1. A Petal with its chive.
2. A Chive, magnified.
3. The Pointal, magnified.
4. A ripe Berry.
5. The same, cut transversely.
About the year 1776, this plant was first received in England, by Messrs. Lee and Kennedy from Montreal, Canada, N. America. It is a native of all the northern parts of that country, as far as New England; propagates itself by the root, and flowers in July. It will not thrive but on a shady border, which should be made of light sandy peat.
Much we revere the name of Solander, and highly rate his merit as a Botanist; yet we cannot forbear stating our dissent from the arrangement of this plant, as a Dracæna, certainly nothing can be more dissimilar, in every part; this may be easily traced by comparing our figure and dissections, as connected with the Generic character. The whole natural habit of the plant, points out Convallaria for its genus, to which it is much nearer allied than Dracæna, even in the sexual characters. However, we only state our opinions, without even thinking of change, as the plant is known as Dracæna, having been figured and described in the First Vol. of the Kew Catalogue, page 454, under the present title.[Pg 252]
