A. Bedfordianum (Bedford's). fl. yellow and red. November. l. deeply-lobed. h. 15ft. Brazil, 1838.
A. Darwini (Darwin's).†* fl. bright orange, with darker veinings, fine cupped form. April. l. large, broad. h. 4ft. Brazil, 1871. A handsome species, of good habit, equally suitable as a stove or greenhouse plant during winter, and for outdoor culture during summer months. There are a great number of garden hybrids from this.
A. globiflorum (globe-flowered). fl. solitary, large, globose, cream-coloured. November. l. on long stalks, cordate, serrate. h. 4ft. to 5ft. Mauritius, 1825.
A. igneum (bright). Synonymous with A. insigne.
A. insigne (handsome-flowered).* fl. large, purplish crimson, with dark venation, in axillary pendulous racemes; petals short, broad, much reflexed. Winter. l. large, cordate, thick, rugose. Stem deep green, with short brown hairs. h. 6ft. New Grenada, 1851. SYN. A. igneum. See Fig. 3.
A. megapotamicum (big river).†* fl. small, bell-shaped, singularly beautiful, the sepals being dark red, petals pale yellow, and stamens dark brown. Autumn and winter. l. small, pointed. h. 3ft. Rio Grande, 1864. A free-flowering species, with a graceful drooping habit; the shoots should be well pressed in during spring. SYN. A. vexillarium.
A. pæoniflorum (pæony-flowered). fl. pink, smaller than those of A. insigne, but very distinct. January. l. large, ovate. h. 6ft. Brazil, 1845.
A. pulchellum (pretty).†* fl. white, on few-flowered axillary racemes. July. l. cordate, unequally crenated, downy beneath. h. 8ft. Habit very branching. New Holland, 1824.
A. striatum (striped).* fl. orange yellow, with a thick veining of blood-red, on long curving stalks. l. large, lobed, on long slender petioles. Brazil, 1837. A free grower, and makes an excellent greenhouse plant. In sheltered positions, in the south-west of England, this species proves to be almost hardy. It requires to be freely pinched. A very continuous bloomer.
A. Thompsoni (Thompson's). fl. striated yellow, large. Summer. l. small, vine-like, richly mottled with yellow and dark green. h. 3ft. or 4ft. Habit very neat and erect.
A. venosum (veined).†* fl. orange, with red veins, very large, bell shaped, 3in. long; pedicels nearly 12in. long. July. l. large, deeply palmate. h. 10ft. This splendid species is distinguished by its unusually large flowers.
A. vexillarium (standard). Synonymous with A. megapotamicum.
A. vitifolium (vine-leaved).* fl. porcelain blue, large, cupped. May. l. cordate, five to seven lobed, assuming, towards the autumn, a fine golden hue. h. 30ft. Chili, 1837. This fine shrub, or tree, is hardy in Ireland and the south of England, but should have a protection from frost. It is not a fast grower.
The following are some of the best varieties, which, although they do not include all the newest sorts, yet afford a good selection of first-rate kinds, which will give general satisfaction. They are arranged according to their respective colours. Those marked with a dagger (†) are best for roofs and pillars.
Orange-flowered. AUREUM GLOBOSUM,* flowers deep orange, heavily red shaded, of medium size, with good form and substance; DARWINI MAJUS,* bright orange, deeply veined, extremely free, and of good form and size; FLEUR D'OR,† light orange, veined pale red, very free and dwarf; GRANDIFLORUM,* deep orange, red shaded, deeply veined with red, a robust, large-flowered variety; LEO, flowers pale below, deeper above, red-veined, of medium size; PRINCE OF ORANGE,†* a strong grower, and very free.
Ornamental-foliaged. DARWINI TESSELATUM,†* foliage mottled with yellow, invaluable for sub-tropical bedding; SELLOWIANUM MARMORATUM,* very large maple-like foliage, heavily mottled with bright yellow, a most effective variety; THOMPSONI, leaves very freely blotched with yellow; VEXILLARIUM IGNEUM,†* very free, of good habit, prettily blotched. All these ornamental-foliaged varieties are invaluable for bedding purposes.
FIG. 2. GROUP OF ABUTILONS.
Purple-coloured. EMPEROR,* flowers large, rich purple magenta shaded, habit vigorous; LOUIS VAN HOUTTE, very free, rosy purple; PURPUREA,* deep purple shaded lake, very attractive; SOUVENIR DE ST. MAURICE, flowers medium size, very profuse; VIOLET QUEEN,* bright violet purple, very distinct and free.
Red and Crimson-flowered. BRILLIANT,* flowers of good form and substance, brilliant red inside, rather paler outside, dwarf and free; CRIMSON BANNER,* rich crimson, dwarf, very floriferous; FIRE KING,* bright red, orange shaded, veined with crimson; LUSTROUS,* brilliant red crimson, large, most profusely produced, habit dwarf; NE PLUS ULTRA,* intense crimson, of excellent form; SCARLET GEM,* flowers medium sized, brilliant scarlet, habit dwarf and free.
Rose-coloured. ADMIRATION, light pink, shaded salmon, of good form and shape; ANNA CROZY,* deep pink, lilac shade, veined white, very showy; CLOCHETTE,* deep rosy pink, with crimson veins, very dwarf and free; DELICATUM, pale salmon rose, with deeper vein, flowers very large; KING OF THE ROSES,* rich deep rose, of good size and substance, habit dwarf and very free; LADY OF THE LAKE,* flowers medium sized, rich pink; LOUIS MARIGNAC, pale pink, veined white, splendid habit, a charming variety; PRINCESS MARIE,†* flowers rich rosy lake, very profuse, of excellent form; ROSÆFLORUM,†* pale salmon rose, veined with crimson.
White-flowered. BOULE DE NIEGE,†* very fine pure white flowers, the best in its class; PURITY,* very free, of good habit, and pure white; SERAPH,* dwarf, and very floriferous.
FIG. 3. FLOWER OF ABUTILON INSIGNE.
Yellow-flowered. CANARY BIRD,†* similar in habit to Boule de Niege, bright primrose, very lovely; COURONNE D'OR,* bright yellow, of the finest form and substance, very bold foliage; GOLDEN GEM, rich canary yellow, extremely free, of dwarf habit; LEMOINEI,† very fine, pale yellow, good size; QUEEN OF THE YELLOWS,* very large, lemon yellow, good substance; YELLOW PRINCE,* rich golden yellow, of medium size, very profuse.
ABYSSINIAN PRIMROSE. A common name for Primula Boveana (which see).