101 
CAMELLIA RETICULATA, 
(captain rowes' camellia.) 
class. ■ order. 
MONADELPHIA. POLYANDRIA, 
NATURAL ORDER. 
TERNSTRCEMIACE^. 
Generic Character — Calyx imbricated, surrounded by accessory bi'acteas or sepals. Stamens 
cobering into a tube (monadelphous). Anthers elliptical, two celled, opening lengthwise. Capsule 
furrowed, with a disseptiment (partition) in the middle of each valve, separating from the three 
angled axes when ripe. Cells one or two seeded. 
Specific Character Plant shrubby, from eight to ten feet high. Leaves stiff, oblong, acuminate, 
serrated, flat, of rather a dull colour, veins deeply sunken (reticulate). Flowers large, axillary, 
solitary, of a clear rose colour. Calyx five-leaved, slightly tinged with purple. Petals from 
seventeen to eighteen, somewhat undulated (repand, or wavy), mostly entire, carelessly arranged. 
Stamens a great deal shorter than the petals, often divided into several bundles placed opposite the 
inner petals. Ovarium silky, of a roundish form, four celled. Stigma simple. Style sometimes 
two or three parted. 
Among the many splendid species of this genus that annually beautify our 
collections by their rich blossoms, there is no one that has a more just claim to our 
admiration than the present ; so imposing- are its blossoms when fully expanded, 
that if it were not for the superior colour of its petals, and simple form of the leaves^ 
we might say it somewhat approximated in appearance to the well-known tree 
Pseonia, (Pssonia Moutan). And certainly the loosely arrang-ed and wavydisposi- 
of the petals give the blossoms of this plant a not very distant likeness to those 
of that genus. 
The common culture observed in growing that family of plants will be found to 
suit this very well ; but if any difference is necessary to be made, we should say a 
little stronger soil should be given, as it is inclined to grow somewhat stronger than 
many of the other species. For further particulars of culture, see Vol. 1, page 33. 
The generic name is given in honour of George Camelius, or Kamel, a Moravian 
Jesuit and traveller in Asia. The specific name (reticulata) is given in reference 
to the resemblance the nerves of the leaf bear to net work. 
This gaudy species of Camellia produced its blossoms, for the first time in this 
country, in the conservatory of Thomas Carey Palmer, Esq., at Bromley. 
It was brought from China by Captain Rowes, in compliment to whom its 
English name is given. 
Messrs. Lewcomb, Prince, and Co , of Exeter, kindly favoured us with the 
accompanying figure. 
