Curtis Botanical - Plate 258 - Coronilla varia / Purple Coronilla

Original hand-colored antique botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine - Plate 258, Coronilla varia (Purple Coronilla).

• Plate: 258
• Latin name: Coronilla varia
• Common name: Purple Coronilla
• Native region: Germany
• Flowering: June to August
• Flower colour: Purple
• Linnaean class / order: Diadelphia / Decandria
• Medium: Original hand-colored engraving (physical print, not a reproduction)

Original Curtis text
Transcribed from the plate's accompanying description page:

[ 258 ]

CORONILLA VARIA. PURPLE CORONILLA.

. . .

Class and Order.
DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

Generic Character.
Cal. 2-labiatus: ⅖: dentibus superioribus connatis. Vexillum vix alis longius. Legumen isthmis interceptum.

Specific Character and Synonyms.
CORONILLA varia herbacea, leguminibus erectis teretibus torolis numerosis, foliolis plurimis glabris. Linn. Syft. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 670. Ait. Kew. v. 3. p. 59. SECURIDACA dumetorium major, flore vario, filiquis articulatis. Barb. Pin. p. 349. SECURIDACA II. altera fpecies, flore vario. Chf. Hift. 2. ccxxxvij. The greater joynted Hatchet Vetch. Park. Theat. p. 1088. CLUSIUS, in his work above referred to, informs us that he found this plant growing wild in various parts of Germany, in meadows, fields, and by road sides; that it flowered in June, fometimes the whole fummer through, and ripened its feeds in July and Auguft; the bloffoms he found fubjected to much variation of colour, being either deep purple, whitifh, or even wholly white; CASP. BAUHIN notices another variety, in which the alae are white and the roftrum purple; this variety, which we have had the honour to receive from the Earl of EGREMONT is the moft defirable one to cultivate in gardens, as it is more ornamental than the one wholly purple, molt commonly met with in the nurseries, and correfponds alfo better with its name of varia; it is to be noted however that this variety of colour exifts only in the young bloffoms.

The Coronilla varia is a hardy, perennial, herbaceous plant, climbing, if fupported, to the height of four or five feet, otherwife fpreading widely on the ground, and frequently injuring lefs robust plants growing near it; on this account, as well as from its having powerfully creeping roots whereby it greatly increafes, though a pretty plant, and flowering during moft of the fummer, it is not to be introduced without caution, and is rather to be placed in the fhrubbery, or outfkirts of the garden, than in the flower border. It will grow in any foil or fituation, but bloffoms and feeds moft freely in a foil moderately dry. PARKINSON in his Theater of Plants, mentions its being cultivated, as an ornamental plant. Ait. Kew. Its bittermels, will be an objection to its being cultivated for the ufe of cattle, for which purpofe it has been recommended.

This print comes from our Curtis archive (via the Royal Horticultural Society and Wheldon & Wesley). Sold as an original historic plate - please review photos for condition.