306 
did so littie personally or was the inspiring cause of so much being : 
one by others. In every field of ү cultivated in his day he was 
indefatigable in his interest, The number of interesting plants which 
he was at the pains to introduce to cultiv ation through Kew was 
no doubt very great. In Aiton’s Hortus Kewensis his name is of the 
most frequent occurrence 
Two notable plants may be singled out. In 1784 he introduced the 
well-known and splendid “Sacred Bean," Nelumbium speciosum. 
This has always been cultivated since at Kew, and it is not impossible 
that the plants now grown in the gardens descend from that introduced 
` Another — plant which almost certainly preserves an un- 
broken descent at Kew is Strelitzia Begina, which Banks named in 
honour of Koss Charlotte, who was a hter of the Duke of 
Larry dum but which, dean Meu modesty, he 
wed Aiton to publish. Another species, Streditzia Augusta, may 
have been named in compliment to the Princess Augusta, mother of 
George HI. 
illiam Curtis in the third volume of the Botanical Magazine, t. 119, 
figures "Strelitzia Regine 
“Tt is well known to many мр and others, who have experienced Sir J oseph 
Banks’ well known liberality, that previous to the си of the Hortus 
Kewensis he made a new genus of this plant, which had b efore been considered as 
a species of Heliconia, 20 named it Strelitzia in honour of our most gracious 
Queen Charlotte, Блоа engravings of which, executed under his direction, he 
presented to his particular friends ; impressions of t e same plate have been given 
> the aforesaid work, in which we are informed that this slau was introduced to the 
E oyal те at Kew, by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., in the year 1773, where it lately 
owere 
He adds :— 
“Tt has not, that we know of,as yet Beige its seeds i in this country; till it does, 
ood seeds of it shall be imported, it ust remain a very scarce and dear plant, as 
or g. 
it is found to increase very slowly by its Hots Plants are said to be sold at the Cape 
for three guineas each.” 
Francis Bauer published in 1818, a work which is one of the most 
beautiful A kag Aer of his pencil. ‘Tt is entitled +— 
“ Strelitzia depicta, or coloured figures of the known species of the 
genus ти from the drawings in the Banksian library.” This is 
sometimes erroneously cited under the name of Ker. Н. B. Ker was, 
however, only the lithographe 
nks’s public эрле їп the introduction of plants was not without 
appreciation at the In the Banksian correspondence at Kew is 
noite follo И letter, Bio Shan to be the dedication of the ** Universal 
в “To JosEpu Banxs, Esq., Fellow of ће Royal Society, &c., &c. 
* Sin, 
“ Тпе publie is highly indebted to you for the indefatigable pains you have 
taken to improve the science of botany, by introducing into England the vegetable 
beauties of such rem ue climates. 
vere your name when they see the valuable productious ^ 
ы. жи па pect sed here and in E colonies, which must prove of great 
advantage to the UM of disse btn dom 
T Tournefort Seger er - e Eas + Sloane, J vineis Ray, Europe; Plumier, 
Ameriea; Adanson, Afric Sir, have surpassed all these, by traversing from 
. pole to ves in search of py w salutary plants and introducing them into these 
тш ata nd expen 
; * I am, with — respect, 
; “ Your most devoted humble PAREN 
! кора Ron, Road, Chelsea, CHARD WESTON. 
* March 1, 1775.” 
