Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Sinningia speciosa ‘Albo-sanguinea’

A cultivar of Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern. A number of nurseries, including James Backhouse, the breeder, were offering Gloxinia albo sanguinea for sale in The Gardeners' Chronicle of 1849.  The name suggests that it is a hybrid between Sinningia speciosa ‘Albiflora’, which see, and an unidentified cultivar called ‘Sanguinea’, red in colour.  

Horticultural & Botanical History

Paxton's Dictionary lists Gloxinia albo coccinea, a hybrid with white and scarlet flowers, introduced in 1847 and probably very similar.  Gloxinia albo-sanguinea Hort. was one of seven Gloxinias listed in the Hortus Spaarnbergensis, published in Amsterdam in 1849.  I have found no other references and no description.  Fitch illustrated a number of Gloxinia cultivars for the Floral Magazine in 1861 and 1862 [Floral Magazine vols. 1 & 2/1861-62].  The red and white forms figured in 1861 and shown here are probably very similar to the varieties ‘Albo-sanguinea’ and ‘Albo-sanguinea Superba’, which see.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [B.179/1850].  Obtained from Kew Gardens, brought out from England by Captain P. P. King in 1849.  In the confirmatory list sent by Macarthur to King it is marked with a ‘o’, meaning new to the colony.  [ML A1980-3].  It was also requested of James Backhouse on 1st February, 1849 but not recorded as received.  [MP A2933-1 p.183].

Notes

See also Sinningia speciosa Exquisita.

Published Sep 02, 2009 - 04:38 PM | Last updated Aug 21, 2011 - 05:20 PM

Four gloxinias are figured, a white slipper form and three pink or pink and white.  Floral Magazine, 1861.

Fitch (Floral Magazine), 1861.  Early Florist's gloxinias.  The red and white forms are probably very similar to the variety ‘Albo-sanguinea’ or ‘Albo-sanguinea Superba’.

 

Family Gesneriaceae
Category
Region of origin

Garden origin, England

Synonyms
  • Gloxinia albo-sanguinea Hort.

 

Common Name

Gloxinia

Name in the Camden Park Record

Gloxinia albo-sanguinea

 

Confidence level medium