Part 3

Alpine Sanicle.

CLASS V. ORDER I.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Perianthium quinquefidum, persistens; laciniis obtusis, concavis.

COROLLA. Monopetala, rotata, quinquepartita, laciniis sub-rotundis, ad quarum basin prominent tubercula quinque.

STAMINA. Filamenta quinque brevia. Antheræ bipartitæ, oblongæ, erectæ, exteriori parte affixæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen ovatum. Stylus filiformis. Stigma simplex.

PERICARPUIM. Capsula ovata-oblonga, utrinque longitudinaliter sulcata, unilocularis, apice quinquevalvi, valvularum marginibus involutis.

SEMINA numerosa, oblonga, scabra.

EMPALEMENT. Cup with five divisions, permanent; the segments blunt, and concave.

BLOSSOM. One leaf, wheel-shaped, five divisions, segments nearly round, having five prominent tubercles at their base.

CHIVES. Five short threads. Tips divided in two, oblong, upright, and fixed to the blossom by their backs.

POINTAL. Seed-bud egg-shaped. Shaft thread-shaped. Summit simple.

SEED-VESSEL. Capsule oblong egg-shaped, channelled on each side, of one cell, the top has five valves, which are turned inward at their margins.

SEEDS many, oblong, and rough.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Cortusa, foliis cordatis, laciniatis, petiolatis; calycibus corolla brevioribus.

Sanicle, with heart-shaped jagged leaves that have foot-stalks; empalements shorter than the blossoms.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement, and Fruit-stalk. 2. The Blossom cut, and spread open, to expose the situation of the Chives. 3. The Pointal, magnified.

This beautiful little herbaceous plant, a native of the Germanic Alps, was known to, and described by all the elder, as well as modern botanical theorists; yet till this time, has there not been one good representation of it. Having been nearly lost to us for a number of years, it may be considered as deserving a place amongst those plants we deem rare; as a specimen of such it has been given. It delights much in shade; is perfectly hardy; thrives best in a light but pure soil; as dung, or other mixtures, are apt to rot the roots when in a state of inaction; flowering in May and June, and producing seeds. But the surest mode of propagation is by the root, which may be divided with success about September.

PLATE II.

SPRINGALIA INCARNATA.

Star-flowered Springalia.

CLASS XIX. ORDER VI.

SYNGENESIS MONOGAMIA. Tips united. Flowers simple.

GENERIC CHARACTER.