Bouvardia flava Decne.

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1844.  [JD].  ‘The little greenhouse plant now figured was introduced into this country by M. Van Houtte, Nurseryman, Ghent, and is mentioned in his Hortus as having been published by M. Decaisne in the Flora.  It appears to be very distinct from all the species previously described, and is, we presume, a native of Mexico.  That however is not stated by the anonymous author of the Hortus Van Houtteanus.  In that work the leaves are said to be speckled with purple, a circumstance that has not come under our observation.  The flowers, however, are a clear pure yellow, and droop gracefully from their slender purple footstalks.  Our drawing was made in March last, in the Nursery of Mr. Glendinning, of Turnham Green.’  [BR f.32/1846].  FS f.38/1845.

History at Camden Park

Requested of Kew Gardens in a letter to Sir William Hooker, 11th February, 1848 [MP A2933-1, p.165].  Not recorded as arrived.  It was omitted from an amended list of desiderata sent to Sir William Hooker on 1st February, 1849, ‘as I have recently received from Loddiges many of the plants in a list of desiderata I forwarded last year.’  [MP A2933-1, p.177].  It was not included in desiderata sent to Loddiges in 1846 [MP A2933-1, p.147] and 1848 [MP A2933-1, p.172] but was on 1st February, 1849 [MP A2933-1, p.185].  Possibly not grown under this name in the gardens.

Notes