12 Erythrina herbacea.
The drawing and description of this plant were made from a fine
specimen which flowered at Bartram’s botanic garden this summer.
The spikes were luxuriant, and the flowers numerous, forming a full
florescence of more than a foot in length, at one time. The corollas
were fugagious, and fell rapidly as the spike flowered towards its
apex. The root of this plant is as large as a yam, and irregularly
tuberous. Being a native of the south, it does not bear our winters
without great care, and has hitherto, in the neighbouring gardens,
been difficultly brought to flower. Mr. Curtis mentions, that in England
it supports the winter very well in green-houses, in which it
does not always die down to the root. If in that climate it does not
often suffer under careful treatment, there does not appear any
reason why good treatment would not in the middle and northern
states, preserve it in health and vigour. And the superb appearance
it makes when reared to florescence, will amply repay the trouble
of its culture. The specimen in the green-house at Bartram’s garden,
is near four feet in height from the root to the top of the spikes.
TABLE III.
Fig. 1. The upper portion of a flowering spike,
s. A branch, with leaves.
3. The stamens, with calix and wings, and keel of the corolla.
4. A seed. (All the size of nature.)