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

Citrus acida, R

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 writes: Under the above definition I mean to comprehend the various varieties, if not species, of the sour lemons or limes found in India, and as the petioles are very generally winged I think it necessary to separate them from the lemons and citrons which have not that mark, or have it in a very trifling degree. Roxburgh then describes nine different varieties which he has studied in Bengal, ...the whole being cultivated under my own eye, in the Botanic garden [Calcutta], and are arranged according to the estimation in which they are held by both natives and Europeans. These varieties are: 1) Pati-Leboo, or Neboo; 2) Kaguji-Neboo; 3) Gora-Neboo; 4) China-gora-Neboo; 5) Camaral-Neboo; 6) Rungpore Lime; 7) Taba-Neboo; 8) Arabian Lime from Muscat; 9) Meetha Lemoo

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