This section is from the book "The Botanical Magazine; Or, Flower-Garden Displayed", by William Curtis. Also available from Amazon: The Botanical Magazine; or, Flower-Garden Displayed, Volume I.
Pelargonium Bicolor. Two-Coloured Crane's-Bill.
Monadelphia Heptandria.
Cal. 5-partitus: lacinia suprema desinente in tubulum capillarem, nectariferum, secus pedunculum decurrentem. Cor. 5-petala, irregularis. Filam. 10, inaequalia: quorum 3 (raro 5) castrata. Fructus 5-coccus, rostratus: rostra spiralia, introrsum barbata.
PELARGONIUM bicolor umbellis multifloris, foliis ternatifidis lobatis dentatis undulatis villosis. L'Herit. n. 64. Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 2. p. 425.
GERANIUM bicolor. Jacq. Hort. 3. p. 23. t. 39. Cavan. diss. 4. p. 248. t. 111. f. 1.
In every numerous tribe of plants, many of the species approach so near to each other, that there is much difficulty in distinguishing them; this objection cannot be urged against the present plant, which obviously differs from all the others of the same genus in the particular shape of its leaves and the colour of its blossoms, the latter are usually of a rich and very dark purple edged with white, from whence we apprehend it takes its name of bicolor; the colours however are scarcely distinct enough to justify such a name.
Mr. Aiton informs us in his Hort. Kew. that this very ornamental species was introduced in the year 1778, by John, the late Earl of Bute, but of what country it is a native, does not appear to be ascertained.
Our drawing was made from a plant in the collection of Messrs. Grimwood and Co. Kensington, with whom it flowers from June to August.
It is not disposed to ripen its seeds, nor is it very readily increased by cuttings.
 
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