Representations of this flower are frequently met with in Chinese paintings.

With us, the Camellia is generally treated as a stove plant, and propagated by layers; it is sometimes placed in the green-house; but it appears to us to be one of the properest plants imaginable for the conservatory.  At some future time it may, perhaps, not be uncommon to treat it as a Laurustinus or Magnolia:  the high price at which it has hitherto been sold, may have prevented its being hazarded in this way.

The blossoms are of a firm texture, but apt to fall off long before they have lost their brilliancy; it therefore is a practice with some to stick such deciduous blossoms on some fresh bud, where they continue to look well for a considerable time.

PETIVER considered our plant as a species of Tea tree; future observations will probably confirm his conjecture.

[43]

Cistus incanus.  Hoary, or Rose Cistus.

Class and Order.

Polyandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla 5-petala. Calyx 5-phyllus, foliolis duobus minoribus. Capsula.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

CISTUS incanus arborescens exstipulatus, foliis spatulatis tomentosis rugosis inferioribus basi connatis vaginantibus. Lin.  Syst.  Vegetab. p. 497.

CISTUS mas angustifolius. Bauh.  Pin. 464.

[Illustration:  43]

Few plants are more admired than the Cistus tribe; they have indeed one imperfection, their petals soon fall off:  this however is the less to be regretted, as they in general have a great profusion of flower-buds, whence their loss is daily supplied.  They are, for the most part, inhabitants of warm climates, and affect dry, sheltered, though not shady, situations.

The present species is a native of Spain, and the south of France, and being liable to be killed by the severity of our winters, is generally kept with green-house plants.

It may be propagated either by seeds, or cuttings; the former make the best plants.

[44]

Cyclamen persicum.  Persian Cyclamen.

Class and Order.

Pentandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla rotata, reflexa, tubo brevissimo:  fauce prominente. Bacca tecta capsula.

Specific Character.

CYCLAMEN persicum foliis cordatis serratis. Miller’s Dict. 4to. ed. 6.

[Illustration:  44]

LINNAEUS in this, as in many other genera, certainly makes too few species, having only two; MILLER, on the contrary, is perhaps too profuse in his number, making eight.  The ascertaining the precise limits of species, and variety, in plants that have been for a great length of time objects of culture, is often attended with difficulties scarcely to be surmounted, is indeed a Gordian Knot to Botanists.