NHD53/24

Illustration of an unidentified pink flower plant

Original inscriptions: 鳳翔草 (front lower left in ink); 鳳腸单 Fung-Tseuong-tsow (reverse lower right in pencil)

Further inscriptions: W. Ch. (front lower left in ink)

Three brown, woody branches depicted erect, and an additional branch behind them. Deltoid green leaves (one grey) on the left branch; leaf blade with crenate margins, and alternate palmate veins. At the base of each leaf: four very small round bracts depicted on the green background of the leaf, and two elongated bracts branching out on the pedicel. On the leafy twig, three panicle inflorescences branch out, these have lost most of the flowers, and only partially show some sparse pink sepals. Behind the central branch, on the left: a flowering branch, depicted erect, with four panicle inflorescence sprouting vertically from the top. The inflorescences are densely packed with alternate globular bud, mostly pink and dark pink in colour. Only a few buds are open, in the middle of each inflorescence. These show pink round petals, and long stamens with dark pink filaments and bright yellow anthers, which protrude from the petals. A small leaf gem is also depicted at the top of this twig. On the left: dissected illustration of two pink round petals and eight pink stamens with yellow anther.

Any further details: Pencil underdrawings visible under the paint.