Part 31

Nectarium coronæ forma, excavatum, quinquesidum, obtusum, germini impositum.

STAMINA. Filamenta quinque, subulata. Antheræ subovatæ, erectæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen coronatum nectario. Stylus simplex, longitudine staminum. Stigma obsoletum.

PERICARPIUM. Capsulæ quinque, ovato-acuminatæ, compressæ, margine introrsum coalitæ, apicibus distantes, sutura superiori dehiscentes.

SEMINA solitaria, oblonga.

Arillus elasticus, hinc dehiscens; singulum involvens semen.

EMPALEMENT. Cup of four divisions; segments thin, sharp, and permanent; smooth at the base.

BLOSSOM. Five petals, egg-shape, blunt, fitting close, erect, and open.

Honey-cup crown-shaped, hollow, with five divisions, blunt, fixed on the seed-buds.

CHIVES. Five threads, awl-shaped. Tips nearly egg-shaped, upright.

POINTAL. Seed-bud crowned by the honey-cup. Shaft simple, the length of the chives. Summit blunt.

SEED-VESSEL. Five capsules, egg-shaped, pointed, flattened, joined together by the inner edge, the points standing apart, splitting at the upper suture.

SEEDS solitary, oblong.

Seed-coat elastic, splitting from hence, and inclosing a single seed.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Diosma, foliis oppositis, serratis, ovalibus, latissimis; floribus terminalibus, albidis, sessilibus.

Diosma with opposite leaves, sawed, oval, and very broad; flowers terminal, white, and sitting close to the branches.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A Blossom complete. 2. The Chives and Pointal, with the surrounding Seed-buds and Honey-cups. 3. The Pointal, natural size, with the Empalement attached. 4. The same magnified. 5. A Seed taken from its coat.

There are few genera of plants more deserving our notice than Diosma; the fragrance of the leaves of most of the species, and the beauty of the flowers of others, has rendered them so common, (being easily propagated by cuttings) that few collections but have a number of the different species. They are all very hardy greenhouse plants, the present species excepted; this, requiring a dry situation, and rather more warmth than the rest. It was sent to the royal gardens at Kew, about the year 1791, by Mr. F. Masson, to whose industry botany stands so much indebted. Of all the Diosmas this is the highest grower, aspiring to three or four feet, or more, if encouraged; delights in peat earth, and flowers about the month of August.

PLATE XXXIV.

CHELONE RUELLIOIDES.

Scarlet Chelone.

CLASS XIV. ORDER II.

DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Two Chives longer. Seeds covered.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, quinquepartitum, brevissimum, persistens; laciniis erectis, ovatis.

COROLLA monopetala, ringens; tubus cylindraceus, brevissimus; faux inflata, oblonga, supra convexa, infra plana; limbus clausus parvus; labium superius obtusum, emarginatum; limbus inferius cum superiori fere æquale, lævissime trifidum.