with hairs their whole length, that are tipped with black
glands; 2 longer ones only hairy below and naked upwards,
sterile one also hairy, and bearing the rudiment of
an anther: the anthers on the long filaments smallest: pollen
golden yellow. Ovarium smooth, conical, terminated
by a smooth Style, that is cylindrical below, but widening
and becoming flat and tongue-shaped upwards, but slightly
keeled on both sides. Stigma truncate, transverse, and channelled
through the centre.
Our drawing of this beautiful plant, was made from fine
specimens kindly sent to us from the collection of Robert
Barclay, Esq. of Bury-hill, in July last, where it was raised
from seeds received from Chile; it varies considerably in
the size of its flowers, according to the soil and situation in
which it is grown; the figure in the Botanical Magazine,
being taken from a weak plant, grown in a pot, being so
small as scarcely to be recognised as the same species, particularly
as the tube of the corolla extends so far beyond the
calyx, which in Mr. Barclay’s plant is scarcely longer than
the calyx; but the plants being grown in rich soil in the
borders of the garden accounts for this, the tube being much
shorter where the flowers are large. A plant of the same
species, sent to us by Mr. Tate, of Sloane Street, last
Autumn, we planted out in a border in our garden, and
when the weather was frosty through the Winter, we placed
a garden pot over it, which succeeded very well; it flowered
very strong this Summer, and ripened its seeds; the
flowers were as near as possible intermediate in size and in
the length of the tube between the one figured in the Magazine
and the present figure. Mr. Tate received the seeds of
it and S. straminea from Chile, sent home by the British
Consul, with seeds and bulbs of various other curious plants.
All the species of this handsome genus prefer a rich light
soil, and should be planted in a warm border, where they
will require a little protection in Winter; it is readily increased,
either by cuttings planted under hand-glasses, or
by seeds, which ripen plentifully. If the seeds are sown soon
after they are gathered, and the plants preserved in frames,
the light window of a room, or Greenhouse, and planted
in the borders in Spring, they will flower and ripen their
seeds the next Summer.
1. Calyx. 2. Tube o f the Corolla split open to show the insertion o f the
Stamens, the two shorter fertile ones clothed with hairs all their length, the
hairs tipped with black glands, the longer ones hairy below and smooth upwards,
sterile one with the rudiment o f an anther. 3. Ovarinm, terminated
hy the tongue-shaped Style and transverse Stigma. 4. Radical leaf.