CUTHEA STRTGILLO'SA. 
COARSE-HAIRED CEPHEA. 
Class. 
nODECANDRIA. 
Order. 
MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
LYTHRACEA2. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers 
Duration. 
Introduced 
Mexico. 
15 inches. 
June, Nov. 
Perennial. 
in 1844. 
No. 1109. 
For the derivation of Cuphea, see No. 1093. 
The gaiety of this plant has far exceeded the expec- 
tations of its early possessors, for since it has been 
grown in the open ground, during summer, instead 
of being nursed under glass, its beauty and singu- 
larity, have been more fully developed. Dr. Lind- 
ley, in allusion to the peculiarity of its flowers, 
says, “ It is one of those curious productions in 
which it would seem as if the work of Nature had 
stopped before it was finished ; for instead of six 
petals, the customary number in Cuphea, it has 
invariably only two, and they are stuck on one side 
only of the calyx, giving the gay orange and scarlet 
flowers a singular appearance. These flowers look, 
moreover, much like those of a Tropaeolum, such 
as tricolorum, formed on the stem of a Lopezia ; an 
odd similarity, which may be recommended to the 
attention of the ingenious author of the Vestiges of 
the Natural History of Creation.” Bot. Reg. v. xxxii. 
Cuttings of the Cuphea strigillosa should be 
struck, after Midsummer, to receive protection dur- 
ing winter; and they may be planted in the bor- 
ders early in May. 
278 . 
