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quetrous, glabrous. Stigma of 3 short awl-shaped recurved
teeth. Fruit a black juicy berry, covered with a bluish
bloom, composed of 3, or from abortion, of a single monospermous
carpels, nearly spherical, smooth and even, resembling
in appearance, the Zante grape, and having an
agreeable sweet taste. Testa cartilaginous, white. Embryo
small, white. Cotyledons round, compressed.
This highly interesting plant is frequent in the countries
bordering on the Rio de la Plata, where it was discovered
by Commerson, and has been noticed by many other botanists
since, but it was not until its recent introduction to the
British Gardens that the peculiarities of its structure have
become known, which has determined its claims to be
regarded as the type of a new genus. The most remarkable
peculiarity is in the nature of its fruit, which is a black,
juicy berry, not unlike, both in appearance and flavour, the
Zante grape. Besides the reduced number of its petals, a
character the importance of which I am not disposed ’to
insist much upon, the genus likewise differs in the persistent
nature and valvate aestivation of its calyx, that of Tro-
paolum being imbricate and deciduous.
I am inclined to think that Tt'opaolum dipetalum of the
Flora Perumana will prove to be a second species of this
genus, and it is possible that Tropceolurn may include the
types of other genera, when the nature of the fruit in the
different species becomes better known.
It is stated in the Garden Catalogues to have been introduced
in 1824, but this information is erroneous, the
plant having been first raised by our much-esteemed friend
Mr. Neill in 1830, from seeds collected at Buenos Ayres by
Mr. Tweedie, and it flowered for the first time in his choice
collection at Canonmills, near Edinburgh, in the Autumn
of 1832. The plant having been placed in the open border
early in the Summer of last year, it was found to thrive much
more vigorously than when retained in the greenhouse, and
in August, when our drawing was taken, it was covered
with a profusion of blossoms, and subsequently ripened its
fruit freely.
The plant thrives well in a mixture of sandy peat and
loam, and may be increased by seeds or cuttings, which last
root readily planted in pure sand, and placed in a hot-bed.
The generic name is derived from xv/ioe,juicy, and xapTroc,
a fruit, in allusion to the juicy nature of the fruit, which
forms so remarkable a peculiarity in this genus. D. Don.
- the calyx showing the insertion o f the stamens. 2 . Pistil. 3. Rine
fruit with the persistent calyx. ^
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