Curtis's Botanical Magazine/Volume 15/505

by John Sims

[ 505 ]


Dianella Cærulea. Blue Dianella.

 ***************
Class and Order.

Hexandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Cal. nullus. Cor. 6-petala. Stam. receptaculo inferta. Per.
Bacca 8-locularis polysperma.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

DIANELLA cærulea; caule adscendente geniculato foliis
distichis lineari-lanceolatis carinatis margine spi-
nuloris, pedunculis rectis divaricatis.

---

This plant is a native of New Holland, and we believe was
first raised in this country from seeds from Port Jackson, about
the year 1783, by our much respected friend, the late Mr.
Cuff, of Teddington, a gentleman of great zeal and assiduity
in cultivating plants and promoting the science of Botany, to
whose liberality the Brompton Botanic Garden is indebted for
this and many other scarce and beautiful plants.

It succeeds well in the greenhouse, begins flowering about
the month of May, and continues in blossom during the greatest
part of the summer. Is readily increased by parting its roots
in the spring and should be planted in pots filled with loam
and peat earth.

The Chevalier de la Marck has given the name of Dia-
nella nemorosa to the Dracæna ensifolia of Linnæus, with
which this palnt has considerable affinity, but is certainly a
distinct species. The Dracæna nemorosa of Jacquin, figured
in his Hort. Schoenb. t. 94. appears to be different from both.

We have adopted the name by which it is known in those
collections about town which possess it.–We hope to take
another opportunity of saying something more on this genus
as distinguished from Dracæna.