THE 
FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
September 1 , 1842. 
THE CULTURE OF ACHIMENES, 
WITH AN ENGRAVING OF A. LONGIFLORA. 
It is not often we have the opportunity of noticing a more 
beautiful plant than the one now before us, and we think the 
Horticultural Society of London extremely fortunate in being 
able to claim the enviable distinction of having introduced it. 
So fine a flower, and to be had for so little trouble, is not often 
among the recommendations of our new importations. This 
plant is native to the equinoctial parts of America, and more 
particularly Guatemala, from whence it was sent by that inde¬ 
fatigable collector Mr. Hartweg, in 1841 ; it was grown and 
flowered in the autumn of last year at the Society’s gardens, 
and from the ease with which it is increased, soon found its way 
into the collections of most good cultivators. Before proceeding 
with the management of this genus, it will be as well to explain 
the reason of the alteration in its appellation. It appears from 
Dr. Lindley, that the present name Achimenes is the original 
one given to the genus by Dr. Patrick Browne in his History of 
Jamaica, which then consisted of two species, one of which, 
coccinea, has long been a favorite inhabitant of our gardens. 
Some time after L’Heritier chose to alter the name, but without 
any apparent sufficient reason and called it Cyrilla pulchella, 
under which name it has long been familiar to almost every 
cultivator, but as it was eventually found to be very different 
from a genus already so called, (the Cyrilla of Linnaeus an eri- 
vol. in. NO. IX. 
V 
