200 
TROPtEOLUM moritzianum. 
The stems climb, and the petioles clasp whatever is placed for their support, in the 
usual way, and the flowers stand out on long peduncles in the same manner as 
those of T. tuberosum. 
We are told in the Botanical Magazine, that the seeds of this plant were 
presented by Mr. Lockhart, of Trinidad, to Mr. Murray, of the Glasgow Botanic 
Garden, having been collected in Cumana. The plants flowered at Glasgow, for 
the first time, in July 1840. Messrs. Young, of Epsom, obtained the species from 
that establishment last season, and flowered it in July and August of the current 
year. Our artist took the annexed figure at that time. It blooms from the axils 
of all the leaves, and a strong specimen would doubtless present a rich mass of 
verdure and flowers from the period just mentioned till the arrival of winter. 
It is stated in the work above quoted, that the plants placed in the open ground 
at Glasgow grew more vigorously, but evinced no disposition to flower ; from 
which we infer that it is like T. tuberosum , which, it is well known, does not bloom 
freely in a pot, but becomes covered with blossoms in the open air, during favour- 
able seasons. At any rate, it is highly advisable to try this experiment in the 
neighbourhood of London. 
Whether in an exposed border or a pot, it will not bear to be trained formally, 
and the proper way to support it is to place a bushy stick, on which there are 
numerous small branches, in the earth near its roots, and let it scramble over this 
in whatever direction it may take. With regard to soil, any loamy earth will be 
found suitable. The roots of the out-door specimens should be taken up in the 
autumn, and preserved from frost and damp through the winter, to be managed as 
common Dahlias in the spring ; that is, plunged in rough pots, and set in a frame 
till the weather admits of their being transplanted. It is propagated with the 
greatest ease by cuttings. 
Tropaion , a buckler, is the word from which the generic name is derived ; the 
leaves being supposed to resemble a buckler. 
