Curtis Botanical Magazine Plate 276 - Blitum virgatum (Strawberry Blite) | Original Hand-Colored Print

Original hand-colored antique botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine - Plate 276, Blitum virgatum (Strawberry Blite).

• Plate: 276
• Latin name: Blitum virgatum
• Common name: Strawberry Blite
• Native region: France, Spain, Tartary
• Flowering: June to September
• Flower colour: Red
• Linnaean class / order: Monandria / Digynia
• Publication: Sep.t 1 1794
• Artist: Edwards
• Engraver: Sansom
• Medium: Original hand-colored engraving (physical print, not a reproduction)

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

[ 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 sparis lateralibus. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 53. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 9. ATRIPLEX sylvestris mori fructu. Baub. Pin. p. 519. ATRIPLEX sylvestris baccifera. Clus. Hist. cxxxv. This plant, not unfrequently met with in gardens, is known to most cultivators by the name of Strawberry Spinach; the leaves somewhat resembling those of the latter, and the fruit that of the former: C. BAUHIN likes its berries to those of the Mulberry, to which they certainly bear a greater resemblance: 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 cluster of flowers growing in the alae of the leaves are produced so many berries, of a charming red colour, to which the plant owes its beauty altogether, for the flowers are small, herbaceous, and not distinctly visible to the naked eye; they can boast however of being of the first class in the Linnaean system Monandria, to which few belong. Strawberry Blite is a hardy annual, growing spontaneously 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 produced from June to September; in their taste they have nothing to recommend them, though not pleasant 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 necessity to give any particular directions for its cultivation, as it comes up readily from seed spontaneously scattered, so much so as sometimes to prove a troublesome weed.

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.