Our drawing of the present handsome plant, was
taken from fine specimens sent to us last Summer, from
the collection of Robert Barclay, Esq. of Bury-hill; and
we are informed by Mr. David Cameron that the plant
was received from Mr. T. Nuttall, who sent it with
several other plants from North America. Sprengel
joins this species with V . paniculdta, but it is certainly
a very distinct plant, and differs sufficiently from all
the described species : it agrees precisely with the character
of Elliott in his Flora Caroliniana, but is altogether
a smaller plant than P. paniculata, and not so
much branched.
As the present species is a native of Carolina, it may
be considered rather more tender than some of the other
species ; it will therefore be safest to keep some small
plants of it in pots, that they may be preserved in frames,
in severe weather, but exposing them as much as possible
to the air when the weather is mild; if left in the
open borders all the Winter, it will be requisite to cover
the roots, either with a little dung or litter, or a common
flower-pot placed over them in severe frost will secure
them very well; by the latter means, we find the greater
part of the Mexican, Chilian, and Peruvian herbaceous
or suffrutescent plants succeed well through the Winter,
always exposing them when there is no frost: the present
plant grows freely in a border of the flower-garden,
and will succeed well in the common garden soil; it
may be readily increased by planting young cuttings
under hand-glasses in Spring, which soon strike root,
and make flowering plants the same season; there are
now several handsome hybrid productions between the
various species in the gardens and nurseries.
For the derivation of the generic name, see folio 7
of the present series.
1. One of the lower leaves. 2. Calyx showing its long slender teeth or segments.
3. Tube of the Corolla spread open, showing the insertion of the 5 Stamens.
4. Ovarium terminated by the Style and three-cleft Stigma.