Asclepias foliis candidis, obovato-oblongis; petiolis brevissimis; laciniis corollæ reflexis.
Swallow-wort with whitened leaves, between inversely egg-shaped and oblong; foot-stalks very short; segments of the blossom reflexed.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement.
2. The Chives and Pointal, natural size.
3. The Chives and Pointal, without the five outer scales or honey-cups, magnified.
4. One of the outer scales, magnified.
5. One of the inner, upright scales, which surround the seed-buds, magnified.
6. The Seed-buds, Shafts and Summit, with the chives attached to the summit, magnified.
The Gigantic Swallow-wort, a native of the East Indies, is a very tender hot-house plant; is very subject to lose its leaves in winter, and requires the assistance of the bark-bed to keep it in perfection. In the Kew Catalogue, it is said to have been cultivated so long ago as the year 1690, at the Royal Gardens, Hampton Court. To render it vigorous and flourishing, it should be planted in rich earth; composed of, one half rotten dung, and the other leaf mould and loam; and watered but sparingly in winter. It is seldom propagated but from seeds, which are frequently procured from the East, and as often from the West Indies. In the island of Jamaica, it is known by the name of the Auricula tree, where it attains to the height of six or seven feet. Our drawing was taken from a most magnificent specimen, obligingly sent us by Mrs. Methuen, (of which our figure represents but a small side bunch), measuring above a foot in diameter. The plant, we believe the finest in England, is in the collection of Paul Methuen, Esq. Corsham, Wilts.