Outsized. Spigelia marilandica, Woodland Pinkroot, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Spigelia' was coined by great Linnaeus in 1753 to honor the Flemish-Italian doctor and naturalist Adriaan van der Spiegel (1578-1625). But in his description of our plant Linnaeus calls it Lonicera marilandica. He refers to the description of it by Mark Catesby (1683-1749) in his Natural History of Carolina, vol. II. There the plant is called Periclymeni Virginiani flore coccineo, Planta marilandica spicata erecta, possible a kind of Gentian. The fine inset illustration from his book has - a bit out of proportion, I think - a Grey Fox in its shadow. But what a nice drawing!
Outsized. Spigelia marilandica, Woodland Pinkroot, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Spigelia' was coined by great Linnaeus in 1753 to honor the Flemish-Italian doctor and naturalist Adriaan van der Spiegel (1578-1625). But in his description of our plant Linnaeus calls it Lonicera marilandica. He refers to the description of it by Mark Catesby (1683-1749) in his Natural History of Carolina, vol. II. There the plant is called Periclymeni Virginiani flore coccineo, Planta marilandica spicata erecta, possible a kind of Gentian. The fine inset illustration from his book has - a bit out of proportion, I think - a Grey Fox in its shadow. But what a nice drawing!