Part 49

Females, solitary, without points, being crowned with the persistent petal.

RECEPTACLE chaffy; chaff tongue-shaped, channelled, the length of the cup, and falling off.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Zinnia foliis oppositis, amplexicaulibus, lato-lanceolatis, scabris; floribus pedunculatis, purpureis, solitariis.

Zinnia with opposite leaves, embracing the stem, broadly lance-shaped, and rough; flowers have foot-stalks, are purple, and grow solitary.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement. 2. A Floret of the ray with the seed attached, (natural size). 3. A Floret of the disk with the seed attached, (magnified). 4. The Chives and Pointal of an hermaphrodite floret. 5. The chaffy substance dividing the florets.

This elegant new species of Zinnia, is described and figured by J. A. Cavanilles, in his first volume of Spanish plants; where he says, it is a native of Mexico, South America, and was transmitted from thence to the royal gardens, where it perfected its seeds. In the year 1796, the Marchioness of Bute received it amongst many other curious seeds, from Madrid, through the medium of Professor Ortega. Being rather a tender annual, it should be sown in March, on a gentle hotbed; and transplanted into the open borders the beginning of May. The plant grows to the height of three feet or more, and makes in the months of August and September, a very considerable addition to the splendor of the flower garden. The seeds ripen freely, though the flower should be plucked before it appears decayed.

PLATE LVI.

ANTHOLYZA SPICATA.

Spike-flowered Antholyza.

CLASS III. ORDER I.

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

COROLLA tubulosa, irregularis, recurvata. Capsula infera.

BLOSSOM tubular, irregular, and bent backward. Capsule beneath.

See Plate XXXII. ANTHOLYZA RINGENS.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Antholyza, floribus infundibuliformibus, spicatis, incarnato-pallidis; foliis falcatis, brevissimis.

Antholyza with funnel-shaped, spiked flowers, of a pale flesh colour; leaves scimitar-shaped, and very short.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement. 2. A Blossom cut open, to shew the insertion of the Chives. 3. The Pointal, (natural size).

There are few species of this genus but furnish beautiful flowers; this is certainly among the most handsome, from the softness of its colour, and the regularity of the spike: what adds considerably to its merit, is, that the blossoms remain a considerable time before they fall, which unfortunately, is seldom the case with the flowers of this genus. It was received from the Cape of Good Hope in bulbs, sent by J. Pringle, Esq. of Madeira, in 1794, to Messrs. Lee and Kennedy of Hammersmith; the drawing was made in the month of June 1797 at their nursery. Not being easily injured by damp, there is no necessity for removing it from its pot, as is necessary for most bulbs, but to increase it; one, or two young bulbs being annually produced, in addition from the old one. The best soil is a sandy peat, with a small proportion of loam.

PLATE LVII.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM GLABRUM.

Smooth-leaved annual Fig Marygold.

CLASS XII. ORDER IV.

ICOSANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. Twenty Chives. Five Pointals.