Hexandria. ( ^'3 ) 
IMPERIAL GLORIOSA. 
T he Tulip was Gonfider’d before this Flower, the Doublenefs of which 
has in it fomething moft extraordinary, becaufe it will explain how 
Nature has performed the Wonder. The waved Edges, and the' in- 
verted Situation of the Petals in this, are all it has in Reality fo fmgular : 
Thefe are from Nature, for in the fingle State of the Plant they have the fame 
curl’d and bent Afpeft. The reft is owing to a fimple Procefs : the Double- 
nefs is formed juft as in the Tulip, but it is not quite fo perfect. There the 
Buttons are entirely loft, here there remain fome Veftiges of them ^ and tho 
but lightly, they deform the Flower. We fee a Thoufand double Tulips in 
the fame State of Imperfeaion, for one that is like that, reprefented in our 
Plate ; and on the fame Principle, in the Gardens of China, doubtlefs a per- 
fea Gloriofa might have been found : but the Gentleman who colkaed for 
nie, could not have the lame Ad v antage s as if he had undertaken the friendly 
Talk in Europe. 
Tho’ double, it produces Seeds: For the Rudiment of the Seed-veflel continues 
unhurt 5 and it is poflible thefe Remains of Antherx, or the more perfea ones, 
in fingle Flowers, near the Plant, may impregnate them. 
We have been accuftom’d to receive this Species with fingle Flowers from the 
East Indies, I have not heard of it double before this Specimen, but in any 
State it is a Plant of vaft Singularity and Elegance. It climbs among the Bulhes 
or winds itfelf round Trees. Nature has furnilhed few lb well for fupport- 
ing themfelves ; for befides that the fingle Stalk twills itfelf naturally as 
our Hops round about whatever is near it, the Leaves all terminate in fine 
long twilled Points, a Kind of Tendrils that lay hold alfo on every thing near 
them. 
Thus the Gloriofa, in the fingle State, covers whole Thickets, Ipreading over 
their Tops and falling down again every where before and among the Branches. 
In that State, the Flower is made of fix Petals, as the Tulip, and there 
rife from the Bafe of it fix Filaments. In this peculiar Form of Doublenefs, 
the Filaments have become broad and form’d themfelves into other Petals j and 
afterwards have fplit flatwife as in that Flower when fully double j and this in 
the fame Manner has Eighteen of them. 
The Chinese boaft they produce this Change by Art; and without Exception 
they are good Gardeners : but probably the firft came from Nature. We fee 
double Ranunculus’s and Anemones rife from Seed with the fingle, and double 
Tulips, appear in thofe Beds where only fingle ones were planted. Nature 
does fomething in this which does not fail under the Examination of our Senfes, 
but we fee the EfiTecR. Probably they who inG6/Wfaw the firft Tendency to 
Doublenefs in a Gloriofa, gave the Plant a more careful Culture. If they have 
an abfolute Art beyond this, it is one we fhould be very happy to acquire. 
This, as the Plants with double Flowers in the preceding Inftances, is lower 
than the fingle Kind, it winds among their Rocks, but five Feet is its ufual 
Height, the Root is tuberous. 
Gloriofa Lin, Superb Lilly vulgo. 
M E- 
