This beautiful species is a native of Van Diemen’s Island,
and was raised at Mr. Mackay’s Nursery at Clapton, from seed
sent by Mr. William Baxter ; in our opinion it is one of the
handsomest species that we have yet seen* as nothing can surpass
it in beauty when covered with its gay rose-coloured flowers.
Labillardiere’s figure appears to be taken from the branch
of an old plant, which will account for the scantiness of its
foliage and flowers; and specimens from the author are preserved
in the extensive Herbarium of A. B. Lambert, Esq.
which agree precisely with his figure.
The plants of this genus succeed well in a light sandy peat
soil; or when grown large, a small proportion of light sandy
loam may be added to it; when young, they require to be kept
in small pots, and to be shifted into larger ones as they increase
in size; the pots should be well drained with potsherds broken
small, as the roots are fond of running amongst them, and the
earth will not become sodden, which it is otherwise very apt to
do; this injures the plants very much; another thing which
often proves fatal to the plants of this genus, is their being
placed in a situation where the sun shines full on them, when
set out in the open air in Summer; their roots always grow
round the pot on the inside, and they are so very small, that the
sun shining against the pot scorches them, and entirely destroys
them, and it is a chance if the plants ever recover. Young cuttings,
planted under bell-glasses in sand, root readily; the Autumn
is the best season for putting them in.
The generic name is derived from hr upon, and ««poc the
summit, from inhabiting the tops of mountains.
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