Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Sinningia speciosa ‘Exquisita’

A cultivar of Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern. A Gloxinia named ‘Exquisita’ was bred and sold by James Backhouse and Son, York Nurseries.  In an advertisement in The Gardeners' Chronicle it was described as ‘pure white, with rose streak and vivid carmine blotch, larger than G. albo sanguinea. Very beautiful.’  [Gard. Chron 1849].  This plant was also reviewed in the Floricultural Cabinet [FC p.230/1849].  

Horticultural & Botanical History

Bass and Brown of Sudbury, advertising in The Gardeners' Chronicle in 1854 and 1855, described Henderson’s ‘Exquisite’ as pure white with a broad belt of puce and creamy white throat, spotted with puce.  [Gard. Chron. (1854, 1855)].  Flore des Serres figures a number of Gloxinia varieties, all of the slipper form, one of which is probably very similar to exquisita.  [FS pl. VI, p.268/1847].

History at Camden Park

We cannot be certain which of these plants was imported by Macarthur, although it was probably Backhouse’s.  James Backhouse was a friend of William and had visited Camden.  William regularly purchased plants from him.  First recorded in a handwritten entry in a copy of the 1850 catalogue held at Camden Park [CPA] and listed in the 1857 catalogue [B.186/1857].

Notes

Published Sep 04, 2009 - 05:24 PM | Last updated Aug 21, 2011 - 03:03 PM

Figured are five slipper gloxinias in various shades of white, pink and blue.  Flore des Serres pl.VI, p.268, 1847.

Sinningia speciosa varieties | FS pl.VI, p.268/1847 | CSIRO Black Mountain Library, Canberra.  'Exquisita' may well be similar to one of these.

 

Family Gesneriaceae
Category
Region of origin

Garden origin, England

Synonyms
  • Gloxinia ‘Exquisita’ 

 

Common Name

Gloxinia, Slipper gloxinia

Name in the Camden Park Record

 

  • Gloxinia exquisita  

Confidence level medium