TROPTiOLUM MAJUS. GREATER INDIAN- 
Cress, or Nasturtium. 
♦ * ♦ frfr N * * * fri M H MHit- 
Clajs and Order. 
OdANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. 
Calyx l-phyllus, calcaratus. Petala 5 in aequalia. 
Baccte tres, ficcae. 
Specific Character and Synonyms. 
TROPiEOLUM majus foliis peltatis fubquinquelobis, pe- 
talis obtufis. Linn. Syjt. Vegetal . ed. 14* 
Murr. p. 357. Sp. Pl. p. 490. 
CARDAMINDUM ampliori folio et major! flore. Grande 
Capucine Ponrnef. Inji. p. 430. 
The prefent plant is a native of Peru, and is faid by Lin* 
n.&us to have been firft brought into Europe in the year 
1684; it is certainly one of the greateft ornaments the Flower 
Garden can boaft : it varies in colour, and is alfo found in 
the Nurferies with double flowers. The former, as is well 
known, is propagated by feed ; the latter by cuttings, which 
fhould be itruck on a hot-bed. To have thefe plants early, 
they fliould be raifed with other tender annuals; they ufually 
begin to flower in July, and continue bloffoming till the ap- 
proach of winter : the {talks require to be lupported, for { 
left to themfelves they trail on the ground, overfpread, and 
deftroy the neighbouring plants. 
Elizabeth Christina, one of the daughters of l* 11 *' 
N'^us, is faid to have perceived the flowers to emit fponta- 
neoufly, at certain intervals, fparks like thofe of electricity* 
vifible only in the dufk of the evening,, and which ceafe 
when total darknefs came on. 
Fne flowers have the tafte of water-crefs, with a degree 0 
iweetnefs, which that plant does not poffefs, more particular v 
refident in the {pur of the calyx or ncftary ; hence are fome- 
times ufed in falads, and hence the plant acquires its nan lC 
of Nafiurtmm. 
