‘Atrosanguinea, Smith’s Variety’

Ruby (H5) (RHS 61A) flowers, VI–IX; dark green foliage; broad spreading habit; height 21–25cm; spread 46–60cm.

Found by James Smith & Sons (Darley Dale, Derbyshire, England), and introduced by James Smith & Sons in 1852. Apparently re-named by Maxwell & Beale (Broadstone, Dorset), to distinguish it from another clone introduced by Reuthe.

Named from atro- = dark; sanguineus = blood-red. The Latin name is sometimes hyphenated, atro-sanguinea (e.g. J. F. Letts (1966).) Letts also employed a colon rather than brackets (‘Atro-sanguinea: Smith’s Variety’).