Index    Botanical Magazine, Vol. 4 Or Flower-Garden Displayed by William Curtis

[119]

Strelitzia Reginæ. Canna-leaved Strelitzia.

Class and Order.

Pentandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

N^o119

In order that we may give our readers an opportunity of seeing a coloured representation of one of the most scarce and magnificent plants introduced into this country, we have this number deviated from our usual plan, with respect to the plates, and though in so doing we shall have the pleasure of gratifying the warm wishes of many of our readers, we are not without our apprehensions least others may not feel perfectly well satisfied; should it prove so, we wish such to rest assured that this is a deviation in which we shall very rarely indulge and never but when something uncommonly beautiful or interesting presents itself: to avoid the imputation of interested motives, we wish our readers to be apprized that the expences attendant on the present number, in consequence of such deviation, have been considerably augmented, not lowered.

It is well known to many Botanists, and others, who have experienced Sir Joseph Banks's well known liberality, that previous to the publication of the Hortus Kewensis he made a new genus of this plant, which had before been considered as a species of Heliconia, and named it Strelitzia in honour of our most gracious Queen Charlotte; coloured engravings of which, executed under his direction, he presented to his particular friends; impressions of the same plate have been given in the aforesaid work, in which we are informed that this plant was introduced to the royal garden at Kew, by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. in the year 1773, where it lately flowered—of some other plants introduced after that period from the Cape, of which it is a native, one flowered in the Pine stove of Bamber Gascoyne, Esq. several years ago, from whence Mr. Millar drew his figure, and the plant from which our drawing was made flowered this spring, in the bark stove of the garden belonging to the Apothecaries Company, at Chelsea, where it will also soon flower again.

This plant has usually been confined to the stove, where it has been placed in a pot, and plunged into the tan, as the plants in such situations usually are; it has been found that when the roots have been confined to the narrow limits of a pot, the plant has rarely or never flowered, but that when the roots have by accident extended into the rotten tan, it has readily thrown up flowering stems, the best practice therefore, not only with this, but many other plants, is to let the roots have plenty of earth to strike into. As it is a Cape plant it may perhaps be found to succeed best in the conservatory.

It has not, that we know of, as yet ripened its seeds in this country; till it does, or good seeds of it shall be imported, it must remain a very scarce and dear plant, as it is found to increase very slowly by its roots: plants are said to be sold at the Cape for Three Guineas each.