Magazine (1801) Page(s) plate 530. Includes photo(s).
Atragene Alpina, var. Austriaca.
Class and Order, Polyandra Polygynia.
Generic Character. Calyx 0, Corolla duplex petalis numerosis exterioribus majoribus.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
Atragene alpina; scandens, foliis biternatis serratis acuminatis, petalis exterioribus quaternis interioribus spathulatis. Spec. Pl. edit. Willdenow, 2. 1285.
Atragene alpina foliis duplicato-ternatis serratis, petalis exterioribus quaternis. Spec. Pl. 764. Jacq. Austr. t. 241.
Atragene clematides. Crantz. Fasc. Q. t. 5
Atragene austriaca foliis duplicato-ternatis serratis; caule fruticoso scandente. Scop. Carn. 1. 387.
Clematis alpina geranifolia. Pluk. Phyt. t. 84. f. 7 Moris. Hist. 3. s. 15. t. 2 f. ult.
Clematis cruciata alpina. Ponee Bald. 335.
The Atragene alpina from Siberia and that from Austria, if not distinct species, are certainly permanent varieties. Our plant is undoubtedly the Austrian kind, and was first introduced to this country by Mr. Loddiges, Nurseryman at Hackney, who raised it from seeds sent from Crane above fourteen years ago, and in his garden it has flowered freely for several years past, as also in some others to which it has been extended. Our figure was taken this Summer from a plant in the possession of Mrs. Wright.
The above synonyms appear to us to belong to this variety, although it is possible they may refer to more than one sort, as the authors do not in every respect agree.
It branches from the very bottom into several slender stalks several feet in length, which entwine round one another and whatever support comes in their way, where they are held fast by the footstalks of the leaves, which, after these decay, become woody, and continue to perform the office of claspers. The stalks are truly sarmentous, the internodes being perfectly naked. At equal distances of about four inches, the leaves and flowers spring from the same bud. These gemmæ are generally opposite, consist of several imbricated persistent squamæ, the centre ones larger, membranous, and of a brown colour. It may be considered as an involucrum, from the bosom of which grow usually two petioles and a peduncle bearing a solitary nodding flower. The petioles are an inch and half long, smooth, or, if examined with a lens, slightly pubescent, and divide into three branches, of which the centre one is the longest, each bearing a ternate leaf. The leaflets, as in most of the genus, are subject to vary considerably in shape, but in general the three terminal ones are distinct, ovate, acute, and more or less deeply serrated, the lateral leaflets frequently run all three into one; all are smooth, but veiny on the under side. The peduncle is longer than the leaves and straight, bearing the flower nodding and the seeds erect. In the axillæ of the petioles the new gemmæ are formed. By this arrangement, and the persistent petioles, the old knots become very large and intricate. The outer corolla consists of four large petals of a fine blue colour with a white edge, are ovate, acute, and covered on the outside, especially at the margins, with a fine down. The inner petals are in fact nothing more than enlarged barren filaments; and therefore the separation of this genus from Clematis, appears to us, in this instance at least, to be neither natural nor necessary. The plume of the seed is a bushy tail of long white hairs, but is neither fecund, as represented in Jacquin's figure, nor distich, as described by Willdenow.
It is propagated by seeds only, at least the experienced cultivator who introduced it, has not yet been able to succeeed by any other mode. It is perfectly hardy, bearing the severest frosts of our climate without injury.
