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[42]
~Camellia j.a.ponica. Rose Camellia.~
_Cla.s.s and Order._
~Monadelphia Polyandria.~
_Generic Character._
_Calyx_ imbricatus, polyphyllus: foliolis interioribus majoribus.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
CAMELLIA _j.a.ponica_ foliis acute serratis ac.u.minatis. _Lin. Syst.
Vegetab. ed. 14. p. 632._ _Thunberg Fl. j.a.pon. t. 273._
TSUBAKI _Kempfer Amoen. 850. t. 851._
ROSA chinensis. _Ed. av. 2. p. 67. t. 67._
THEA chinensis pimentae jamaicensis folio, flore roseo. _Pet. Gaz. t.
33. fig. 4._
[Ill.u.s.tration: 42]
This most beautiful tree, though long since figured and described, as may be seen by the above synonyms, was a stranger to our gardens in the time of MILLER, or at least it is not noticed in the last edition of his Dictionary.
It is a native both of China and j.a.pan.
THUNBERG, in his _Flora j.a.ponica_, describes it as growing every where in the groves and gardens of j.a.pan, where it becomes a prodigiously large and tall tree, highly esteemed by the natives for the elegance of its large and very variable blossoms, and its evergreen leaves; it is there found with single and double flowers, which also are white, red, and purple, and produced from April to October.
Representations of this flower are frequently met with in Chinese paintings.
With us, the _Camellia_ is generally treated as a stove plant, and propagated by layers; it is sometimes placed in the green-house; but it appears to us to be one of the properest plants imaginable for the conservatory. At some future time it may, perhaps, not be uncommon to treat it as a _Laurustinus_ or _Magnolia_: the high price at which it has. .h.i.therto been sold, may have prevented its being hazarded in this way.
The blossoms are of a firm texture, but apt to fall off long before they have lost their brilliancy; it therefore is a practice with some to stick such deciduous blossoms on some fresh bud, where they continue to look well for a considerable time.
PETIVER considered our plant as a species of Tea tree; future observations will probably confirm his conjecture.
[43]
~Cistus inca.n.u.s. h.o.a.ry, or Rose Cistus.~
_Cla.s.s and Order._
~Polyandria Monogynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Corolla_ 5-petala. _Calyx_ 5-phyllus, foliolis duobus minoribus.
_Capsula_.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
CISTUS _inca.n.u.s_ arborescens exstipulatus, foliis spatulatis tomentosis rugosis inferioribus basi connatis v.a.g.i.n.antibus. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab.
p. 497._
CISTUS mas angustifolius. _Bauh. Pin. 464._
[Ill.u.s.tration: 43]
Few plants are more admired than the Cistus tribe; they have indeed one imperfection, their petals soon fall off: this however is the less to be regretted, as they in general have a great profusion of flower-buds, whence their loss is daily supplied. They are, for the most part, inhabitants of warm climates, and affect dry, sheltered, though not shady, situations.
The present species is a native of Spain, and the south of France, and being liable to be killed by the severity of our winters, is generally kept with green-house plants.
It may be propagated either by seeds, or cuttings; the former make the best plants.
[44]
~Cyclamen persic.u.m. Persian Cyclamen.~
_Cla.s.s and Order._
~Pentandria Monogynia.~
_Generic Character._
_Corolla_ rotata, reflexa, tubo brevissimo: fauce prominente. _Bacca_ tecta capsula.
_Specific Character._
CYCLAMEN _persic.u.m_ foliis cordatis serratis. _Miller's Dict. 4to.
ed. 6._
[Ill.u.s.tration: 44]
LINNaeUS in this, as in many other genera, certainly makes too few species, having only two; MILLER, on the contrary, is perhaps too profuse in his number, making eight. The ascertaining the precise limits of species, and variety, in plants that have been for a great length of time objects of culture, is often attended with difficulties scarcely to be surmounted, is indeed a Gordian Knot to Botanists.
Our plant is the _Cyclamen persic.u.m_ of MILLER, and has been introduced into our gardens long since the European ones; being a native of the East-Indies, it is of course more tender than the others, and therefore requires to be treated more in the style of a green-house plant.
