Thunbergia coccinea Wallich

Horticultural & Botanical History

First botanically described by Wallich in 1825 [Prodromus Florae Nepalensis p.120/1825].

‘It requires the stove, and is a climbing plant, which flowers very freely in the autumn. […] It is certainly a charming acquisition, the blossoms being particularly beautiful and striking.’  [LBC no.1195, 1827].  ‘This remarkable and beautiful plant was sent to this country nearly forty years ago, by Dr. Wallich, from the Calcutta Botanic Gardens, but owing to the great size it attains, it is seldom seen in full magnificence in our stoves. It has long been cultivated in the Royal Gardens, where it festooned for many years a great part of the gallery of the Palm House; but although it annually produced abundance of racemes, the flowers usually dropped off before expanding.  We are indebted to Mr. Veitch, of Exeter, for the specimen here figured, which he raised from seeds imported from India.’ Introduced to Britain about 1823. [BM t.5124/1859].

History at Camden Park

Desideratum to Loddiges’ nursery, 6th January 1845, together with grandiflora, fragrans, alata and ‘any other handsome sorts.’  [MP A2933-2, p.28].  This is a possible source but it did not appear in the catalogues until 1857 [H.221/1857].

Notes