Sabbatia
(dedicated to L. Sabbati, an Italian botanist, who published a "Synopsis Plantarum," in 1745). American Centaury. ORD. Gentianeae. A genus comprising thirteen species of hardy, annual or biennial, erect herbs, simple or paniculate above; they are natives of North America and Cuba. Flowers white or rose-purple, handsome; calyx five to ten-parted or cleft; corolla with a very short tube, rotate, with five to twelve ovate or narrow, twisted lobes; stamens five to twelve; anthers soon recurved or revolute. Leaves opposite, sessile or stem-clasping. Sabbatias are very elegant plants when in blossom; those described below are well worth cultivating in every collection. Seeds, as soon as ripe, should be sown thinly in pots, or on a shady border, in peaty soil; if the former plan is adopted, the pots should be placed in shallow pans of water, as the plants grow naturally in bogs and marshy places. All the species here given are North American, and flower in summer. S. angularis (angular). Rose Pink. fl. on short peduncles; corolla rose-pink, rarely white, 1 1/2in. wide, with a yellowish or greenish eye; calyx lobes 1/2in. to 3/4 in. long. l. ovate, somewhat acute, with a slightly cordate, clasping base. Stem erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high, pyramidally many-flowered. 1826. S. calycosa (large-calyxed).* fl., calyx lobes leafy, 2/3in. to 1in. long, exceeding the almost white corolla; peduncles elongated, one-flowered. l. oblong or lanceolate-oblong, narrowed at base. Stem 5in. to 20in. high, diffusely forking. 1812. (B. M. 1600.) S. campestris (field-loving).* fl., corolla rose-colour, five-parted, equalled by the lanceolate calyx segments. l. ovate, the lower ones obtuse. Stem tetragonal, dichotomously branched; branchlets one-flowered. h. 1ft. 1855. (B. M. 5015; R. G. iii. 73.) S. choloroides (Chlora-like). fl., calyx lobes linear; corolla deep rose-coloured, rarely white, nine to twelve-parted, twice as long as the calyx. l. oblong-lanceolate. Stem loosely panicled above, 1ft. to 2ft. high. 1817.
S. paniculata (panicled). fl. disposed in many-flowered, corymbose cymes; calyx lobes linear, thread-like, much shorter than the white corolla. l. linear, or the lower ones oblong, obtuse. Stem brachiately much-branched. h. 1ft. to 2ft. 1817.
S. stellaris (star-like). fl., calyx lobes awl-shaped, varying from half to nearly the length of the bright rose-purple corolla; peduncles elongated, one-flowered. l. oblong-or ovate-lanceolate, or the upper ones linear. Stem 6in. to 20in. high, loosely branched and forked. 1827.