c. Handelii
An 1838 English cultivar with eight rows of symmetrical petals — described by Berlèse as 'red delicately washed with carmine' like a rounded rosette.
First described by Marnock in the Floral Magazine (1838) and detailed by Berlèse in his Iconographie (1843): 'The flower, full, regular, 10–11 cm across, is disposed like a rounded rosette, red delicately washed with carmine, becoming soft rose, like Lombardii, and marks and sometimes small lines of white. The petals, in 8 rows, are symmetrical, displaying a regular imbrication.' The comparison to 'Lombardii' (Hendersonii) situates it in the soft-toned formal double tradition. Listed locally as 'c. Handelii' and registered as 'Palmer's Perfection.' Source: International Camellia Register.