Culture of the Sweet Pea 68i 



Biirmann, in 1737, published his " Thesaurus Zeylanicus," wherein he 

 mentions: " Lathyrus Zeylanicus odorato flore amoene ex albo et rubro 

 vario, Nobis. Lathyrus Zeylanicus hirsutis flore variegato odorato Herb. 

 Hart. This plant differs from the L. odorato of Cupani only in the 

 variety of the flower, and since it has been well described and set forth 

 in Hort. Amst., part 2, p. 159, Fig. 80, we do not further describe it here, 

 since also, in addition, these plants are well known to all since they fre- 

 quently occtir in our gardens." 



Regarding the reference to Herb. Hart., Biirmann says: " Hartog, or 

 Hertog, is a herbariimi which I keep and which contains very many most 

 elegant Zeylanian plants, and was sent once by him from Zeylona to 

 Cornelius Vossus, the gardener at Leyden." Burmann did not visit 

 Ceylon, but received his specimens from others; and the early death of 

 John Hartog,* who explored the island, prevented any correction of errors. 



Linnaeus, in " Hortus Cliff ortianus," 1737, p. 368, gives the following: 



" Lathyrus pedunciilis bifloris, cirrhis diphyllis, foliis ovato-oblongis. 



" Lathyrus siculus. Rupp. jen., 210. 



" Lathyrus distoplatyphyllos hirsutis mollis, magno et peramoeno flore 

 odoro. Comm. Hort. 2, p. 159, t. 80, Boer. lugd. 2, p. 42. 



" Crescit in Sicilia. Sii nomini sides." 



Linnaeus published a work on the plants of Ceylon in 1747, but did not 

 mention the sweet pea. In his " Hortus Upsaliensis, Stockholmiae " 

 (1748) he referred to the sweet pea as follows: 



" 4 Lathyrus pedunciilis bifloris, cirrhis diphyllis, foliis ovato-oblongis, 

 leguminibus hirsutis. Hort. Cliff., 368. 



"a Lathyrus siculus. Rupp. jen., 210. 



" Lathyrus distoplatyphyllos hirsutis mollis, magno et peramoeno flore 

 odoro. Comm. Hort. 2, p. 159, t. 80. 



" /5 Lathyrus Zeylanicus. Odorato flore amoene ex albo et rubro vario. 

 Burm. Zeyl., 138. 



" Habitat: a in Sicilia; /3 in Zeylona. 



" Hospitatur in ollis annua. 



" Obf. Hacc coronaria, sauveolus, in /? vexillum rubrum alae albae carina 

 alba apice rusescente." 



From the above it will be seen that the great botanist makes two varie- 

 ties, and recognizes first the Lathyms Siculus of Boerhaave but gives the 

 name of Commelin, who adopted that of Cupani, as a synonym; second, 

 he admits the Zeylanian Lathyrus wholly on the authority of Burmann. 

 It is thought by some that the omission of this plant from his work 

 on Zeylanian plants led the botanists to call the attention of Linnaus 



* John Hartog was trained in the Leyden Garden and made a journey to Ceylon at the instigation of 

 Boerhaave and of William Sherard, Director of the Garden. He sent plants and seeds to Voss. He died 

 in the prime of life from exposure and unsuitable food. 



29 



