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lylYRTUS TOMENTOSA. WOOLLY-LEAVER
MYRTLE.
Clqfs and Order,
ICOS.ANDRIA MONOGYNIA,
Generic Character.
. 5-fidus, fuperus. Petala 5 . Bacca a . f. 3 fperma.
Specific CbaraSer- and Synonyms.
MYRTUS tomentofa pedunculis unifloris, fojiis triplinerviii
fubtus tomentofis. Ait. Kew. v. 2. f. 1 59.
ARBQR finenfis canellre folio, minore, trinervi, prona partr
villofo, fruftu caryophylli aromatici majoris villL
fimiliter obdu£to. Pluk. Arnalth. 21. t. 3 72. /. j.
In the third edition of the Species Plant, of LINNAEUS,
published in 1764, thirteen Myrtles are defcribed; in the 13th
edition of the Syft. Natur. publifhed by GMELIJS; in 91, fortyT
one are enumerated; thus in twenty-feven years this genus hai
gained an acceffion of twenty-eight fpecies : moft of thefe are
natives of warm, climates, and few comparatively have been
introduced to this country, fix fpecies only being mentioned
in the Hort. Kew. of Mr. AITON, in that work the tomentofa
here figured, not known to LINN &us or MILLER is fpecifically
defcribed, and there Mr. AITON informs us that it is a native
of China, and was introduced by Mrs. NORMAN about tk
year 1766-
Since that period it has fallen into, the hands of variou
cultivators, and flowered perhaps in. greater perfection than i
did originally at Kew; the peduncles, in the various fpecimen:
we have feen ufually fupporting more than one flower.
It is a fhrub of great beauty, both in refpeQ: to its foliage
and flowers, bearing but little fimilitude to the common Myrtle,
if fuffered to grow, acquiring the height of many feet.
Its bloffoms are produced in June and July, the buds are
covered with a white down, as is alfo the underfide of the
leaves, whence its name of tomentofa.
It has been cuftomary to treat it as a ftove plant, fuch it )>
confidered in the Hort. Kew. there is great reafon however u»
believe, that it is by no means tender, and that it may fucceed
as moft of the Chinefe plants do in a good greenhoufe.
It is ufualiy increafed by cuttings which are ftruck
difficulty.
$50