Volume Ii Part 2 (1/2)

[42]

~Camellia j.a.ponica. Rose Camellia.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Monadelphia Polyandria.~

_Generic Character._

_Calyx_ imbricatus, polyphyllus: foliolis interioribus majoribus.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

CAMELLIA _j.a.ponica_ foliis acute serratis ac.u.minatis. _Lin. Syst.

Vegetab. ed. 14. p. 632._ _Thunberg Fl. j.a.pon. t. 273._

TSUBAKI _Kempfer Amoen. 850. t. 851._

ROSA chinensis. _Ed. av. 2. p. 67. t. 67._

THEA chinensis pimentae jamaicensis folio, flore roseo. _Pet. Gaz. t.

33. fig. 4._

[Ill.u.s.tration: 42]

This most beautiful tree, though long since figured and described, as may be seen by the above synonyms, was a stranger to our gardens in the time of MILLER, or at least it is not noticed in the last edition of his Dictionary.

It is a native both of China and j.a.pan.

THUNBERG, in his _Flora j.a.ponica_, describes it as growing every where in the groves and gardens of j.a.pan, where it becomes a prodigiously large and tall tree, highly esteemed by the natives for the elegance of its large and very variable blossoms, and its evergreen leaves; it is there found with single and double flowers, which also are white, red, and purple, and produced from April to October.

Representations of this flower are frequently met with in Chinese paintings.

With us, the _Camellia_ is generally treated as a stove plant, and propagated by layers; it is sometimes placed in the green-house; but it appears to us to be one of the properest plants imaginable for the conservatory. At some future time it may, perhaps, not be uncommon to treat it as a _Laurustinus_ or _Magnolia_: the high price at which it has. .h.i.therto been sold, may have prevented its being hazarded in this way.

The blossoms are of a firm texture, but apt to fall off long before they have lost their brilliancy; it therefore is a practice with some to stick such deciduous blossoms on some fresh bud, where they continue to look well for a considerable time.

PETIVER considered our plant as a species of Tea tree; future observations will probably confirm his conjecture.

[43]

~Cistus inca.n.u.s. h.o.a.ry, or Rose Cistus.~

_Cla.s.s and Order._

~Polyandria Monogynia.~