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here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861.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.
Dendrobium rex M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones
See Dendrobium speciosum Sm. for more detail. Dendrobium rex is the largest of the Dendrobium speciosum group with creamy yellow to bright yellow flowers and pseudobulbs to 1.8m long. Grows on trees and rocks usually. [Jones].
Dendrobium ruscifolium [Macarthur]
Unidentified species, no description.
Dendrobium schoeninum Lindl.
Half-hardy lithophytic orchid with creeping rhizomes which can grow into large masses on rocks, leaves resembling succulent grass, and branching stems, to 90cm long, bearing 1 or 2 fragrant, greenish-yellow flowers, to 3cm across, with brown-purple stripes, in spring. It is the southernmost species of dendrobe in Australia. [Jones, FNSW, Pridgeon, Beadle].
Dendrobium species unidentified
An unidentified species but possibly a form of Dendrobium kingianum Bidwill ex Lindl. which see. This is quite a variable species.
Dendrobium speciosum Sm.
A quite variable, evergreen, semi-epiphytic orchid with stout, cylindrical pseudobulbs with oblong leaves, to 25cm long, at the ends, and dense racemes, to 60cm long, of fragrant, white, cream or dull yellow flowers, to 6.5cm across, with purple markings on the lips, in spring. [RHSE, Jones, FNSW, Pridgeon].
Dendrobium teretifolium R.Br.
Frost-tender epiphytic orchid with wiry, pendulous stems, often forming large masses, cylindrical, pendulous leaves, to 65cm long, and numerous racemes bearing up to 16, fragrant, spidery, white to cream flowers, with red or purple-marked lips, in late winter and spring. [Also see Dendrobium teretifolium R.Br. variety]. [RHSD, Jones, FNSW, Pridgeon, Beadle].
Dendrobium teretifolium R.Br. variety
See Dendrobium teretifolium R.Br.for details. At least two varieties are recognised in the wild, var. teretifolium, with white, cream or yellow flowers, and var. fairfaxii, with greenish flowers.
Dendrobium tetragonum A.Cunn.
Frost-tender, variable epiphytic orchid with usually pendulous, quadrangular pseudobulbs, to 50cm long, each bearing up to 5, thin leathery leaves, and short racemes of up to nine spidery, greenish yellow flowers, with reddish markings, in spring. [RHSD, Jones, FNSW, Pridgeon, Hortus, Beadle].
Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) Nees
A deciduous, densely-tufted bamboo, the leaves lance-shaped, small in dry situations but up to 45cm long and 3cm broad under good conditions. To 17m. The young shoots are edible but it is extensively grown for its timber. [Several internet sources].
Derwentia perfoliata (R.Br.) Raf.
Frost hardy, woody-based, evergreen perennial with arching stems, paired, ovate, toothed leaves, to 5cm long, and racemes of saucer-shaped blue flowers, to 1cm across, in late summer. To 75cm. [RHSE, FNSW, Hilliers’].
Deutzia gracilis Sieb. & Zucc.
Fully hardy, bushy, erect shrub with lance-shaped, tapered leaves and upright racemes of fragrant, star-shaped flowers, to 2cm across, in spring and summer. To 1m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Deutzia scabra Thunb.
Fully hardy, upright shrub with arching shoots, peeling, pale brown bark when mature, broadly ovate leaves, and dense, upright, cylindrical panicles of star-shaped, honey-scented, white or pink-tinged flowers in summer. To 3m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Dianthus barbatus L.
Bushy, short-lived perennial, usually grown as a biennial, the clusters of small, sometimes double, often sweet-smelling flowers appearing in late spring and early summer. There are many garden cultivars in a wide range of colours. To 70cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Colonel of the Blues’
For generic information on the garden carnation see Dianthus caryophyllus L. Probably Hogg’s ‘Colonel of the Blues’ is a purple flake carnation. ‘A little deficient in colour, but good form.’ [FC p.254/1842].
Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Devonshire Hero’
For generic information on the garden carnation see Dianthus caryophyllus L. A Florists’ Carnation, but I have found no description of ‘Devonshire Hero’.
