174 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



rubs or plucks a leaf for its perfume ; or, with some species, 

 for its soft velvety surface : 



" And genteel Geranium 

 With a leaf for all that come," 



seldom fails of obtaining notice and admiration, however it 

 may be surrounded by the most curious or brilliant exotics. 



The Thick-stemmed Geranium is a very singular plant. 

 " This species," says Mr. Andrews, " was found (by Mr. 

 Antoni Pantaleo Hove, in 1785, while Botanical Collector 

 to his Majesty) near five feet high, in the bay of Angra 

 Peguena, on the south-western coast of Africa, in the 

 chasms of a white marble rock, apparently without any 

 earth ; for, on pulling up the plant, the roots were several 

 yards in length, naked, and as hard as wire ; and appeared 

 to have received nourishment solely from the moisture 

 lodged there during the rainy season, assisted by a little 

 sand drifted by the wind into the cavities. The heat was 

 so intense on these rocks as to blister the soles of the feet ; 

 and yet all the Geraniums there were in perfection, being 

 just then their flowering season, about the middle of April *. r> 



The Lance-leaved and Ivy-leaved species are extremely 

 elegant. As there are many kinds of Geranium in esti- 

 mation, and they differ in being more or less hardy, it may 

 be well to subjoin a little table of those most commonly 

 cultivated here, with these distinctions : 



The Geranium Divaricatum or Divaricated Geranium. 

 Carolinianum Carolina. 



These two are annual, should be raised in a hot-bed, kept 

 in the open air during the summer, and will then decay. 



The Maculatum or Spotted-leaved Geranium. 

 Sanguineum Blood-coloured. 



Pratense Meadow. 



Phceum Black red-flowered. 



* Andrews' Monograph, on the Genus Geranium, No. 21. 



