Part 2
The extreme fragrance of this plant, amply compensates for its want of beauty; it retains its sweetness through the whole period of its flowering, which is of near a month’s continuance. There is a species of this genus, much resembling our plant in flower, but nothing in the leaf; it is known by the name of L. patens, and has been frequently sold for this, but its scent is quite different, and it flowers much earlier; that is to say, in the month of March, but the L. fragrans does not produce its blossoms till May. It is a very hardy greenhouse bulb, and requires no particular management to make it flower; this, however, it does not do, but once in two years; not even appearing in foliage, but in the second year from its flowering. Our figure was made at the Hammersmith Nursery, to which it was introduced, from the Cape of Good Hope, in the year 1798.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCIII.
GERANIUM BARBATUM.
_Bearded-leaved Geranium._
CLASS XVI. ORDER IV.
_MONADELPHIA DECANDRIA._ Chives united. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
MONOGYNA. Stigmata quinque. Fructus rostratus, penta-coccus.
ONE POINTAL. Five Summits. Fruit furnished with long awns, five dry berries.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Geranium foliis pinnatis; foliolis inequaliter dentatis barbatis; floribus umbellatis; staminibus quinque fertilibus, binis longioribus reflexis; scapo polystachio; radice tuberosa.
Geranium with winged leaves; leaflets unequally toothed and bearded; flowers grow in umbels; five fertile chives, the two longest reflexed; flower-stem branched; root tuberous.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The cup, natural size, cut open.
2. The Chives and Pointal, natural size.
3. The Chives cut and spread open, magnified.
4. The Pointal and Seed-bud, magnified.
The singular bearded termination, on each tooth, of the leaflets of this species of Geranium, has induced us to give it a specific title; although, in many other respects, it approaches very near two or three others, already figured, by us, of this long genus. It is from the same country with the other tuberous species, and introduced to the Hibbertian collection in 1800, where our drawing was made in July 1802.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCIV.
DAVIESIA ULICIFOLIA.
_Furze-leaved Daviesia._
CLASS X. ORDER I.
_DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Ten Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, campanulatum quinquedentatum; laciniis equalibus erectis.
COROLLA papillionacea, pentapetala.
_Vexillum_ cordatum erectum.
_Alæ_ oblongæ, vexillo duplo breviores.
_Carina_ dipetala, alis paulo longiora.
STAMINA. Filamenta decem, distincta, assurgentia, longitudine carinæ. Antheræ simplices minimæ.
PISTILLUM. German ovato-oblongum. Stylus subulatus, magnitudine et situ staminum. Stigma acutum.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula triangularis, compressa, acuta, unilocularis, bivalvis.
SEMEN unum, reniforme.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one-leaf, bell-shaped, five-toothed; segments equal, upright.
BLOSSOM butterfly-shaped, five-petalled.
_Standard_ heart-shaped, upright.
_Wings_ oblong, half the length of the standard.
_Keel_ two petals, a little shorter than the wings.
CHIVES. Threads ten, distinct, turned upwards, the length of the keel. Tips simple, very small.
POINTAL. Seed-bud oblong egg-shaped. Shaft awl-shaped, of the same size and station as the chives. Summit pointed.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule triangular, flat, sharp pointed, one cell, two valves.
SEED one, kidney-shape.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Daviesia foliis lanceolatis, rigidis pungentibus; floribus axillaribus spicatis.
Daviesia with lance-shaped leaves, harsh and pricking; flowers grow from the insertion of the leaves in spikes.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement of the flower, natural size.
2. The Empalement magnified.
3. The Standard, or upper petal of the blossom.
4. One of the Wings of the blossom.
5. The two petals of the Keel.
6. The Chives, magnified.
7. The Pointal.
8. A ripe Seed-vessel.
This division of the butterfly flowered plants, from New Holland, was among the first genera which were raised from the seeds of that country, in Britain. And though we have possessed the plants so long, and both species, or rather the two varieties, perfect their seeds with us; yet are the plants very scarce, few of them are to be met with, and seldom more than a plant, or two, is to be found in any collection. The Daviesias grow about a foot and a half high, and when in flower make a very pretty appearance, as nearly the whole bush is covered with blossoms. They are rather tender, and are impatient of wet, which is, perhaps, the greatest enemy many of the plants from that country have to encounter with us. It flowers about April or May; is increased by seeds, or cuttings; should be kept in a small pot, comparatively with what may be used for the same sized plants, and planted in sandy peat. Our drawing was made from the Hibbertian collection, in the month of May 1802.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCV.
GERANIUM CORONILLÆFOLIUM.
_Coronilla-leaved Geranium._
CLASS XVI. ORDER IV.
_MONADELPHIA DECANDRIA._ Threads united. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
MONOGYNA. Stigmata quinque. Fructus rostratus, penta-coccus.
ONE POINTAL. Five Summits. Fruit furnished with long awns, five dry berries.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Geranium foliis impari pinnatis, bijugis; foliolis obovatis glabris; floribus umbellatis pentandris; radice tuberosa.
Geranium with leaves that are winged, with an odd one and two yoked; leaflets inversely egg-shaped, and smooth; flowers grow in umbels, with five fertile chives; root tuberous.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Cup cut open, to shew its tubular structure.
2. The Chives and Pointal, natural size.
3. The Chives cut and spread open, magnified.
4. The Pointal and Seed-bud, magnified.
The drawing of this Geranium was taken at Clapham in the month of July, 1802, from a plant in the Hibbertian collection, where, we believe, it is only to be met with, and to which it was introduced, in 1801, from the Cape of Good Hope. It has no particular character, in its appearance, from which we might be led to think any other treatment or mode of culture necessary for this plant, different from the rest of its congeners.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCVI.
ALETRIS FRAGRANS.
_Sweet-scented Aletris._
CLASS VI. ORDER I.
_HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Six Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
COROLLA infundibuliformis, rugosa. Stamina inserta laciniarum basi. Capsula trilocularis.
BLOSSOM funnel-shaped, wrinkled. Chives inserted into the base of the segments. Capsule three-celled.
See ALETRIS SARMENTOSA, Pl. LIV.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Aletris caulescens; foliis lanceolatis, laxis; floribus albicantibus, fragrantissimis.
Aletris with a woody stem; leaves lance-shaped, loose; flowers whitish, very sweet-scented.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A miniature representation of the whole plant.
2. A flower complete, natural size.
3. The blossom cut open, with the Chives in their place.
4. The Seed-bud, Shaft and Pointal; the summit detached, magnified.
The Sweet-scented Aletris, from the great height it attains before it flowers, which is, from 9 to 12 feet, and nearly two-thirds of the length of the stem, without leaves; takes off much from the merit of this grand plant as cultivated in our colder regions. It is a native of Africa, and must be kept in the hot-house, in the bark-bed, to have it blossom. The flowers are extremely fragrant, open in the evening and close again with the first rays of the morning sun. It is propagated either by suckers, which it sometimes produces, or by cutting off small portions from the roots; which will become plants in about three months, if placed in the heat of a strong hot-bed; these are likewise very sweet-scented, having the flavour of orris-root, or violets. Our figure was taken from a plant in the collection of J. Vere, Esq. Kensington Gore, this present month of May, 1803.
A schism has arisen on the subject of this genus among modern botanists; from whom we must, however, exclude the celebrated author of Miller’s New Gardeners’ Dictionary; who, in this instance, has preserved the genus entire. Three genera have, as usual, been made out of one; the Cape species are denominated Veltheimias; those known under the names of A. zeylanica and A. guineensis, are termed Sansevieras; A. farinosa and A. fragrans being the only remnants of the original genus. Such are the happy effects, of modern scrutiny, upon the works of the antiquated Linnæus! and such might be the answer of these illuminati, which poor Gradus, in the farce of _Who’s the Dupe_, gives to his mistress, when questioned upon the utility of his labours; alas, how else should _our_ merit be discovered, but by elancing from the old track of plain sense and nature.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCVII.
PROTEA GLOBOSA.
_Globe-flowered Protea._
CLASS IV. ORDER I.
_TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Four Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
COROLLA 4-fida, seu 4-petala. Antheræ lineares, insertæ petalis infra apicem. Calyx proprius nullus. Semina solitaria.
BLOSSOM 4-cleft, or 4 petals. Tips linear, inserted into the petals below the end. Cup proper, none. Seeds solitary.
See PROTEA FORMOSA, Pl. XVII. Vol. I.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Protea foliis eliptico-lanceolatis, apicibus callosis; capitulo globoso, terminali; foliolis calycinis ovatis, reflexis; floribus luteis.
Protea with eliptically-lance-shaped leaves, callous at the ends; head of flowers globular and terminal; leaflets of the cup egg-shaped, turned back; flowers yellow.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Flower complete, natural size.
2. One of the Petals of a blossom, with its chive, magnified.
3. The Pointal, and Seed-bud, natural size.
4. The same, magnified.
5. The common Empalement.
This species of Protea, though it does not stand among the foremost of its congeners in competition for beauty; yet, has its merits, and those of no small moment, as a hardy green-house plant; for it rarely misses flowering, in the month of May, annually, and its blossoms continue in perfection at least two months. It is seldom hurt by cold or wet, if not exposed to either in the extreme. Is easily propagated from cuttings, made in the month of May, or June; by the same mode as has been described for the increasing the preceding species of the Genus, already figured in this work. We owe the first introduction of this plant to Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, Hammersmith, who raised it from seeds, in the year 1786, received from the Cape of Good Hope. Our figure was made from a plant in the Hibbertian collection.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCVIII.
CROTOLARIA VERRUCOSA.
_Blue-flowered Crotolaria._
CLASS XVII. ORDER IV.
_DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA._ Threads in two sets. Ten Chives.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium tripartitum, magnum, corolla paulo brevius; laciniis duabus superioribus lanceolatis, vexillo incumbentibus; tertia lanceolata, concava, carinam fulciente, trifida.
COROLLA papillionacea.
_Vexillum_ cordatum, acutum, magnum, lateribus depressum.
_Alæ_ ovatæ, vexillo dimidio breviores.
_Carina_ acuminata, longitudine alarum.
STAMINA. Filamenta decem, connata, assurgentia, linea dorsali fissa basique hiante. Antheræ simplices.
PISTILLUM. Germen oblongum, reflexum, hirsutum. Stylus simplex, infractus, assurgens. Stigma obtusum.
PERICARPIUM. Legumen breve, turgidum, uniloculare, bivalve, pedicillatum.
SEMEN aliquot, globosa-reniformia.
EMPALEMENT. Cup three-parted, large, rather shorter than the blossom; the two superior segments lance-shaped, laying on the standard; the third lance-shaped, concave, supporting the keel, three-cleft.
BLOSSOM butterfly-shaped.
_Standard_ heart-shaped, acute, large, depressed on the sides.
_Wings_ egg-shaped, half the length of the standard.
_Keel_ tapered, the length of the wings.
CHIVES. Ten threads, united, turned upwards, with a split line on the back, and gaping at the base. Tips simple.
POINTAL. Seed-bud oblong, reflexed, hairy. Shaft simple, bent inwards at an angle, turned upwards. Summit obtuse.
SEED-VESSEL. Pod short, turgid, one-celled, two valved, with a fruit-stalk.
SEEDS a few of a rounded kidney-shape.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Crotolaria foliis simplicibus, ovatis, retusis; stipulis lunatis, declinatis; racemo terminali; ramis tetragonis.
Crotolaria with simple leaves, egg-shaped, dented at the ends; leaf-props half-moon-shaped, turned downwards; bunch of flowers terminal; branches four-sided.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement.
2. The Standard.
3. One of the Wings.
4. The two petals of the Keel.
5. The Chives.
6. The Pointal and Seed-bud, the Summit detached, magnified.
7. A half ripe Seed-vessel.
8. The same laid open.
This handsome annual is an old inhabitant of our hot-houses, for it has been cultivated so long ago as the year 1731, by Mr. Miller; but from its character as an annual, our summers not proving always congenial to the perfecting its seeds, it has at intervals been lost to us. It is a native of the East Indies, and, in general, good seed may be procured by keeping the plants constantly in a hot-bed or hot-house; but the best method is to raise them on a strong hot-bed, keeping them there till in flower, and then transferring them to the hot-house or dry-stove, to perfect their seeds. Our drawing was taken from a fine specimen, communicated by the Hon. W. H. Irby, from his select collection at the Parsonage, Farnham Royal, Bucks. Flowers in May or June, and ripens its seeds in August or September.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCIX.
PULTENÆA VILLOSA.
_Hairy Pultenæa._
CLASS X. ORDER I.
_DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Ten Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX quinquedentatis, utrinque appendiculatus. Corolla papilionacea, alis vexillo brevioribus. Legumen uniloculare, dispernum.
CUP five-toothed, with a hanging prop on each side. Blossom butterfly-shaped, the wings shorter than the standard. A one-celled pod, two seeded.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Pultenæa foliis oblongis, villosis; floribus axillaribus, solitariis, spicatis; caule villoso; calycibus inappendiculatis.
Pultenæa with oblong, hairy leaves; flowers grow from the insertion of the leaves, solitary, and in spikes; stem hairy; cup without props.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Leaf.
2. The Cup, natural size.
3. The Standard of the blossom.
4. One of the Wings of the blossom.
5. The two Leaves of the keel.
6. The Empalement, Chives, and Pointal, magnified.
7. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, magnified.
Where to place the limits to the various new genera of this very extended natural order of plants, with butterfly blossoms, from New Holland, appears a talk of some difficulty with our modern botanists; for, no sooner have we formed an essential character for a genus, than immediately we are struck with the appearance of new plants, whose whole habits assimilate with our newly constructed family, but in the principal and pointed essential character. In such predicament stands our present subject, it wants the appendicula to the cup, yet has it been placed, by Willdenow, &c. to Pultenæa; and with good reason, we presume, for if every difference of this nature was taken up, on which to form new genera, nearly every plant from that country would furnish grounds for new names; and, to say the truth, we think they are, already, sufficiently extended. The Pultenæas are all rather impatient of wet, and although they are not frequently killed by too much moisture, yet they become unsightly, by losing all their lower leaves. This species grows to the height of about three feet; and, when in flower, makes a very handsome appearance. It perfects its seeds, and may be increased by cuttings, which should be put in about the beginning of April. A mixture of sandy peat three parts, and one fourth part of loam, is the best soil to grow it in. It was amongst the first plants which were raised from Botany Bay seeds in this country. Our figure was made at the Hammersmith nursery, in 1801.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCX.
STACHYS COCCINEA.
_Scarlet Clownheal._
CLASS XIV. ORDER I.
_DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA._ Two Chives longer. Seed naked.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, angulatum, semiquinquefidum, acuminatum, persistens; dentriculis acuminatis, subulatis, subinæquale.
COROLLA monopetala, ringens; tubus brevissimus; faux oblonga, ad basin deorsum gibba; _labium superius_ erectum, subovatum, fornicatum, sæpe emarginatum; _labium inferius_ majus, trifidum lateribus reflexum; _lacinula intermedia_ maxima, emarginata, replicata.
STAMINA. Filamenta quatuor, quorum duo breviora, subulata, ad latera faucis recurvata. Antheræ simplices.
PISTILLUM. Germen quadripartitum. Stylus filiformis, situ et longitudine staminum. Stigma bifidum, acutum.
PERICARPIUM nullum. Calyx vix mutatus.
SEMINA quatuor, ovata, angulata.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one-leaf, tubular, angular, five shallow clefts, taper, permanent; toothless taper, awl-shaped, nearly equal.
BLOSSOM one petal, gaping; tube very short; mouth oblong, hunched downwards towards the base; _upper lip_ upright, rather egg-shaped, arched, often notched at the end; _lower lip_ large, three-cleft, side ones reflexed; the _middle segment_, which is the largest, notched at the end, and folded back.
CHIVES. Four threads, of which two are shorter, awl-shaped, bent to the sides of the mouth. Tips simple.
POINTAL. Seed-bud with four divisions. Shaft thread-shaped, of the length and situation of the chives. Summit cloven, sharp-pointed.
SEED-VESSEL none. The cup scarce changed.
SEEDS four, egg-shaped, angular.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Stachys verticillis sexfloris; foliis ovato-oblongis, basi cordatis, crenatis; floribus coccineis.
Clownheal with six flowered whorls; leaves oblong-egg-shaped, heart-shaped at the base, scolloped; flowers scarlet.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Cup, natural size.
2. The Blossom cut open, with the chives in their place.
3. The Seed-buds and Pointal, the summit detached, magnified.
4. The Seed-buds, magnified.
Although this species of Stachys must be considered as an herbaceous plant, yet the stem, if kept in the green-house, may be preserved; and therefore, as it is too tender to bear our winters, in the open ground, we must consign it to that station. It is a native of South America; is easily propagated by cuttings; flowers in the month of July, or August, and thrives in rich mould. The figure was taken from a plant in the collection of J. Vere, Esq. Kensington Gore, where, we believe, it flowered for the first time in Britain.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCXI.
GERANIUM PINNATUM.
_Winged-leaved Geranium._
CLASS XVI. ORDER IV.
_MONADELPHIA DECANDRIA._ Threads united. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
MONOGYNA. Stigmata quinque. Fructus rostratus, penta-coccus.
ONE POINTAL. Five Summits. Fruit furnished with long awns, five dry berries.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Geranium foliis pinnatis; foliolis subrotundo-ovatis, hirsutis; floribus flavis, staminibus quinque fertilibus; scapo polystachio; radice tuberosa.
Geranium with winged leaves; leaflets rather round-egg-shaped, and hairy; flowers yellow; five fertile chives; flower-stem branched; root tuberous.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Flower-cup, natural size, cut open.
2. The Chives and Pointal, natural size.
3. The Chives cut and spread open, magnified.
4. The Pointal and Seed-bud, magnified.
The specific title of this plant, originally, belonged to a species which is, now, confounded amongst the numerous variety of Geranium lacerum. And, indeed, the present plant is taken as a synonim, by Willdenow, with G. astragalifolium, of which we have given a figure in a preceding number. This was among the first of the tuberous kind of Geraniums known to our gardens. Mr. F. Masson, according to the Kew Catalogue, first introduced it to the Kew Gardens in 1788. It has nothing particular in its character to require a different treatment from the rest of the tuberous species. Our drawing was made from a plant in the Hammersmith Collection, in March 1801.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCXII.
STYPHELIA VIRIDIS.
_Green-flowered Styphelia._
CLASS V. ORDER I.
_PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Five Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX imbricatus. Corolla tubulosa. Stamina fauci inserta. Drupa quinque-locularis. Semina bina.
CUP tiled. Blossom tubular. Chives inserted into the mouth of the blossom. A pulpy berry with five cells. Seeds by twos.
See STYPHELIA TRIFLORA. Pl. LXXII. Vol. I.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Styphelia foliis utrinque acuminatis, obliquis, acutis, glaberrimis; floribus axillaribus, solitariis, viridibus.
Styphelia with leaves tapered to both ends, oblique, pointed, very smooth; flowers grow from the insertion of the leaves, solitary and green.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Cup of a flower, natural size.
2. A Blossom, with the Chives in their place, cut open.
3. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, the Summit magnified.
Few of the plants from New Holland have excited more admiration than the Styphelias; the S. tubiflora figured in the New Holland botany of Dr. Smith, the S. triflora given in the first Vol. of this work, our present plant, together with the numerous other species already known from dried specimens, lead us to conjecture that the genus is as copious as any, Banksia not excepted, from that country. This plant grows to the height of two feet, or more; the flowers nearly covering the branches. It is rather delicate, requiring but little water, in the winter months; as it is certain to perish, if kept wet any considerable time. Is propagated by cuttings, and must be kept in a small pot, proportional to the size of the plant, in very sandy peat earth. Our figure was taken from a plant in the Hibbertian collection, in the month of April, 1803. All the plants, at present in Britain, of this species of Styphelia, are the offspring of one solitary seed, received by Messrs. Lee and Kennedy from New Holland, in the year 1791.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCXIII.
JUSTICIA LUCIDA.
_Shining-leaved Justicia._
CLASS II. ORDER I.
_DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Two Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, minimum, quinquepartitum, acutum, erectum, angustum.
COROLLA monopetala, ringens; tubus gibbus; limbus bilabiatus, labium superius oblongum, emarginatum, labium inferius ejusdem longitudinis, reflexum, trifidum.
STAMINA. Filamenta duo, subulata, sub labio superiore recondita. Antheræ erectæ, ad basin bifidæ.
PISTILLUM. Germen turbinatum. Stylus filiformis, longitudine et situ staminum. Stigma simplex.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula oblonga, obtusa, basi angustata, bilocularis, bivalvis; dissepimento valvulis contrario, ungue elastico dehiscens.
SEMINA subrotunda.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one-leaf, very small, five-divided, pointed, erect, narrow.
BLOSSOM one petal, gaping; tube hunched; border two-lipped; the upper lip oblong, notched at the end; the under lip of the same length, reflexed, and three-cleft.
CHIVES. Two threads, awl-shaped, hid under the upper lip. Tips upright, two-cleft at the base.
POINTAL. Seed-bud top-shaped. Shaft thread-shaped, the length and situation of the chives. Summit simple.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule oblong, obtuse, narrowed at the base, two-celled, two valved; the partition opposite to the valves splitting from an elastic claw.
SEEDS roundish.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Justicia spicis terminalibus; floribus subcapitatis; foliis elipticis, nervosis, bullatis, lucidis; corollis bilabiatis, labio superiore lanceolato; caule fruticoso, glabro.
Justicia with terminal spikes; flowers grow nearly in heads; leaves elliptic, nerved, blistered, and shining; blossoms two-lipped, the upper lip lance-shaped; stem shrubby, smooth.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Blossom cut open, with the Chives in their place.
2. The Cup and Pointal.
3. An unripe Seed.
Most of the species of this genus of plants have hitherto been considered of little value in our collections, as few of them have woody stems, and from that character have a weedy appearance. This plant however is an exception, and is well worthy a place in collections where ornament only, not variety, is studied. It grows to the height of three feet, flowers in the month of August, is easily increased from cuttings, and may be kept in the hot-house, out of the bark-bed. The Justicia coccinea and this plant approach in the appearance of their flowers and habit; but the leaves differ much as well as many other minuter parts. It is a native of the East Indies, and was introduced about the year 1794. Our figure was taken from a plant in the Collection of G. Hibbert, Esq. Clapham Common.
[Illustration]
PLATE CCCXIV.
ITEA SPINOSA.
_Thorny Itea._
CLASS V. ORDER I.
_PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Five Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, quinquefidum, erectum, acuminatum, minimum, persistens, laciniis acutis, coloratis.
COROLLA. Petala quinque, lanceolata, longa, calyci inserta.
STAMINA. Filamenta quinque, subulata, erecta, longitudine corollæ, calyci inserta. Antheræ subrotundæ, incumbentes.
PISTILLUM. Germen ovatum. Stylus cylindraceus, persistens, longitudine staminum. Stigma obtusum.
PERICARPIUM. Capsula ovata calyce multoties longior, stylo muconato, unilocularis, bivalvis ex duabus coalita apice dehiscens.
SEMINA numerosa, minima, oblonga, nitida.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one-leaf, five-cleft, upright, tapered, very small, remaining, segments pointed, coloured.
BLOSSOM. Petals five, lance-shaped, long, inserted into the cup.
CHIVES. Five threads, awl-shaped, upright, the length of the blossom, inserted into the cup. Tips roundish, laying on the threads.
POINTAL. Seed-bud egg-shaped. Shaft cylindrical, permanent, the length of the chives. Summit obtuse.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule egg-shaped, much longer than the cup, tapering into the shaft, one-celled, two-valved of two joined, splitting at top.
SEEDS numerous, very small, oblong, shining.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Itea foliis cuneiformibus, emarginatis; spinis axillaribus.
Itea with wedge-shaped leaves, notched at the end; spines grow at the insertion of the leaves.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement, magnified.
2. A Flower complete, magnified.
3. The Chives and Pointal, magnified; part of the cup and the petals taken away, to shew the insertion of the Chives into the cup.
4. The Pointal, magnified.