from a light pink, or rose colour, to a dark purple, with
a yellow spot at the base. Stamens numerous, from 150
to 200, overtopping the stigma: filaments slender,
smooth, pale yellow: anthers 2-celled, attached to the
filament by their back: pollen bright orange-colour.
Germen thickly clothed with long closely-pressed silky
hairs. Style smooth, slightly curved. Stigma capitate,
slightly 5-furrowed, granular.
The present is one of the commonest species in all
the Nurseries about London, where it is sold under several
different names, and generally for C. salvifolius,
which is a white flowered species, but resembles the
present plant a little in habit: there is a good characteristic
figure of the present plant in Duhamel’s work
above quoted, and we have seen fine specimens of it in
Mr. Lambert’s Herbarium, that were received from
Crete under the name of C. creticus; but it is very different
from C. creticus of Jacquin, and the Flora Graeca,
a plant that we have not yet met with in any collection;
and which, if any of our Subscribers possess, we should
feel much obliged for an opportunity of giving a figure
of it: it probably still exists in the Botanic Garden
at Oxford.
The present forms a snug compact bush, and continues
to produce its flowers in succession for a length
of time; the flowers vary in colour, from a pale lilac to
a dark purple, and vei'y much even on the same plant
at different times. M. Decandolle’s variety virescens we
have not yet met with. If planted on rock-work, or in the
open borders, it will require to be covered with a mat,
or some other covering, in severe frosty weather, as it is
a native of the South of Europe; but it will succeed
very wrell through a mild Winter without the least protection
: it thrives best in rather a dry situation, as too
much moisture is apt to rot its roots; it also succeeds
well in pots in a light sandy soil, when it can be preserved
in frames in Winter. Cuttings of it strike root
freely, if planted under hand-glasses in August or September
; it may also be raised from seeds, which ripen
plentifully.