GEUM Quellyon.
Reading edition
Chili Avens.
Class and Order.—Icosandria Polygnia.
Syn. Geum Quellyon. Sweet's B. F. G. p. 292.
— Geum Coccinium. Bot. Reg. 1088.
Root fibrous—radical leaves growing in a tuft, large, lobed, lyrate, interruptedly pinnate, terminal leaflet cordate, margin dentate; side leaflets numerous, sessile, becoming smaller to the base—cauline leaves sessile, pinnatifed—flowers stem radical, erect, branching—stipules ovate, acute—peduncles leafy—flowers terminal—calyx five segments, reflexed, acute—petals five, bright scarlet, nearly round, emarginate, obtuse—stamens numerous—radiated filaments inserted in the tube of the calyx, anthers yellow, styles many, germen superior—whole plant hairy.
This beautiful plant is a very valuable acquisition to our flower borders, from the brilliancy of its colour, and affording a continued succession of flowers. Mr. Sweet, and some of the Continental Botanists consider the specific name "Coccineum," which has been applied to it, as confusing it with the plant known by that name in the "Flora Græca," which, it is supposed, has never been introduced into this country, it appears of much lower growth than the one now figured, with orange flowers, and the terminal leaflet a great deal larger. The species before us is a native of Chili, where it is called "Quellyon" by the inhabitants, who use the root for medicinal purposes. It is a plant of easy cultivation, growing in any common garden soil, and is readily increased by seeds or parting the roots; introduced into this country about the year 1826. There are only two other species worth attention for the flower garden.
G. montanum.
— atlanticum.
Pl. 30.
Plate 31. Verbena chamædryfolia. Drawn from Nature by M.R. Engraved by R. Havell Junr.