The botanist's repository for new and rare plants; vol. 06 [of 10]

Volume 6 — PLATE CCCCXXVI.

Reading edition

LIMODORUM TANKERVILLIÆ.

Chinese Limodorum.

CLASS XX. ORDER I.

GYNANDRIA DIANDRIA. Chives on the Pointal. Two Chives.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Nectarium monophyllum, concavum, pedicellatum, intra petalum infimum.

Nectary one-leafed, concave, on a pedicel, upon the lower petal.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.

Limodorum, floribus racemosis imberbibus. Ait. Hort. Kew. 3. 302.—Gmel. Syst. Nat. tom. 2. p. 60.

Limodorum, with beardless racemose flowers.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A miniature figure of the plant. 2.The spathe. 3.The honey-cup. 4. The parts of fructification as they stand in the plant. The upper part of the same with its lid elevated, and one chive detached and magnified.

No coloured representation of this magnificent plant within our knowledge has yet been published, either in this country or on the continent; but a large folio black print of it was given in Aiton’s Hortus Kewensis, along with the above specific character, and with the circumstance of its having been introduced into the British gardens by the late Dr. Fothergill, in the year 1778, from China; of which country it is a native. In England it requires the artificial heat of the tan-bed to make it flower, which it does annually, with good management, from the month of November to that of April. It requires rich earth, and in dry weather frequent waterings; when in bloom makes a very stately appearance, and is propagated pretty readily by parting the tubers of the roots. Our drawing was made from fine plants in the Hibbertian collection at Clapham last month.

Illustration from The botanist's repository for new and rare plants; vol. 06 [of 10]