a — e50 =] 
Myrtus Tomentosa. Woo.ry-Leaven ~ 
: MyrtTLe. 
Clafs and Order. 
Icosanpria Monoeynia, 
: Generic Charafer. 
Cal. 5-fidus, fuperus. Petala 5. Bacca 2. f. 3 fperma. 
Specific Charaéter and Synonyms. 7 
. MYRTUS ‘omentofa pedunculis unifloris, foliis triplinerviis 
__ fubtus tomentofis, Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 159. - 
ARBOR finenfis canellz folio minare, trinervi, prona parte 
villofo, fruétu caryophylli aromatici majoris villis 
fimiliter obdu€to, Pluk. Amalth. 21. t. 372. f.13 
In the third edition of the Species Plant. of Linnaus, 
_publifhed in 1764, thirteen Myrtles are defcribed; in the 13th 
_ edition of the Sy/t. Natur. publifhed by Gmexin in 91, forty- 
_ one are enumerated; thus in twenty-feven years this genus has 
gained an acceflion of twenty-eight fpecies: moft of thefe are 
natives of warm climates, and few comparatively have been 
-_ introduced to this country, fix fpecies only being mentioned 
_in the Hort. Kew. of Mr. Arron, in that work the ¢omentofa — 
here figured, not known to Linn.aus or Mrrter is {pecifically 
defcribed, and there Mr. Arron informs us that it is a native 
of China, and was introduced by Mrs. Norman about the 
year 1766. - se 
Since that period it has fallen into the hands of various 
_ cultivators, and flowered perhaps in greater perfeétion than it 
did originally at Kew; the peduncles, in the various {pecimens - 
we have feen ufually fupporting more than one flower. 
It is a fhrub of great beauty, both in refpe& to its foliage 
and flowers, bearing but little fimilitude to the common Myrtle, 
if fuffered to grow, acquiring the height of many feet. 
_ Its bloffoms are produced in June and July, the buds are 
covered with a white down, as is alfo the underfide of the 
leaves, whence its name of tomento/a. e 
It has been cuftomary to treat it as a ftove plant, fuch it is” 
confidered in the Hort. Kew. there is great reafon however to 
believe, that it is by no means tender, and that it may fucceed 
as moft of the Chinefe plants do in a good greenhoufe. ae 
It is ufually increafed by cuttings which are ftruck with 
difficulty. ° : eee 
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