52 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
GENUS II. 
GODETIA, Spach. THE GODETIA. 
Lin. Syst. OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Limb of the calyx reflexed. Capsule opening at the angles. Placenta persistent. Stamens all alike. Chalaza of the 
seed crowned round the margin by a fringe.— {Spach.) 
Description, &c.— This new genus, as we have already observed, we have followed Dr. Lindley in adopting. 
It contains all the species with purple flowers, which Dr. Lindley informs us will not mix with the yellow- 
flowered kinds so as to form hybrids. The two kinds are indeed obviously distinct to the unbotanical observer, 
not only from the difference in the colour of their flowers, but from the circumstance of the purple kinds not 
closing up their petals in the sunshine, and thus forfeiting all title to the name of Evening Primrose. The 
botanical difference is, as we before observed, so minute as to be only perceivable by the aid of a powerful 
microscope. 
1.—GODETIA PURPUREA. THE PURPLE GODETIA. 
Synonymes. — (Enothera purpurea, Curtis. CE. humilis, Don. 
Godetia Willdcnowiana, Spach. 
Engraving. —Bot. Mag. t. 352. 
Specific Character. —Plant glauccscent. Leaves lanceolate, atte¬ 
nuated at both ends, bluntish; tube of calyx short. Petals obovate, 
crenulated. Stamens and pistil exserted, much shorter than the corolla. 
Lobes of stigma thick, short, dark purple. Anthers yellow. Capsule 
ovate, triquetrous, sessile, angular, pilose. Seeds irregularly angular, 
and covered with dots rvhen examined with a lens.—(G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —This species grows to the height of two feet; its leaves are of a very glaucous or bluish 
green, and its flowers of a reddish purple. It is also remarkable for the reddish hue of its stems, and the very 
dark purple of the lobes of its stigma. It is a native of the north-west coast of North America, whence the seeds 
were sent to Kew, in 1791. It has always been a favourite in our gardens, and is yet perhaps more common 
than any of the other purple-flowered kinds. Its seeds are to be procured in every seed-shop ; and they should 
be sown in March, April, or May, according to the time they are wanted to flower. Perhaps the best time to 
sow them is in April, or the beginning of May, in which case they will flower in June or July, according to the 
warmth of the season, or the nature of the situation. It may be observed that, though seeds sown in March will 
certainly be earlier in flower than those sown in April or May, the difference will not be equal to the difference 
in the time of sowing; that is to say, seeds sown a month earlier will not be in flower more than a fortnight 
earlier, and in some cases not so much. All tire Godetias require a dry soil, not too rich ; and indeed the poorer 
the soil is, the brighter will be the colours of the flowers—though if it be very poor, the foliage will not be good. 
The seeds may be sown in the manner directed for those of Flos Adonis , but not too thin, as many of the seeds are 
always bad ; and besides they are frequently destroyed by insects. When they come up they should be thinned 
out, so as to leave about five or six plants in every patch of six inches in diameter ; and the plants taken out may 
be transplanted. 
