.
[244]
Ipomœa Quamoclit. Winged Leav'd Ipomœa
Class and Order
Pentandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Corolla infundibuliformis. Stigma capitato-globosum. Caps. 3-locularis.
Specific Character and Synonyms
IPOMŒA Quamoclit foliis pinnatifidis linearibus, floribus subsolitariis. Linn, Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 204. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 215.
QUAMOCLIT s Jasminum Americanum. Clus. Posth. 9.
CONVOLVULUS tenuifolius Americanus. The red Bellflower of America. Park. Parad. p. 358. 3.
No244.
In a former number of this work, we gave a figure of the Scarlet Ipomœa, which every one possessing a garden, at least in the more southern parts of this kingdom, might gratify themselves with a sight of, it being hardy enough to flower and ripen its seeds in the open border; but the present species, an annual also, and equally beautiful, with greater singularity of foliage, can be brought to perfection only in the stove of hot-house.
Its seeds should be sown early in the spring, two or three in a small pot; when the plants are so far advanced as to shew a disposition to climb, they should be removed with a ball of earth into a middle-sized pot, in which one, two, or three sticks, four or five feet high should be stuck, for the plants to climb up; in the months of June and July they will flower, and ripe seed will be produced in September.
This elegant species, a native of both the Indies, was cultivated here by Parkinson, who minutely describes it in his Parad terr. when speaking of the seed, he observes, "with us it will seldom come to flower, because our cold nights and frosts come so soone, before it cannot have comfort enough of the sun to ripen it."
[245]
Teucrium Latifolium. Broad-Leav'd Shrubby Germander
Class and Order
Didynamia Gymnospermia
Generic Character
Cor. labium superius (nullum) ultra basin 2-partitum, divaricatum ubi stamina.
Specific Character and Synonyms
TEUCRIUM latifolium foliis integerrimis rhombeis acutis villosis subtus tomentosis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 526. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 276.
TEUCRIUM fruticans bæticum ampliore folio. Dill. Elth. 379. t. 284. f. 367.
No245.
The Teucrium latifolium as well as the fruticans, which is nearly related to it, is a native of Spain, and was cultivated in this country in 1714, by the Duchess of Beaufort, vid. Ait. Kew.
It is a shrubby plant, growing to the height of seven or eight feet (it may be trained to a much greater height) now common in our greenhouses, and sometimes planted in the open border in warm situations, where it will bear about the same degree of cold as the myrtle; it flowers during most of the summer months, and is readily increased by cuttings.
[246]
Aquilegia Canadensis. Canadian Columbine
Class and Order
Polyandria Pentagynia
Generic Character
Cal. 0. Petala 5. Nectaria 5 corniculata, inter petala. Caps. 5 distinctæ.
Specific Character and Synonyms
AQUILEGIA canadensis nectariis rectis, staminibus corolla longioribus. Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 535. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 248.
AQUILEGIA pumila praæox canadensis. Corn. Canad. 60.
AQUILEGIA præcox canadensis; flore externe rubicundo, medio luteo. Moris. Hist. 111. p. 457. t. 2. f. 4.
AQUILEGIA Virginiania flore rubescente præcox.
The early red Columbine of Virginia. Park. Th. p. 1367.
No246.
Parkinson was not acquainted with this plant when he wrote his Parad. terr. but in his larger and more general work, the Theat. Pl. published in 1640, he describes and figures it as a plant newly introduced from Virginia, by Mr. John Tradescant: Cornutus, in his account of the plants of Canada, gives us a representation and a description of this plant also; according to him, its usual height in that country is about nine inches; in the gardens here it nearly equals the common Columbine, which it considerably resembles in the appearance of its foliage, but differs in the form and colour of its flowers, the horn of the nectary is straighter, and the blossom in some of its parts inclines more to orange, which renders it highly ornamental.
It is a hardy perennial, and may be easily propagated by parting its roots in autumn or spring; it may also be raised from seeds, which ripen readily here; these are found to be a long time in vegetating, as are others of this genus.
We have observed in some gardens, a Columbine of more humble growth than the one here figured, called by the name of canadensis, and which most probably is a variety of our plant, its blossoms spread wider, are of a pale red colour without any orange, and hence being less beautiful, is, of course, less worthy of culture.
[247]
Scabiosa Atropurpurea. Sweet Scabious
Class and Order
Tetrandria Monogynia
Generic Character
Cal. communis polyphyllus; proprius duplex, superus. Recept. paleaceum nudum.
Specific Character and Synonyms
SCABIOSA atropurpurea corollulis quinquefidis radiantibus, foliis dissectis, receptaculis florum subulatis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 145. Ait. Kew. v. i. p. 137.
SCABIOSA peregrina rubra capite oblongo. Bauh. Pin. 270.
SCABIOSA vi. indica. Clus. Hist. 2. p. 3.
Red flowered Indian Scabious. Park. Parad. 324.
No247.
It is not a little singular that we should have no certain account of what country this species of Scabious is a native; Clusius who describes and figures it accurately, relates that he received seeds of it from Italy, under the name of Indian Scabious; he informs us also that he received seeds of a Scabious from Spain, which the same year produced flowers of a similar colour, but paler; Parkinson says this plant is verily thought to grow naturally in Spain and Italy; does he borrow this idea from what Clusius has advanced? he certainly gives no authority for his supposition: Linnæus mentions it as a native of India with a note of doubt; Miller does the same, omitting any doubts about it; Mr. Aiton leaves its place of growth unsettled.
The Sweet Scabious has long and deservedly held a place as an ornamental plant in our gardens, the flowers are well adapted for nosegays, have a sweet musky smell, and are produced in great profusion from June to October.
It is a hardy biennial, requiring yearly to be raised from seeds, these should be sown about the latter end of May, or beginning of June, on a shady border of fresh earth, thinning the plants as they advance to the distance of three or four inches; in autumn they should be removed into the border, where they are intended to flower, thus treated they will become good strong plants against winter, flower early the ensuing summer, and produce abundance of perfect seeds.
The blossoms vary in colour, towards autumn the edge of the florets become paler.
Parkinson, deviating from his usual accuracy, describes the flowers without scent. vid. Parad.