Plants in the Hortus

Many of the plants described here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861. A large number of additional plants were identified from correspondence, gardening notebooks and other documents surviving in the archives. The Hortus attempts to describe all the plants grown in the gardens at Camden Park and those grown in horticultural enterprises such as orchards and vineyards and includes plants grown outside the gardens in the park-like environs of the Camden Park estate. The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes in the 19th century household; as ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicines, food and drink from the garden, orchard and vineyard and many others.

Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera var. dentata

For a description of the species see Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera. The variety dentata may be similar to the variety ovatus, which has smaller, toothed, leaves. [RHSD].

Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera var. longifolia Fenzl. ex Engl.

For a description of the species see Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera. ‘The species now figured [Duvaua longifolia] differs from D. dependens in its leaves not being at all serrated, and decidedly narrowed, not widened, to the base; and also in having very short corymbs of flowers. […] It is much hardier than any of the others, having stood against an exposed wall in the hard winter, 1837-8, when all the others were either killed to the ground or entirely destroyed.’ [BR f.59/1843].

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi

Frost tender, bushy large shrub or small tree with pinnate leaves, to 17cm long, composed of up to 13 leaflets, and panicles, to 15cm long, of tiny white flowers in summer and autumn, followed by red fruit. To 7m. [RHSE, Hortus].

Schizanthus pinnatus Ruiz & Pav.

Frost tender, erect annual with fern-like foliage and terminal, open cymes of tubular, flared, 2-lipped, white, yellow, pink, purple or red flowers with yellow, streaked or spotted throats, from spring to autumn. To 50cm. [RHSE, Hortus].

Schlumbergera truncata (Haw.) Moran

Frost tender, epiphytic cactus with oblong, glossy stem segments with tooth-like marginal notches and deep pink, red, orange or white flowers, to 7cm long, in autumn. To 35cm. [RHSE, Hortus].

Schotia latifolia Jacq.

Frost-tender, evergreen, domed or columnar tree with leaves composed of up to 5 pairs of leaflets, and many-branched, terminal panicles, to 13cm, of pink to red-brown flowers, followed by woody fruits, to 15cm long. To 14m. [RHSD, Hortus].

Schotia speciosa Jacq.

Frost-tender evergreen shrub or small tree, often with several stout stems, sometimes twisted, compound leaves with up to 16 pairs of leaflets, and terminal panicles of bright red or pink flowers followed by woody fruits, to 13cm long. To 6m. [RHSD, Hortus].

Schotia speciosa Jacq. var. tamarindifolia

For a brief description of the species see Schotia speciosa Jacq. Tamarindifolia is a variety of Schotia speciosa with much broader, tamarind-like leaves, composed of up to 10 pairs of bluntish, ovate leaflets. [RHSD].

Scilla amoena L.

Bulbous perennial with 4-5 flaccid leaves, to 20cm long and 3-6-flowered racemes of blue or whitish flowers on stems to 15cm. [RHSD, Hortus].

Scilla autumnalis L.

Bulbous perennial, the leaves narrow, grooved above, appearing after the flowers and persisting throughout winter, flowers nodding, reddish-purple, in autumn. To 15cm. [RHSD, Hortus].

Scilla peruviana L.

A bulbous perennial with a basal cluster of up to 15, semi-erect, lance-shaped leaves, to 60cm long, and tall, conical racemes of up to 100 star-shaped, reddish or purplish blue, sometimes white, flowers in summer. To 30cm. [RHSE, Hortus].