217 
CLERODENDRUM SPECIOSISSIMUM. 
(beautiful scarlet clerodendrum.) 
CLASS. order. 
DIDYNAMIA. ANGIOSPERMIA. 
natural order. 
VERBENACEtE. 
Generic Character Calyx five-toothed, bell-shaped. Corolla cylindrical. Limb five-parted, spread- 
ing. Stamens four, very long, shooting from between the lobes of the limb. , Fruit drupaceous, 
four seeded, with a one-seeded nut. 
Specific Character. — Plants a branching shrub, about four feet high. Stem erect, compressed nearly 
square, slightly furrowed, covered with very minute pubescence : leaf-stalk long, also pubescent, some- 
thing swollen at the base. Leaves cordate and pointed, margin crenate, vipper surface of a dai'k green, 
under much paler, clothed on both sides with minute hairs; veining conspicuous. Flowers produced 
in large spreading terminal panicles, of a vivid scarlet colour, each averaging two inches in length. 
This is one of the finest plants we have had the good fortune to fig-ure ; it is far 
superior in beauty to any of the fine family to which it belongs. The colours 
are so brilliant that the representation here made falls considerably short of doing- 
it justice ; indeed it is beyond the reach of the artist to give a faithful likeness of 
its colours. Being- a plant of easy culture, no collection, however small, ought to 
be without it. 
Messrs. Leucombe, Pince, and Co., of the Exeter Nursery, received the plant from 
Belgium last year ; it flowered profusely in their nursery in August and September. 
To these gentlemen we are indebted for the opportunity of giving publicity to one 
of the finest plants we have seen for a considerable time. 
A plant received at Chatsworth in September, from Messrs. Leucombe, Pince, 
and Co., is now, Oct. 20, coming- beautifully into flower. 
The following- particulars respecting this species, we received, some days back, 
from Messrs. Leucombe, Pince, and Co. " The Clerodendrum speciosissimum may 
be looked upon as one of the greatest acquisitions to our ornamental conservatory, 
and summer border plants, that has yet been introduced. The plant which furnished 
the sample of your drawing, is in the house, but we have also a very fine one 
planted out in the open border: the plant in the house we have treated with a tem- 
perature of from sixty-five to seventy-five degrees, with a plentiful supply of water : 
VOL. III.. — NO. XXXIV. I F 
