568 Mr. Sabine's Observations 



count of the Matricaria Sinetisis* is, that it was introduced from 

 China, where it is known by the name of Kiok-hoa, but that it is 

 called by the Malays Serune ; that its natural time of flowering 

 in China is May and June, which being the rainy season in 

 Amboyna, prevents the flowers from opening well, and that from 

 October to April the plant is without flowers. It is stated further, 

 that the Chinese cultivate it in pots, keeping it dwarf, and al- 

 lowing only one flower to blow, but that in their gardens it does 

 not succeed well, degenerating and perishing in two years. The 

 figure represents the leaves like those of our Chinese Chrysan- 

 themums, and the flowers double and very small. The plant is 

 described as having a small root creeping under the ground, and 

 throwing up suckers, though it is propagated by cuttings, in 

 order to obtain larger flowers. Five varieties are mentioned, 

 but the three last are said to be only known in China : the two 

 first were cultivated in India ; one of these has a white, the 

 other a yellow flower. The white grows from two feet to two 

 feet and a half high, with brittle branches, its leaves being 

 deeply cut, dark green, and underneath downy ; but the upper 

 leaves are different in shape ; the flowers globular, of the shape 

 and size of a Caltha (a Calendula), with numerous white petals 

 filling up the whole flower, except the centre, which shows a 

 small yellow disc, and smells like Chamomile. The yellow va- 

 riety is mentioned as having larger leaves, more elegantly cut, 

 being more dwarf, and with flowers larger than the former. Of 

 the three other varieties, the first was a flower similar to the two 



* There are several points in the description and history of these plants of the Her- 

 barium Amboineme that cannot possibly be applicable either to the small-flowering 

 plants supposed to have been the real Chrysanthemum Indicum of Linnaeus, or to those 

 we call the Chinese Chrysanthemums. I am disposed to suspect that some confusion 

 exists in the account, and that the characters of several plants have been mixed toge- 

 ther. 



preceding, 



