Herbaceous Plants
A division of the Camden Park catalogues that is poorly defined. Annuals and perennial herbs were included here. This is retained but Annuals are also separately identified.
Aeschynanthus pulchra G.Don var. majus
See Aeschynanthus pulchra G.Don for a description of the type. Probably a variety of Aeschynanthus pulchra with larger flowers. I have found no specific reference to this variety.
Aeschynanthus ramosissima Wall. ex R.Br.
Generally regarded as synonymous with Aeschynanthus parasiticus (Roxb.) Wallich. which see for a description. The Gardeners Chronicle described A. ramosissimus as resembling A. grandiflora (A. parasiticus), but not such a strong grower and with a tendency to branch more than the type. [Gard. Chron. 1841].
Aeschynanthus volubilis Jack
Frost-tender twining shrub with oval leaves and crimson flowers, sometimes born on axillary branchlets. [Don].
Ageratum houstonianum Mill. var. caeruleum
The wild type is a short-lived perennial, a somewhat untidy plant with blue flowers. To 60cm. It is mostly grown as an annual, with most cultivars being compact, mound-forming plants, 15-30cm tall, with numerous small, rounded flower clusters in shades of blue, red and white in summer. [RHSE, Hortus].
Aloe haworthioides Baker
Aloe haworthioides Baker is a frost tender, stemless, suckering succulent with rosettes of lance-shaped, fleshy, grey-green leaves with white marginal teeth, to 6cm long, suffused with red in drought, and terminal racemes, to 30cm long, of tubular orange flowers in summer. To 6cm. [RHSE].
Alonsoa bicolor Hort.
Identification uncertain, but probably a variety of one of the species grown at this time. Paxton’s Dictionary lists five species, all from south America, all with scarlet flowers: acutifolia (1790), caulialata (1823), incisifolia [warscewiczii] (1795), linearis (1790), together with the hybrid intermedia. The latter was figured in Loddiges’ Botanical Cabinet in 1828, but Macarthur is likely to have used this name rather than bicolor if this is the correct identification.
Alonsoa Jerrises Hort.
Identification uncertain, but probably a variety of one of the species grown at this time. Paxton’s Dictionary lists five species, all from south America, all with scarlet flowers: acutifolia (1790), caulialata (1823), incisifolia [warscewiczii] (1795), linearis (1790), together with the hybrid intermedia. The latter was figured in Loddiges’ Botanical Cabinet in 1828, but Macarthur is likely to have used this name rather than Jerrisses if this is the correct identification.
Althaea officinalis L.
Fully hardy summer flowering perennial with pale rose to lilac-pink flowers, like a shorter growing Hollyhock. To 2m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Althaea rosea (L.) Cav.
Biennial or perennial with lobed leaves and tall spikes, to 3m or more, of large single or double flowers, to 12cm across, in shades of red, white and purple. Ancient garden plant, single and double varieties grown in European gardens since at least the 16th century. [RHSD, Hortus].
Amberboa moschata (L.) DC.
Fully hardy annual with scented, fringed flower heads, resembling large corn-flowers, in white, yellow, pink or purple, in spring and summer. To 60cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Amicia zygomeris DC.
Frost-hardy, woody-based perennial with mid-green leaves, consisting of 2 pairs of heart-shaped leaflets and racemes of 3-10 pea-like yellow flowers with purple keels in autumn. To 2.2m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Anagallis arvensis L.f. var. azurea Hyl.
Annual prostrate herb, quite variable, the flowers of azurea being presumably blue. Probably similar to the variety caerulea. [RHSD, Hortus].
Anagallis linifolia ‘Breweri’
A cultivar of Anagallis linifolia L. Woody annual, to 45cm, with usually blue flowers, red beneath. [RHSD. Hortus]. The variety breweri has red flowers [RHSD]. However, this is at odds with the Floricultural Cabinet of 1850 which describes the flowers as ‘a fine large blue.’ [FC p.131/1850]. See also Anagallis linifolia ‘Splendens’ in which a red flowered form is depicted.
Anagallis linifolia ‘Splendens’
A cultivar of Anagallis linifolia L. Woody annual, to 45cm, with usually blue flowers, red beneath. [RHSD. Hortus].
Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.
Tender herbaceous perennial with a dense rosette of up to 50 leaves. up to 1.5m long, the cone-like inflorescence becoming a swollen fruit, to 30cm long, the well known pineapple. [RHSD, Hortus].
