GENERA CAMELLIA AND THEA. 343 
3. C. RETICULATA; arborea; ramulis petiolisque sericeo-pubescentibus, foliis oblongis vel 
lanceolatis, subtus reticulatis, floribus inodoris, petalis (albis vel in var. fi. pl. varie- 
gatis) rotundato-obovatis emarginatis, staminibus glabris, ovario, stylis subliberis 
capsulaque sericeis (v. s. sp. et v. c.). | 
Camellia spectabilis, Champ. in Hook. Journ. of Bot. and Kew Misc. iii. p. 310 (1851); Champ. in Trans. 
Linn. Soc. xxi. p.111 (1853); Chois. in Mém. Soc. Genève, xiv. i. p. 148 (1855); Seem. Bot. 
Herald, p. 367. t. 78. p. 432 (1857) ; Seem. in Bonplandia, vi. p. 276 (1858). 
Var. flore pleno ; fl. pleno, Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 4976 (1857) ; Van Hout. Fl. des Ser. t. 1282-3 (1857). 
C. reticulata, Lindl. Bot. Reg. t. 1078 (1827) ; Booth in Hort. Soc. Trans. vii. p. 528 (1830); Chois. in 
Mém. Soc. Genéve, xiv. i. p. 147 (1855). 
Geogr. Distr. Island of Hongkong (Eyre! Champion!). Cultivated in European gardens. 
The double state of this Camellia was first figured and described by Dr. Lindley in the 
* Botanical Register,” t. 1078, from living specimens imported from Chinese gardens, 
while the normal state (with single flowers) was entirely unknown till discovered about 
twenty years afterwards in the woods of Hongkong by Capt. Champion. The discoverer 
did not, however, recognize it as such, but mistook it for a new species, to which he gave 
the name of C. spectabilis in a paper read November 1850 before the Linnean Society, and 
published in our Transactions. Bentham enumerated it under Champion's name in his 
‘Florula Hongkongensis.’ When I went over the same ground (Bot. Herald, p. 367), I 
was struck with the great resemblance existing between C. reticulata, Lindl., and C. spec- 
labilis, Champ. ; but not having at that time good specimens for comparison, I contented 
myself with remarking, in the Supplement to my Hongkong Flora (Bot. Herald, p. 432), 
of C. spectabilis— This species is closely allied to C. reticulata, Lindl.” Afterwards I 
was fortunate enough to obtain complete specimens of C. reticulata, Lindl., through the 
kindness of my friend Mr. Edward Otto of Hamburg, and was thus enabled to establish 
(Bonplandia, vi. p. 276) the identity of C. spectabilis and C. reticulata as species: as 
varieties they are distinct : the form described by Champion, having single white flowers, 
is the normal state, while that described by Lindley, having double red flowers variegated 
with white, is the abnormal state. In a horticultural point of view, this identification is 
of some importance. Although our florists have as yet taken little notice of c. reticulata, 
we have already the two principal tints displayed by its ally the C. Japonica, viz. the 
White and the red. It therefore now behoves them to take this species In hand, and 
endeavour to raise it in horticultural eyes to a standard of perfection; for although the 
flowers of C. reticulata are destitute of that compactness peculiar to C. Japonica, and 
rather remind us of a Pæony, yet they have this in their favour, that they are of gem 
arger size than those of C. Japonica—some specimens of the double variety observ 
by Sir W. J. Hooker actually measuring 20 inches in circumference, and being the larges 
floral development as yet recorded among the Camellias. 
e puberulis, foliis ellipticis 
odoris, petalis (albis) ob- 
lanato, stylis connatis, 
4. C. SASANQUA ; fruticosa vel arborescens ; ramulis petiolisqu 
vel ovato-lanceolatis acutis, subtus subaveniis, floribus in 
cordato-emarginatis vel bilobis, staminibus glabris, ovario 
capsula pubescente. (v. s. sp. et v. ©.) 
