42 



TRADESCANTIA tumida. 



Gouty-jointed Spiderwort. 



HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 

 Nat. Ord. COMMELINACE^. 



TRADESCANTIA. Botanical Register, vol. \i.foL 482. 



T. tumida; caulis erecti pilosi internodiis tumidis, foliis vix vaginatis oblongis 

 revolutis convexis margine et infra pilosis, umbellis sessilibus axillaribus 

 et terminalibus multifloris, sepalis pilosis, petalis ovatis concavis mox 

 convexis. 



A Mexican half-hardy herbaceous plant, raised in the 

 garden of the Horticultural Society, where the accompanying 

 figure was made in September, 1839. 



When young its leaves are purple on the under side ; but 

 this colour is afterwards lost, and they become a very deep 

 green. Their peculiar rolled-back direction, and the tumid 

 joints by which they are separated, gives this species a very 

 unusual appearance, and appears to separate it from TV. 

 Humboldtiana, with which it otherwise seems to agree in 

 many respects, so far as can be ascertained from the descrip- 

 tion that has been published of that species. 



It is a greenhouse perennial of the most easy cultivation, 

 having the same habits as the hardy species common in every 

 garden. It grows freely in sandy loam, but is very apt to 

 suffer from much wet or damp in winter. Like the other 

 species of the genus it is readily multiplied, either by cuttings, 

 layers, or seed. 



The following account of the Tradescants, after whom the 

 genus is named, was given by the late Sir James Smith. 



" John Tradescant, one of the fathers of natural history in 

 England, having been the first who made any considerable 

 collection of natural productions, as well as one of the earliest 

 cultivators of exotic plants in this country, is reported by 

 Anthony Wood to have been a Dutchman. His name never- 

 theless appears to be English, and was originally of two 

 syllables, 7Va(ie-scant, though it subsequently became Tra- 

 des-cant, as appears from a line m his family epitaph, 



* • beneath this stone, 



Lies John Tradescant, grandsire, father, son.' 



