Plate 9547 - Dracocephalum hemsleyanum

Curtis's Botanical Magazine - Plate 9547 Dracocephalum hemsleyanum Native Region: China • Publication Date: January 1st, 1934 Distribution: -South-east Tibet • Tab Author: H. K. AIRY SHAW Botanical Description For comparison, reference should be made to the beautiful little coloured plates of D. Ruyschiana and D. austriacum in Sturm's Deutschl. Fl. (ed. 1, not ed. 2), Abt. 1. Bdch. 20, Heft 90, nos. 9 & 10 (1849), in which the pilose anthers supposed to characterize Subgen. Ruyschiana are very clearly shown. The close general resemblance to the Tibet-Yunnan group will be immediately remarked, while the characteristic prolongation of the filament beyond the anther is also noticeable. There is little to add to Capt. Kingdon Ward's interesting account of D. Hemsleyanum in the Gardeners' Chronicle (1.c. 176). The plant is evidently a member of the same dry plateau flora as D. tanguticum, but, whereas the latter extends from S. Tibet into Kansu, N.W. China, D. Hems- leyanum is confined, so far as is known, to the south-eastern part of the Tibetan plateau. The fact that its native habitat is described by Kingdon Ward as dry, hard, well-drained gravelly soils, such as consolidated river terraces, by rivers, Briquet, 1.c. 66 in full exposure" is sufficient indication of its requirements under cultivation. For the material figured we are indebted to Major F. C. Stern, of Highdown, Goring-by-Sea, Sussex, who raised his plants from seeds collected by Kingdon Ward (no. 11841) on his 1935 expedition. D. Hemsleyanum has also been B E F Gr A H K J C D S.R-C. A, portion of stem, x 6; B, calyx, x 2; C, calyx, opened out, showing the gynoecium, x 2; D, corolla with lower lip removed, opened out to show the stamens, x 2; E, lower lip of corolla, x 2; F, G, & H, apical part of a longer stamen, anther dehisced, in side, front, and back views, x 8; J & K, apical part of a shorter stamen, anther just opening, in back and front views, x 8. raised by Mr. L. de Rothschild and at Kew, from seeds collected by Sherriff (no. 2255). On June 28th, 1938, the species was exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society's show by Mr. Rothschild and by Major Stern, and received an Award of Merit as a hardy flowering plant. DESCRIPTION. Tufted erect perennial herb, up to 0.5 m. high. Stems up to 6 mm. thick at base, deflexed-puberulous, branched, branches ascending-erect, very leafy. Leaves oblong or elliptic-oblong or lanceolate-oblong, 2-5 cm. long,. Synonyms Nepeta Hemsleyana Oliver ex Prain in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal LIX. 305 (1891). About This Print Original black and white uncolored botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine (established 1787). This 9000s series print is from unissued publisher stock, never hand-colored, representing the authentic plate as it appeared in the magazine. Edited by Sir Arthur William Hill for The Royal Horticultural Society, London.