220 Account of the Genus Dahlia. 



Georgi, an eminent Russian traveller and botanist), which 

 he retained in his other works, and in which he was followed 

 by Mons. De Candolle ; but the original name seems now 

 to be fully established, and is retained in the new edition of 

 the Hortus Kewensis, as well as by the French botanists. 



The Dahlias are natives of Mexico, where they were found 

 by Baron Humbolt, growing in sandy meadows, in the 

 province of Mechoacan, between Areo and Patzcuaro, at 

 800 or 900 toises* above the level of the sea ; from their 

 native habitats, they had been transferred to the Botanic 

 Garden at Mexico, in which, I understand, are to be found 

 both the species, and some varieties of each. 



Cavanilles, who first described this Genus, having divided 

 the plants which grew in the Royal Gardens at Madrid, into 

 three species, was followed in this division, by Mons. Thouin 

 and Mr. Salisbury, in their Memoirs, before mentioned, 

 as well as by Professor Willdenow, in his Species Plan- 

 tarum ; the species were characterised by the form of the 

 leaves, but these being found too variable to depend upon 

 solely, Professor Willdenow afterwards, in his Hortus 

 Berolinensis, took into consideration the absence or presence 

 of the glaucous covering of the stem, and on this established 

 a division of the Genus, into two species, by uniting the two 

 first of Cavanilles into one, and retaining the third of that 

 author distinct ; he still, however, made the shape of the 

 leaves constitute part of his specific description. Mons. De 

 Candolle, having ascertained that the florets of the rays of 

 the two species differed, inasmuch as those of one were 

 female, or fertile, and those of the other were neuter, or 



* The toise contains six feet. 



