241 
HOVEA CELSI. 
(CELS'S HOVEa). 
CLASS. ORDER. 
DIADELPHIA. DECANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
LEGUMINOS^. 
Generic Character — Calyx two-lipped, the upper lip half cleft, retuse, lower lip three-parted. Kee 
blunt. Stamens all connected. Legume sessile, rounded, inflated, two-seeded. Seeds covered 
with protuberances. 
Specific Character. — Plant a greenhouse shrub from two to four feet high. Leaves lanceolate, some- 
what rhomboid, Blunt, mucronate. Footstalks axillary many-flowered ; the branches, bracts, and 
calyxes, rather hairy. 
One of a g-enus of excellent greenhouse plants, all natives of New Holland, and 
furnished with alternate simple leaves, and axillary purple or blue flowers, sur- 
mounting short pedicles or footstalks. 
The accompanying coloured figure represents a species of much beauty, first 
known to our collections through Mr. Allen, nurseryman in the King's Road, who 
imported it from Monsieur Cels, of Paris ; since that it has become quite a favourite 
in our greenhouses, and is justly an esteemed and beautiful feature among the 
Australian species. 
In a flowering state it has an elegant appearance : the blue, which is the pre- 
dominating colour of the flower, being of so bright a hue, which is rendered very 
conspicuous by the lighter portion in the centre ; and even when out of flower if 
well grown it has a neat character, certainly a recommendation at all seasons. It 
flowers in general between March and July, but most frequently about the latter 
end of June. 
This species cannot be said to be easy of cultivation, but like many more of 
equal beauty from the same quarter, it requires much and well-directed care in 
potting and watering, suffering materially from both if indifferently performed. 
The soil used for them, with the greatest success, is rather sandy loam and peat 
that has a fair portion of vegetable matter and sand in it. In potting employ good 
drainage ; the best for the purpose is broken pots : after petting, let the plants 
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