


OF ORNAMENTAL EXOTIC PLANTS, 67 
‘Sussecr. 2.—Petals of one colour. Stems shrubby, fleshy. 
5.—PELARGONIUM ZONALE Willd. THE HORSE-SHOE PELARGONIUM. 
Synonyme.—Geranium zonale Lin. toothed, zonate above. Peduncles many-flowered. Petals wedge- 
Eneravine.— Our fig. 5, in Pl. 15. shaped. (G. Don.) 
Sprciric Cuaracter.—Leaves cordate, orbicular, obsoletely lobed, 
Description, &c.—The Horse-shoe Pelargonium is so called in reference to a dark mark on its leaves, some- 
what in the shape of a horse-shoe: its flowers are of a brilliant scarlet. It is a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope, whence it was introduced in 1710; and when kept in a greenhouse, or room, it will continue in flower from 
April till December. Under favourable circumstances, it will form a shrub from three to six feet high, particularly 
if trained against a wall. Under other circumstances, it may be planted out in flower-beds, where it is highly 
ornamental, from its masses of bright scarlet flowers. The plant ripens seeds freely, and it may be propagated 
easily by cuttings. 
OTHER SPECIES BELONGING TO SECT. XI. 
P. INQUINANS Att. 
This species differs very little from the last in the flowers, but it is easily known by the leaves, which have no 
black mark upon them, and are covered with a soft down. The juice from the stem, when cut, will also stain the 
fingers of a brownish colour, and turn a steel knife black. A great many hybrids have been raised between this 
and the common horse-shoe, the flowers of which are of various shades of crimson and scarlet, and which bear the 
names of the places at which they have been raised. The Variegated-leaved Pelargonium, the leaves of which are 
not only white round the edge, but curved and wrinkled, is supposed to be a variety of this species; but the 
flowers, which are small, and of a pale crimson, are very inferior in beauty. All the scarlet-flowered Pelargoniums 
were introduced nearly about the same time, viz. from 1710 to 1714, but the hybrids from them have been 
raised at different times, and fresh ones are still continuing to be raised by those gardeners who take an interest 
in such matters. 
There are several other species and varieties in this section, but they are seldom seen in British greenhouses. 
SECT. XII.—POLYACTIUM. 
There is only one species in this division (P. multiradiatum). It has a tuberous root, and nearly black 
flowers, which are produced in such abundance that each umbel has from twenty to thirty. The leaves are deeply 
cut and hairy. The name given to this section signifies many-rayed, in allusion to the numerous flowers. 
SECT. XIII.—PERISTERIA. 
The species contained in this division are all herbaceous trailing plants, many of which are natives of New 
Holland, and the flowers of which are generally white spotted with red. They are all greenhouse plants, but are 
now very seldom seen in collections. Peristeria is from a Greek word, signifying a dove, in allusion to the 
leaves of some of the species bearing a resemblance to those of the common Dove’s-foot Geranium. 
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