

THE 



FLORICULTURAll CABINET, 



SEPTEMBER 1st, 1834. 



PART I. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



ARTICLE I.— On the Cultivation of Heliotrope (Helio- 

 tiopium pentfianinn). By Mr. AsHFORD. 



Perceiving that a Querist (Myrtella) in the FloricuUural 

 Cabinet, Vol.11, p. 93, solicits a little information on the culti- 

 vation of the Heliotrope, I am induced to pen the following brief 

 remarks ; at the same time assuring him that they are not mere 

 theoretic*! suppositions, but the result of long experience and 

 practical observations. 



For the instruction of the juvenile portion of your readers, and 

 Others who are interested in the study of Botany, I shall add 

 a 'liort botanical account of the plant. 



Heliotropium peruvianum, or Peruvian Turnsole, is an orna- 



mental trailer of Peru, whence it was introduced into this country 



in tin- feu 17-57. The generical name was given it by Linn^us, 



bum Helios, the sun, and trope, turning; in allusion to the flowers 



■ always turned towards the sun. Both Pliny and Diosco- 



UDBi assert the same reason as its Swedish author. The specific 



name, WltXDSVOw derived from its native country. It belongs 



Ki eha '>, order 1, Pentandria (pente, five — aner, a man, or male 



) MoOBgynia (monos; one — yyne, a woman, or female organ,) 



•f the Linmean classification of plants, and to the order Boragineae 



of BUb-ek CoroHiflara Of the .lussieuean natural arrangement 



The botanical characten of the whole genus, or generical ones, 



arulv\c|iiiii<|iielidus, or live-parted; corolla liypocrateriform, 



\>jL. 11. 2 



