"Local Heroes" 2.2 Plants Associated with Masson

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This is not a complete list, and can be added to, or altered. The bracketed notes were obtained from online volumes of Curtis’s Botanical Magazine. (1)

A

Agapanthus inapertus (Drooping Agapanthus)
Amaryllis belladonna (Belladonna Lily)
Amaryllis longifolia
(introduced to Kew by Masson c.1773)

B

Babiana tubiflora
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1774)
Babiana stricta
(introduced to Kew by Masson)

C

Cistus algarvensis
(species brought from Portugal by Masson, in Banks’ herbarium)
Clethra arborea
(a native of Madeira. Introduced to Kew by Masson in 1784)

D

Dorotheansis bellidiformis

E

Encephalartos altensteinii (2)

G

Gardenia rothmannia
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1774)
Gladiolus alatus
Gladiolus blandus
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1774)
Gladiolus hybrids

H

Hypoxis stellata
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1778)

I

Ixia crispa
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1787)

K

Kniphofia rooperi
Kniphofia caulescens

L

Lobelia coronopifolia – Buck’s Horn Lobelia
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1787)
Lobelia hybrids

M

Marica plicata
(gathered by Masson at St. Christopher’s)
Massonia corymbosa
(found by Masson at the Cape of Good Hope)
Massonia ecbinata
Massonia pustulata

(see note on Massonia, below) (3)

Melanthium viride
(species brought to Britain from the Cape of Good Hope by Masson c.1788)
Melasphaerula graminea
(introduced to Kew by Masson in 1787)
Mesembryanthemum

O

Oxalis massoniana

P

Protea cynaroides – King Protea
Protea lepidocarpodendron
Pelargoniums

S

Senecio cruenta – Cineraria
Stapelia caespitosa
Stapelia nova
Strelitzia reginae (3)

Strelitzia reginae (Bird of Paradise) (4)

T

Trillium grandiflorum
Tritonia crispa
(introduced to kew by Masson in 1787)
Tritonia deusta
(introduced to Kew by Masson)

V

Vaccinium arctostaphylis – Madeira Whortleberry
(introduced by Masson in 1777)

W

Watsonia x longifolia
Watsonia marginata

Notes

(1) For a historical summary of Curtis’s Botanical
Magazine, which dates back to back to 1787, see:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis%27s_Botanical_Magazine

http://books.google.com/books?id=qEwCAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA5-PA694&sig=UrAJeehXLp—1BrFyYdGuVy4KMs&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=SuEWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA967&sig=KVBGlTxyuSFfbhttp.htmlxMZDJfnqtM4AjY&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

The two links, above, are to digitalised, online volumes (17-18, and 25-26) and are worth looking at for the illustrations alone.

(2) Encephalartos altensteinii (Eastern Cape Giant Cycad). A specimen collected and sent back by Masson is currently Kew’s oldest specimen (1773-75), and is often known as the “oldest pot plant in the world”. I found this “Telegraph” article online, which I remembered reading in the newspaper, at the time.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5933242/Oldest-pot-plant-in-the-world-repotted.html

(3) It is said that, at Carl Thunberg’s suggestion, Masson wrote to Carl Linneus (with whom he corresponded for a time, and to whom he sent specimens), asking for permission to have this named after himself.

(4)) Strelitzia reginae was named in honour of Queen Charlotte, who, before her marriage to King George III, was Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

• 12 Jan, 2011
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