Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern (Lodd.) Hiern var. albiflora

Sinningia speciosa convariety speciosa (shortened to Sinningia speciosa here) is distinguished by slender, nodding flowers about 4cm long, solid white, violet or red, except for a band of yellow or white spotted with red inside the corolla tube.  [RHSD].  The variety alba has white flowers.

Horticultural & Botanical History

See Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern for a description of the species.  ‘The usual, or purple-flowered state of this plant has already been figured, both in the Botanical Magazine and Register.  It remains for us to give a representation of the white-flowered variety of this plant, which we believe is yet uncommon in the stoves of this country, though a pale-purple-blossomed kind is not unfrequent.’  [BM t.3206/1833].  

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [B.178/1850].  It is likely that Gloxinia alba and other varieties first listed in the 1850 catalogue were raised from seed obtained from James Carter, Florist and Seedsman of High Holborn, with whom an order for ‘separate and named’ Gloxinia seed was placed on 8th of April 1846.  The Gardeners Chronicle advertisement from which the order was taken specified 8 species of Gloxinia.

Notes

Published Sep 01, 2009 - 05:23 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2010 - 05:02 PM


Shown are the large ovate leaves and an umbel of slipper-shaped pure white flowers.  Curtis's Botanical Magazine t.3206, 1833.

Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern var. albiflora | BM t.3206/1833 | BHL

More details about Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern (Lodd.) Hiern var. albiflora
Family Gesneriaceae
Category
Region of origin

Brazil, but this form possibly of garden origin

Synonyms
  • Gloxinia speciosa Lodd. albiflora
  • Gloxinia alba Hort.
Common Name

Gloxinia, Slipper gloxinia

Name in the Camden Park Record

Gloxinia alba 

Confidence level high