Curtis Botanical - Plate 840 - Eucomis bifolia / Two-leaved Eucomis

Original hand-colored antique botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine - Plate 840, Eucomis bifolia (Two-leaved Eucomis).

• Plate: 840
• Latin name: Eucomis bifolia
• Common name: Two-leaved Eucomis
• Native region: Cape of Good Hope
• Linnaean class / order: Hexandria / Monogynia
• Publication: Mar 1, 1805
• Artist: Syd. Edwards
• Engraver: F. Sansom
• Medium: Original hand-colored engraving (physical print, not a reproduction)

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

[ 840 ]

EUCOMIS BIFOLIA. TWO-LEAVED EUCOMIS.

. . .

Class and Order.
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

Generic Character.
Cor. infera, 6-fida, persiftens, laciniis erectioribus. Stam. ferto brevi membranaceo corollae adnato connexa. Stylus apice hamato-curvatus. Germen turbinatum, alato-trilobum, membranan ftaminilegam longe superans. G. FRITILLARIA. Linn. BASILÆA. Juff. Obs. Genus MASSONIU confine; differt tubo sere nullo, germine membranum ftaminilegam longe superante, corollae laciniis nec reflexis aut recurvis; quoque habitu habens bulbum aut squamzfum ut in Lilio aut squamoso-tunicatum, tunicis crassis furfumque squarr[o-laxatis: educitur quoque hic MASSONIU umbella vel corymbus in racemium spicatum comofum aut subcomofum, sæpius etiam bractcato-folioſum. G.

Specific Character and Synonyms.
EUCOMIS bifolia, foliis geminis carnofo-coriaceic ellipticis, depreffo-lineatis recumbentibus, racemo spicato, foliofo-bractcato, parum comolo. G. EUCOMIS bifolia. Jacq. ic. rar. 2. t. 449. Coll. 4. 215. Willa. Sp. Pl. 2, 92. MELANTHIUM Maffoniefolium. Bot. Rep. tab. 368. Ubi germinis delineatio omnino fallà; a MELANTHIO tam habitu quam charactère differt, id enim genus ebrasteatum bulbo gaudens folido cum tegmine crustaceo, stigmatibus trinis, subsessilibus capfulas tres conjunctas finientibus. G. This plant is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, was introduced into our gardens by Mr. HIBBERT. Our drawing was taken at Mr. WOODFORD's in March last. Leaves two, recumbent, elliptic, flat, broad, coriaceous, rather fleshy, depressedly lineate on the upper surface, smooth beneath. Scape stipitiform, lefs than a span high, thick, succulent, somewhat clubbed. Raceme nearly sessile, spiked, many-flowered, bracteately leafy, subcomofe. Flowers subserbaceous, bractès far acuminate, patent; corolla turbinate, rather incurved, somewhat shorter than the stamens; which are ineurvedly accumbent to the germen. Style filiform, tapering, hooked at the end; stigma inconspicuous; germen turbinate, alately three-lobed, protruding far beyond the web that connects the stamens at their base. A greenhouse plant of ealy culture. G.

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.