Ardisia paniculata Roxb.

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1818.  [JD].  ‘Newly introduced from the East Indies, and now in flower at the Comtesse des Vandes’s botanical garden, Bayswater, for the first time in this country.  It requires to be cultivated in the hothouse.’  [BR f.638/1822]. ‘This species of Ardisia is probably the finest of the whole genus, growing into a small tree, with large reflexed foliage, and bearing oval-shaped panicles of rose-coloured flowers at the extremities of the branches.  These remain a long time in bud, and are perhaps handsomer in that state than when the flowers are fully expanded, being of a more intense colour before, than after, expansion.  Like most of the genus, as we are informed by Dr. Roxburgh, it continues covered for a great part of the year with blossom and fruit at the same time.’  [BM t.2364/1822].

History at Camden Park

The only reference is a handwritten note in a copy of the 1850 catalogue in the Mitchell Library collection, inscribed on the front Wm. Macarthur, 23rd. Dec. 1854.  [ML635.9m].  It is almost certain that this plant was in the garden at this time but it was not listed in the 1857 edition of the catalogue and may have been short lived.  A perhaps more likely identification of Macarthur’s Ardisia colorata is Ardisia colorata Roxb. which see.

Notes