Hibiscus coccineus
北米南東部の湿地に自生し,寒季に上部が枯れる背の高い宿根草.大きい緋色の花が目を引き,’ Field Guide of North American Wildflower – Eastern Region’ (Audubon Society, 2001)’ でも ” It is certainly one of the loveliest of our native flowers.” と,現在の米国でも高く評価されている.
英国に生まれ米国で大きな園芸店を営んだ,トーマス・ミーハン(Thomas Meehan, 1826 - 1901)著★『合衆国原産の花とシダ』("The Native Flowers and Ferns of the United States" 1879)には,アロイス・ルンツァー(Alois Lunzer, 1840 – ??)画に基づく,モミジアオイの彩色された美しい石版画と,長文の解説とが記載されている.またHibiscus speciosus の名もあるが,H. coccineus が先行しているのでこれが正名であるとし,欧州への対抗意識が伺えて微笑ましい.
HIBISCUS COCCINEUS.
AMERICAN
SCARLET ROSE-MALLOW.
NATURAT. ORDER, MALVACEÆ
HIBISCUS COCCINEUS, Walter. — Smooth; stem
glaucous; leaves long-petioleci, five-parted to
the base, the lobes lanceolate, remotely toothed, with long-tapering entire
tips; corolla
expanding, bright scarlet ; petals long-clawed ; seeds pubescent. Stems four to
eight feet
high. Leaves six to twelve inches long. Corolla six to eight inches wide.
Column of
stamens naked below. (Chapman's Flora of
the Southern United States. See also Wood's
Class-Book of Botany)
THE natural order to which Hibiscus
coccineus belongs is
of immense value to man. Cotton, which has been
called the king of all agricultural products, in a commercial sense,
is a member of this order; and many of its other representa-
tives are also employed in textile industry. The species which
are comprised in it have a close family resemblance; or, as it
would be technically styled, the order is a very natural one.
The union of the stamens into a tube, leaving only the upper
portion of the filaments with the anthers free, the whole sur-
rounding the pistils, is eminently characteristic of Malvaceceæ ;
and although other orders, Geraniaceæ
for instance, have a
somewhat similar arrangement of stamens, there are yet certain
attendant circumstances which are always present, and which
will prevent the confusion of Malvaceæ
with any other family.
The nearest relationship in structure to Malvaceæ
is perhaps
shown by Tiliaceæ, the order to which the linden belongs; but
the difference in the general appearance of the two is so great
that even the unbotanical observer will find no difficulty in
deciding between them. It is hardly necessary to say that Mal-
vaceæ belongs to the polypetalous division of exogens ; but there
may be danger occasionally of the student's mistaking some
of the species belonging to the order for monopetalous plants,
as in many of the genera all the petals fall simultaneously.
This, however, is owing to the fact that the petals are held
together by the united mass of filaments with which they are
connected at the base. Close examination will invariably show
that they do not touch, —that they are really separate from one
another, and that therefore all the flowers belonging to the
order are indeed polypetalous. In some of the Malvaceæ: the
seeds are apparently naked, while in others they are enclosed in
a pod, and this might perhaps be looked upon as a striking dif-
ference ; but the student of morphology readily understands
that this difference is much more apparent than real, and is
of use only as a distinction by which the order can be conveniently
divided.
Our present genus, Hibiscus,
which belongs to the pod-seeded
section, forms a very important division of the family, having
more species than Malva (from which
the name Malvaceæ is
derived), or than Sida, even if the
numerous species into which
some botanists have divided this genus be allowed to stand.
The three together comprise a great part of the order.
The name Hibiscus is
regarded as of uncertain derivation
and Dr. Gray simply says it is "an old Greek and Latin name
of unknown meaning." In Latin writers we meet with Hibiscus,
Hibiscum, and Ibiscum, three terms which are evidently identi-
cal, and refer to some swamp-plant. Paxton, reasoning from the
orthography of the last of these terms, suggests that "the name
is probably derived from ibis, a
stork, because that bird is said to
eat some of the species." But according to the ancient writers
the ibis cared much more for frogs and marsh reptiles than for
vegetables, and the etymology suggested by Paxton is not there-
fore very probable. It seems more likely that the genus was
called Ibiscum, that is, literally
"with the ibis," from some species
which, like the H. pentacarpos,
inhabited marshes, and that the
name was simply intended to express the companionship of the
bird and the plant which thus dwelt together. The specific
name, coccincus, signifies "of a scarlet color," and needs no
argument to explain it.
In most European works our species is called Hibisciis spe-
ciosus, under which name it is figured in the tenth volume of
Curtis's "Botanical Magazine," and described by Aiton in
"Hortus Kewensis." Torrey and Gray have, however, shown
that the name H. coccineus, as given by T. Walter, who in 1788
published the "Flora Caroliniana," existed prior to H. spcciosus,
and in botanical nomenclature priority rules. Walter's name is
therefore in universal use by the American botanists of our
time.
Hibiscus coccincus is probably the most gorgeous of all the
plants indigenous to the United States. It is very little inferior
in the brilliant show it makes to the celebrated Chinese Rose
Hibiscus, not uncommon in our green-houses. Curtis was par-
ticularly struck by its gay appearance, and in the volume above
referred to he says : "Those who 'admire nature's clocks more
than her watches' will view, we presume, with some pleasure
our representation of this very superior species of Hibiscus, a
native of North Carolina, and cultivated here by Dr. John Foth-
ergill in 17S8." It is probable, however, that the plant was
introduced into England some time before the date just men-
tioned, for in a letter by Peter Collinson to Wm. Bartram,
dated Feb. 16, 1768, and published in Darlington's "Memorials,"
we read: "The crimson Hibiscus is a charming flower. I could
have no perfect idea of it but from thy elegant painting. Pray
desire thy father (John Bartram) to spare no pains to get us
seeds from Charleston, where I dare say it ripens seeds."
Like many other plants which are naturally found in swampy
places, the Hibiscus coccincus not only does not object to, but
indeed rather enjoys a transfer to drier locations. In the para-
graph from the "Botanical Magazine," we have read that it
grew in English gardens in the last century, although it does
not seem to be common there now. The writer of this has seen
it in the gardens of Tennessee, in common garden borders, and
in comparatively dry situations. Even in the cooler North it
does well, as shown by the specimen from which our drawing
was made. This specimen came from the Botanic Garden of
Harvard University, at Cambridge, Mass., and was kindly fur-
nished by Prof. Sargent. Some of the English writers com-
plain that the plant does not ripen its seed well in their country;
but the summers in all parts of our own territory (except
Alaska) are probably warm enough for the production of ripe
seed. The sister species of our plant, the Hibiscus
Rosa-Sinensis
of our gardens, has yielded many varieties, —yellow, orange,
crimson, and other hues, —besides double as well as single flow-
ers, and if similar attention were shown to H.
coccineus, the
florists would no doubt be rewarded by similar results.
There are no special medical virtues
attributed to our species,
nor is it of any known use in the arts, although, doubtless, it
has some useful qualities in common with other species of the
same genus. In China, the ladies, instead of priding them-
selves on the whiteness of their teeth, color them black, and the
dye which they employ for this purpose is said to be made from
the petals of the Rose Hibiscus. In all probability the petals
of our Scarlet Hibiscus possess the same property, and when
the Chinese have become numerous enough in America to cre-
ate a sufficient demand, some enterprising business man may
perhaps put this hint to practical use by establishing a "tooth-
dye" manufactory.
According to Dr.
Chapman, the Scarlet Hibiscus grows in
"deep marshes near the coast, Florida, Georgia, and westward."
Explanation of the PLATES. — 1. Fully
developed flower. — 2. Outline of leaf much
reduced. — 3. Half-mature capsule with the
involucre.
トーマス・ミーハンは英国ミドルセックス(現,ハートフォードシャー)のPotters Barに生まれ,ワイト島で育った.父親は庭師で,その影響で植物学に興味を持った.14歳の時に植物に対する記事を執筆し,
20歳の1846年から1848年まで王立植物園(キューガーデン)で働き,ウィリアム・ジャクソン・フッカー(William
Jackson Hooker, FRS, 1785 – 1865)の影響を受けた.
1848年にフィラデルフィアに旅して,アメリカ合衆国最古の植物園,バートラム庭園のオーナーである鉄道開発者のアンドリュー・M・イーストウィックのために働いた.後に独立してフィラデルフィアのジャーマンタウンで,ウィリアム・サウンダー(William Saunders, 1822 – 1900)とともに園芸商を始めた.サウンダーと別れた後,ジャーマンタウン園芸(Germantown Nurseries)を開き,1896年に,トーマス·ミーハン&サンズ(Thomas Meehan & Sons)となった.弟のジョセフ・ミーハンが1859年から会社に加わり.ミーハンの3人の息子たちも園芸家として高い技術を習得した.ミーハン家は60ヘクタールまで拡大された栽培場で植物を栽培し,70年間にわたってアメリカ合衆国やヨーロッパに植物を供給し,特に日本のカエデなどを拡めた.植物雑誌『ガーデナーズ・マンスリー』("Gardener’s Monthly", 1859 – 1888)と"Meehans' Monthly" (1891 – 1902) を編集し,当時の園芸雑誌としては最高の発行部数を誇った.5つの新聞に園芸コラムを執筆し,4巻で300以上の種の解説と彩色図をのせた『合衆国原産の花とシダ』("The Native Flowers and Ferns of the United States")を執筆した.英国の王立園芸協会(ロンドン)の名誉会員でもあった.
英国の園芸家 W. ロビンソンが創刊し 50 年以上も続いた園芸週刊誌★『ザ・ガーデン(The Garden)』の1874 年12月10日号には,米国の農業雑誌 “American Agriculturist” の編集部からの,モミジアオイ(Hibisus coccineus)をニューヨークで初めて育てたとの投稿情報と図が掲載されている.その内で,彼等は標本として長年見ていたが,今年初めて根がフロリダから届き,戸外で栽培した.残念ながら自生地の米国南部ほどの成長が望めなかったが,秋の終わりに花が咲いたとしてその図が付された.花が自生地より小さいのは乾燥と早い寒さの訪れとしているが,葉は掌状に五裂しているものの,花辧の基部が広めで,違和感がある.モミジアオイとアメリカフヨウ(H. moschoutos)との自然交雑種の可能性もある.W. ロビンソンについては,後の記事に述べた.
THE
FLOWER GARDEN.
THE ROSE MALLOWS.
(HIBISCUS.)
The Hibiscus is an ornamental genus of the
Mallow family, of which
a hardy shrubby species (H. syriacus), is known in some districts as
the Rose of Sharon, and a tender shrubby one as the Rose of China
(H. Rosa-sinensis). Most of the species are herbaceous, known as
Rose Mallows, and may be found in gardens in this country. Late
in summer the brackish marshes along American rivers are gay with
the pink Hollyhock-shaped flowers of the Swamp Rose Mallow (H.
Moschoutos) a species which does well in gardens, and is worthy of a
place there. Farther south and west, there are several other species,
all showy and desirable in large gardens ; one of these (H. grandi-
florus) has rose-coloured flowers with a deep red centre, which
are sometimes a foot across. The most brilliant of all
is the Scarlet
strictly Southern species, which
is found in marshes from the Caro-
linas, southward and westward.
We (American Agriculturist) had
long known this plant from her-
barium specimens, and were glad
to receive this spring some roots
from Florida, which enabled us to
see it growing. In its native
localities this forms stems 4 to 8
feet high, but ours only reached
the lesser height. It is very smooth
throughout, and has large long,
petioled leaves, which are parted
quite to the base in five divi-
sions ; the flowers, which are
abundantly produced from the
axils of the upper leaves, are
bright scarlet, and when growing
wild are 6 or 8 inches across. Our
plants produced flowers scarcely
more than half that size, which is
probably in part due to a severe
drought which was experienced,
and in part to the fact that the
plant does not bloom until late,
and the cool nights check its
development. By the time it is
well in flower, it will, no doubt, be
cut down by the frost, but it is so
showy a plant that it is worth
growing even if it can be enjoyed
but a short time.
★”American Agriculturist” は合衆国でAnthony Benezet Allen (1802-1892) と彼の弟,Richard Lamb Allen (1803-1869) によって 1843 年に発刊された農場・家庭・庭園に関する雑誌で,同名の雑誌は現在でも刊行されている.この雑誌の
38 巻 (1879, November) の467ページに,モミジアオイが “The Great Scarlet
Rose-Mallow” の名で正確な図と共に記載されている.
その記述のなかで筆者は「ヒビスカスの仲間では最も観賞価値の高い草本の一つであり,またこの時期の花としては最も輝かしい」と高く評価し,また「欧州では
Hibiscus speciosus とされているが,H. coccineus の方が先行しているので,この方が適切だ」として,Hibiscus speciosus は H. coccineus の異名であるとしている.
The Great Scarlet Rose-Mallow.
(Hibiscus coccineus.)
The genus Hibiscus
includes both shrubs and
herbs, and furnishes a number of showy cultivated
species; they have usually very large flowers, of
the general structure common to the Mallow Family,
the most prominent character of which is the union
of the stamens (by the filaments) into a long tube,
through which the pistils protrude ; this structure
is very distinctly seen in the single Hollyhock, and
runs with slight modifications through the whole
Family. Among the shrubby species of Hibiscus
is
H. Syriacus, or “Rose of Sharon”
(incorrectly call-
ed Althaea , which is a distinct
genus), a hardy
shrub, cultivated for its large late flowers, which
range from white to purple, and are both single
and doable. A valued greenhouse shrub is H
Rosa-Sinemis, the “Rose of China,”
with shining
leaves and large scarlet or crimson single and
double flowers. Among the annuals, H.
esculentus,
the “ Okra,” with eatable pods, and H Trionum,
the “ Flower of an Hour,” are well known. Of the
perennial herbaceous species, the most showy are
natives of the United States. H.
Moscheutos, the
“Swamp Rose-Mallow,” is common in the brack-
ish marshes from Canada southward, others are
found along the rivers of the West and Southwest,
some are peculiarly Southern, and two are found
in California. Of these all but a few peculiar to
the southernmost States are hardy in the climate of
New York City, and while occasionally seen in
gardens, are not so generally planted as they should
be, where there is room for such stately plants;
they are from three to six or more feet high, often
with striking foliage, and very large and showy
flowers. One species, having Georgia for its north-
ern limit, is not quite hardy with us ; this is Hibis-
cus coccineus, the “Great Scarlet Rose-Mallow,” of
which we give a flower, leaves, and unripe pods, re-
duced in size. The stem, which is very smooth,
grows four to eight feet high, its long-petioled
leaves are deeply cleft, as seen in the engraving;
the flowers are from 6 to 10 inches across, of a deep
scarlet, and especially brilliant from the shining
surface of the petals. This, so far as we are aware,
is the most showy of all the herbaceous species of
Hibiscus, and one of the most
brilliant of flowers of
its season, which, with us, is early in September,
but in its native localities it begins to bloom in
July. We say that it is not hardy with us from the
experience of last winter only. But the fact that it
is not hardy should be no obstacle to the cultiva¬
tion of so showy a plant, as its roots may be taken,
up after the stems are killed, and kept in dry sand
or earth in the cellar. In European works this
species is given as Hibiscus speciosus,
but the one
given above is the older and, therefore, proper name.
In view of the readiness with which plants of the
Mallow Family break into varieties, we are sur-
prised that so little has been done with our native
species. The exotic species of Hibiscus already
mentioned have given a great variety of color and
double and half double flowers. The Great Scarlet
Rose-Mallow is a promising. subject to work with.
Hibiscus
coccineus.—One of the most beautiful species
Hibiscus, and one which has not as yet received attention to the
extent which it merits, is Hibiscus coccineus a representation of
which is given in the accompanying engraving. It is a perennial
herb, and grows wild from Carolina
southward in marshes and on
low, rich land, where it attains a height of about 6 ft. In its native
home it bears in July and August a profusion of bright red flowers
that often measure 6 in. or more across, but in New York it neither
blooms so early, nor are the flowers so large. For the past three
years this Hibiscus has been kept under glass during winter and
transferred to the open ground in May ; but, lacking the hot sun
and humid atmosphere of its native habitat, it did not bloom until
it was moved to the greenhouse in autumn, though there can be no
doubt that it might bloom out-of-doors in this latitude if started in
heat before setting it out. Being a very ornamental plant, with
graceful foliage and large, showy flowers, and requiring no special
care but such as can be tendered in any ordinary greenhouse, it
well worth cultivating, and deserves a place in every moderately-
sized collection of plants. Both the flower and leaf are represented
considerably smaller than life. — Rural New Yorker.
[In England this plant would be worth a
trial in a warm house.]
ウィリアム・ロビンソン(William
Robinson,1838 - 1935)は,19世紀中から20世紀初頭に活躍した英国の造園主であり,50年以上も続いた週刊園芸新聞『ザ・ガーデン(The Garden)』(1871 - 1927)を創刊した園芸ジャーナリストとしても知られる.彼は当時の主流であった整然と剪定された植木や,幾何学的に張り巡らされた道から形成される「整形式庭園」様式や,風景画を描くように庭園を造るという「風景式庭園」を批判し,「ワイルド・ガーデン」という概念で造園することを提唱した.
ワイルド・ガーデンは,自然本来の植物の性質を生かし,自国の耐寒性の野草だけではなく,同じ程度に耐寒性のある異国産の植物を,植えた後は世話や費用をかけなくてよいような場所に植えることである.これが現在の「英国式庭園(English Garden)」の源流となった.その思想をまとめた著書が “The Wild Garden”(1870)であり,建築と庭園,植物の関係性を説いた書
”Garden Design and Architects’ Gardens” (1892)も執筆している.
彼に賛同した多くの芸術家・造園家・園芸家の中には,ラファエロ前派の思想的バックボーンであった美学者ジョン・ラスキン(John Ruskin, 1819 – 1900),ロビンソンの造園法を具体化し,多くの名園を設計・施工した女流造園家ガートルード・ジーキル(Gertrude Jekyll, 1843 - 1932),アーツ・アンド・クラフツ運動の主導者で,テキスタイルデザイナー,詩人,ファンタジー作家,アーティスト,印刷者,翻訳家,建築保護運動家,社会主義活動家と多くの分野で活躍したウィリアム・モリス(William Morris, 1834 - 1896),英国国教会の司祭で作家,園芸家としても知られるサミュエル・レイノルズ・ホール(Dean Reynolds Hole, 1819 - 1904),ロンドンを拠点として社交界の女性を描いたパステル画を専門とし,建築家であり,熱心な植物愛好家でもあったジョージ・フランシス・マイルズ(George Frank Miles, 1852 - 1891),植物学者ジェームズ・ブリテン(James
Britten, 1846 – 1924)等がいて,『ザ・ガーデン(The Garden)』に多くの寄稿をした.
またこの雜誌には,英国国内外から多くのプロやアマチュア園芸家からの投稿も採用され,エキゾティックな植物の知見や栽培法も掲載された.