Plate 276 - Blitum Virgatum

Plate 276

Publication Information

Flowering Period: June - September

Description: [ 276 ] BLITUM VIRGATUM. sTRAWBERRY BLITE. Class and Order. MONANDRIA DIGYNIA.

Generic Character
. Cal. 3-fidus. Petala o. Sem. 1. calyce baccato.

Specific Character and Synonyms
. BLITUM virgatum capitellis sparsis lateralibus. Linn. syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 53. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 7. ATRIPLEX fylveftris mori fructu. Bauh. Pin. p. 519. ATRIPLEX fylveftris baccifera. Cluf. Hist. cxxxv. This plant, not unfrequently met with in gardens, is known to most cultivators by the name of strawberry spinach ; the leaves somewhat refembling those of the latter, and the fruit that of the former: C. BAUHINE likens its berries to those of the Mulberry, to which they certainly bear a greater refemb- lance: in most of the species of this genus the calyx exhibits a very singular phenomenon, when the flowering is over, it increases in size, becomes fleshy, and finally pulpy, containing the ripe seed, which however it does not wholly envelope; thus from each clufter of flowers growing in the alae of the leaves are produced so many berries, of a charming red co- lour, to which the plant owes its beauty altogether, for the flowers are small, herbaceous, and not distinctly visible to the naked eye; they can boaft however of being of the first class in the Linnean fystem Monandria, to which few belong. strawberry Blite is a hardy annual, growing uponspontaneously in some parts of France, spain, and Tartary; is not a very old inhabitant of our gardens, Mr. AITON mentioning it as being first cultivated by Mr. MILLER in 1759. Its berries are pro- duced from June to September; in their taste they have nothing to recommend, them, though not pleafant they are harmless. CLUSIUS we believe to be the first author who gives a figure and description of it. It affects a dry soil, and open situation; in such there is no neceffity to give any particular directions for its cultivation, as it comes up readily from seed uponspontaneously scattered, so much so as sometimes to prove a troublesome weed. subscription Library N: HULL N.276

Pub by W. W. W Curtis S Geo st Geo st Geo st Geo Crescent Sep. 1. 1794 Edwards del. snfän Per


Raw OCR Text (Original)

[ 276 ] BLITUM VIRGATUM. **** sTRAWBERRY BLITE. Class and Order. **** MONANDRIA DIGYNIA. Generic Character. Cal. 3-fidus. Petala o. Sem. 1. calyce baccato. specific Character and synonyms. BLITUM virgatum capitellis sparsis lateralibus. Linn. syft. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 53. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 7. ATRIPLEX fylveftris mori fructu. Bauh. Pin. p. 519. ATRIPLEX fylveftris baccifera. Cluf. Hist. cxxxv. This plant, not unfrequently met with in gardens, is known to most cultivators by the name of strawberry spinach ; the leaves somewhat refembling those of the latter, and the fruit that of the former: C. BAUHINE likens its berries to those of the Mulberry, to which they certainly bear a greater refemb- lance: in most of the species of this genus the calyx exhibits a very singular phenomenon, when the flowering is over, it increases in size, becomes fleshy, and finally pulpy, containing the ripe seed, which however it does not wholly envelope; thus from each clufter of flowers growing in the alae of the leaves are produced so many berries, of a charming red co- lour, to which the plant owes its beauty altogether, for the flowers are small, herbaceous, and not distinctly visible to the naked eye; they can boaft however of being of the first class in the Linnean fystem Monandria, to which few belong. strawberry Blite is a hardy annual, growing uponspontaneously in some parts of France, spain, and Tartary; is not a very old inhabitant of our gardens, Mr. AITON mentioning it as being first cultivated by Mr. MILLER in 1759. Its berries are pro- duced from June to September; in their taste they have nothing to recommend, them, though not pleafant they are harmless. CLUSIUS we believe to be the first author who gives a figure and description of it. It affects a dry soil, and open situation; in such there is no neceffity to give any particular directions for its cultivation, as it comes up readily from seed uponspontaneously scattered, so much so as sometimes to prove a troublesome weed.

subfcription Library N: HULL N.276 Pub by W. W Curtis S Geo st Geo st Geo Crescent Sep. 1. 1794 Edwards del. snfän Per

Plate Period: 1792-1794 - W.J.H. becomes primary artist
Typical Artists: W Curtis, W.J.H.del
Expected Publisher: W Curtis at st Geo Crescent
Publisher Location: St. George's Crescent, London - the original publisher address for Curtis's Botanical Magazine
Provenance: Hull Subscription Library - institutional stamp from Hull's subscription library

Original botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine