Botanical Art Gallery

Garcinia pedunculata, Roxb

Watercolour on paper, no date (late 18th, early 19th century). Hand painted copy of an illustration commissioned by William Roxburgh (1751-1815). In Flora Indica, Roxburgh reports that this species is "a native of Rungpoor, where the tree is indigeneous". He adds that "flowering time [is from] January till March" and also how "the fleshy part of the fruit which covers the seeds and their proper juicy envelope, or aril, is in large quantity, of a firm texture and of a very sharp, pleasant, acid taste. It is used by the natives in their curries, and for acidulating water"

© RBG KEW

Heliconia buccinata, Roxb

Watercolour on paper, no date (late 18th, early 19th century). Hand painted copy of an illustration commissioned by William Roxburgh (1751-1815). Roxburgh mentions the arrival of these plants to the gardens in Flora Indica'; From Amboyna plants were brought to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, in 1798, where in seven years they began to blossom during the hot season, viz. April and May; but have not yet ripened their seed in Bengal

© The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Erythrina indica, Willd

Watercolour on paper, no date (late 18th, early 19th century. Hand painted copy of an illustration commissioned by William Roxburgh (1751-1815). In his Flora Indica, Roxburgh describes this species as an armed tree, common over India and the Islands'. It flowers in March and April, and ripens its seed in June and July. Roxburgh also mentions that the Malays usually employed this tree to support the black pepper vine, and in this case they call it Chinkereen. The drawing has been inscribed by Roxburgh in pencil This side....['], the racemes being always horizontal, possibly referring to which way up the drawing should be viewed

© The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew