TROPÆOLUM, INDIAN CRESS; a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the oestandria class of plants. There are two species: 1. The minus, or small Indian cress, grows naturally in Peru. This was first brought to Europe in 1684, and was raised in the gardens of count Bevening in Holland. It has a trailing herbaceous stalk, garnished with leaves almost circular. The foot-stalk is inserted in the centre of the leaf, like a buckler, as in the navelwort; they are smooth, of a greyish colour; the flowers come out from the wings of the stalks, standing upon very long slender foot-stalks, of an admirable structure, composed of five acute-pointed petals; the two upper are large and rounded, the three under are narrow; their tails join together, and are lengthened into a tail two inches long. After the flower is past, the germin turns to a roundish fruit, which is furrowed, and divided into three lobes, each including one streaked seed. It flowers from Midsummer till the frost stops it in autumn. There are two varieties of this, one with a deep orange-coloured flower, inclining to red, and the
other with a pale yellow flower. 2. The majus, or greater Indian cress, grows naturally about Lima; this has larger stalks than the former. The leaves are also larger, and their borders are indented almost into lobes; the flowers are larger, and their petals are rounded at their points. There are two colours of this sort as in the former; and one with double flowers, which is propagated by cuttings, for it does not produce seeds.—The first sort is less common at present in the English gardens than the second, though it was formerly more so; the flowers of the latter being larger, make a finer appearance, for which it is preferred: they are both esteemed annual plants, though they may be continued through the winter if they are kept in pots, and sheltered in a good green-house, in like manner as that with double flowers is preserved; so may be propagated by cuttings as that is. But, as these ripen their seeds constantly every year, the plants are generally raised from them: these may be sown in April in the places where they are to remain, which should be where their stalks may have support; for they will climb six or eight feet high, when they are trained up, and then their flowers make a good appearance; but when they trail upon the ground, they will spread over the neighbouring plants and become unsightly.—The flowers of these plants are frequently eaten in salads; they have a warm taste like the garden cress, and are esteemed very wholesome; they are likewise used for garnishing dishes. The seeds are pickled, and by some are preferred to most kinds of pickles for sauce.