Darwinia
(named in honour of Dr. Darwin, author of a once famous poem entitled "The Botanic Garden"). SYNS. Genetyllis, Hedaroma, and Polyzone. ORD. Myrtaceae. A genus of greenhouse, Heath-like, evergreen shrubs; there are upwards of a score species known, all natives of Australia. Flowers red or white, in terminal fascicles, inclosed in large, coloured, ovate or oblong involucres, and interspersed with chaffy bracts. Leaves scattered, full of pellucid dots. For culture, &c., see Calythrix.
D. citriodora (Lemon-scented). fl. usually four, in small terminal heads; involucre scarcely exceeding the flowers, consisting usually of four outer leaf-like bracts, and four inner ovate ones, more or less coloured. l. nearly opposite, from narrow. oblong to almost ovate-lanceolate, obtuse. h. 1ft. to 2ft. SYN. Hedaroma latifolium.
D. diosmoides (Diosma-like). fl. white, numerous, in compact terminal globular heads; calyx about one and a half lines long, the adnate part obscurely five-ribbed, and covered nearly from the base by glandular papillae more or less distinctly arranged in six to eight prominent parallel rings; petals white. April. l. scattered, crowded, linear, semi-terete or triquetrous, thick or slender, obtuse. h. 3ft. 1827. An erect bushy shrub. SYN. Genetyllis diosmoides.
D. fascicularis (fascicled). fl. red, about six or twelve together, in terminal heads, within the last leaves; calyx slender, the adnate part prominently five-ribbed, otherwise smooth; lobes very small and scale-like; petals broad. June. l. scattered, often crowded, linear, slender, semi-terete, or obtusely triquetrous, shortly petiolate; floral ones slightly longer. h. 3ft. to 6ft. 1820. An erect much-branched shrub.
D. fimbriata (fimbriated).* fl. rather numerous; involucres ovoid, about 3/4in. long, or rather more, the inner bracts petaloid, pink, broadly oblong or almost cuneate and very obtuse; the outer ones short, broad, and squarrose, but coloured, and all ciliate; petals triangular. June. l. scattered, often crowded, oblong-elliptical, very obtuse; margins recurved, strongly ciliate-denticulate. h. 1ft. to 2ft. 1864. A bushy shrub. SYN. Genetyllis fimbriata. (B. M. 5468.) D. Hookeriana (Hooker's).* This species much resembles D. macrostegia, but is usually smaller, more slender, and less twiggy. SYN. Genetyllis Hookeriana. (B. M. 4860, under the name of Genetyllis macrostegia.) D. macrostegia (large-involucred).* Tulip-bearing Myrtle. fl. rather numerous; involucre campanulate, nearly 1 1/2in. long; the petal-like inner bracts broadly obovate, pale yellow, streaked with red, entire; petals white. June. l. scattered, elliptic-oblong or slightly cuneate, obtuse, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long; margins recurved, entire. h. 2ft. to 3ft. 1854. SYNS. Genetyllis tulipifera (B. M. 4858), G. macrostegia, Hedaroma tulipiferum. D. pinifolia (Pine-leaved). This species closely resembles D. fascicularis in habit, foliage, and inflorescence, but with a different calyx and staminodia. SYN. Hedaroma pinifolium.
D. purpurea (purple). fl. numerous, in dense, hemispherical heads; involucral bracts numerous, more or less coloured, imbricate, but somewhat spreading, rather longer than the flowers; calyx about two lines long, the adnate part five-ribbed at the base, the upper half encircled by five or six rings of glandular papillae. l. scattered, crowded, and almost imbricate, linear, obtuse. Erect, much-branched shrub. SYNS. Genetyllis purpurea, Polyzone purpurea.
D. taxifolia (Yew-leaved). fl. white, at the ends of the branchlets; calyx prominently five-ribbed, the adnate part slightly rugose between the ribs; lobes small, scale-like; petals ovate. June. l. mostly opposite, linear-falcate, triquetrous or laterally compressed, acute, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long, almost petiolate. h. 1ft. to 3ft. 1824. A straggling or decumbent shrub. D. thymoides (Thyme-like). fl. sessile, four to eight together, in terminal heads. the outer bracts sometimes slightly exceeding them, but not coloured; calyx rather slender, strongly five-ribbed, otherwise smooth; petals rather narrow, concave, with a deep-coloured spot at the top. May. l. mostly opposite, linear or lanceolate, obtuse; margins revolute. h. 1ft. SYN. Hedaroma thymoides.