Part 38

STAMINA. Filamenta quatuor, subulata, corolla breviora, quorum duo reliquis longiora. Antheræ reflexæ, oblongæ, velut duplicatæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen oblongum. Stylus filiformis, situ et figura staminum. Stigma capitatum.

PERICARPIUM. Siliqua bilocularis, bivalvis.

SEMINA plurima, imbricata, compressa, utrinque membranaceo alata.

EMPALEMENT. Cup one leaf, upright, cup-shaped, and cut into five divisions.

BLOSSOM of one bell-shaped petal; tube small, the length of the cup; mouth very long, swelled at the bottom; border of five divisions; the two upper segments reflexed, the lower ones spreading.

CHIVES. Threads four, awl-shaped, shorter than the blossom, two of which are longer than the others. Tips bent back, oblong, and appear doubled.

POINTAL. Seed-bud oblong. Shaft thread-shaped, of the same situation and shape as the chives. Summit headed.

SEED-VESSEL. Pod of two cells, and two valves.

SEEDS many, laying one over the other, flat, and winged at each side.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Bignonia foliis digitatis; foliolis integerrimis, ovatis, acuminatis; caule erecto, arboreo; floribus nerii; alato semine.

Trumpet Flower with fingered leaves; the small leaves entire, egg-shaped, tapered; stem upright, growing to a tree; with flowers like the oleander; seed winged.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement. 2. A Blossom cut open, shewing the proportionate length of the Chives to the Blossom, and their insertion; one of the Tips detached, and magnified. 3. The Pointal, (natural size); the Summit detached, and magnified.

This species of Bignonia is well known in most collections of hothouse plants, and was first introduced to the Chelsea gardens by Mr. P. Miller, the then gardener, in 1759, and may be found described in his Dictionary; but, notwithstanding its frequency, few have seen its blossoms. Owing to the naked appearance of the stem, and its growing to so considerable a height before it flowers, and that but rarely, has rendered it a plant but of little consideration; though perhaps, from the great beauty of its blossoms, it deserves more attention. Being a native of the West Indies, it does not flourish without the assistance of tan heat; but will live in any situation of the hothouse; thriving best in a mixture of loam and peat, and is readily propagated by cuttings. It was from a plant in the select and valuable collection at Paddington, belonging to the Hon. Dowager Lady De Clifford (to whom the author, as well as all the cultivators and professors of the science, stand much indebted for the zeal and patronage which her ladyship has shewn, in her endeavours to promote it), that this figure was taken in July this present year 1798.

PLATE XLIV.

IXIA CINNAMOMEA.

Cinnamon-smelling Ixia.

CLASS III. ORDER I.

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

COROLLA 6-petala, patens, æqualis. Stigmata tria, erectiusculo patula.

BLOSSOM six petals, spreading, and equal. Summits three, nearly upright, spreading.

See IXIA REFLEXA, Plate XIV.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Ixia foliis falcatis, crispis; floribus alternis, noctiflorens, cinnamomi odore.

Ixia with scimitar-shaped leaves, waved at the edge; flowers alternate, blowing at night, and smelling of cinnamon.