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CAMELLIA JAPONICA VARIEGATA,
D oub le -S trip ed Camellia.
Camellia Japónica. Var. flo re p leno variegato. B o ta n is t’s R e p o s ito ry , p i. 91.
Camellia Ja pónica Variegata, Loddig-es’s B o t. Cab . t . 329.
D o u b le -S tr ip ed Camellia, C u r tis ’s M o n o g ra p h , p i. 2.
TH E splendid variety here represented, is one of the first of the double
Camellias th a t was brought from C h in a : a p lan t of it having been imported,
in 1792, by Captain Connor, of th e Carnatic, Ea st Indiaman,
for the late John Slater, Esq. of th e In d ia House. I t is usually among
the earliest in coming into blossom, and is of a robust habit, with comparatively
strong, dark-coloured spreading branches.
The leaves are three and a h alf inches long, and two inches broad,
roundish ovate, somewhat convex, with moderately large serratures, and
a bluntish recurved p o in t; they are of a dark shining green, and have
a strong prominent pale-coloured midrib. The footstalks are short
and thick, a little flattened on the upper side, otherwise round, and of
a pale green colour.
Flower buds roundish oval, rather more than an inch long; scales
large, and nearly round, pale green, densely clothed with pubescence.
The flowers are of a fine dark rose, or red colour, irregularly
blotched with white; b u t in this respect they vary considerably, the
autumnal or early flowers being always most elegantly vai’iegatcd.
whilst those which appear in the spring, are generally plain red. They
are from three to four inches in expansion. The outer petals are each
about an inch and a half in diameter, roundish cordate, thick and fleshy
a t the base, and broad and th in a t the points and edges. They are at
first nearly flat, and evenly disposed in several rows, laid over one
above another; b u t after the flower has been some time open they
become recurved. Tlie centre petals are small and round, frequently
arranged in tufts, with a few parcels of stamina, twisted and intermixed
among them. Some flowers are particularly handsome, and as
double as a Rose, without any stamina being perceptible; others,
again, are of an irregular shape, and little more than semi-doiible,
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