A REMARKABLE FLOWER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3463, 17 April 1920, Page 5

A REMARKABLE FLOWER.

FROM AUSTRALIAN DESERT HIGELANDS. —-- (To the Editor.) Sir—-I am forwarding you, herewith, specimen blooms of the “Clianthus Dampieri” otherwise “Sturt’s ‘Desert Pea,” a native of the ‘Australian desert, and cultivated under somewhat similas r:onr.iit:ons. Of course‘ 3031 may know it, but from what I can hear, it is not generally found about the Taihape gardens, and as, to my mind, it is a remarkably handsome flower. I thought you would be pleased to receive it. It was grown, by myself, at Mr C. Wilsonfs “Siberia” Station,’whereat I -have the honour to the gardener, and is somewhat diflicult of cultivation, as it strongly resents any interference and will not transplant, therefore requiring very careful treatment; jbut I think you will admit all the patience bestowed, is generously rewarded. Like. Ruskin, one could write exten--sively on the beauties of the flower and its peculiar habits, but I know your time is very precious. With best wishes.——-Your etc.,

A. P. SHEATH. Siberia, Hunterville, 15th April.

As Mr A. P. Sheath anticipated, the editor of this journal was very pleased to receive from him, by post, several really fine blooms of the Sturt Pea, or, as it IS commonly called the Australia Desert Pea, a.nd ‘fiotanically known as Clianthus Dampieri. That this plant was so successfully grown and flowered in the garden, at Siberia, is indeed cause for marvel. . Transported from the hot desert plains of Australia by Sturt, the explorer in about the year 1844, it is naturally somewhat strange to find it at home in high altitudes, in thexcentre of the North Island of New Zealand. As a matter of fact, it is only in more recent years that it has responded to cultivation even in Australia, and no permanent success in New_Zealand, so far as is generally known, has been achieved. Clianthus Dampieri is, as its name. implies, botanically related to the New Zealand Clianthus Punicens, known as the Kaka Beak, but while the latter is shrubby and perennial the Desert Pea is herbaceous and annual. and is indigenous to Austi-a—-lia, no-t havingibeen found. in the ‘native floravof any other country. Mr Sheath has evidently solved the prob—lem of its cultivation and this journal will be glad to receive from him just how he succeeded in producing the gorgeously beautiful blooms received atrthis office, and he might add from whence he procured the seed from which his plants were grown. Mr Sheath has the congratulations of the Editor, as he has succeeded’ in growing‘to perfection, up at Siberia, a plant hundreds of New Zealanders ihave failed with.—~Edi'Eor.