Part 54

Grass-like Gladiolus.

CLASS III. ORDER I.

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

COROLLA sexpartita, ringens.

STAMINA adscendentia.

BLOSSOM with six divisions, gaping.

CHIVES ascending.

See GLADIOLUS LONGIFLORUS. Plate V.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Gladiolus polystachyus, scapo laxo, spicis capillaribus, flexuosis; foliis ensiformibus; corollæ sexpartitæ, absque tubo.

Gladiolus with many spikes, upon a flexible flower stem, spikes hair-like, growing zigzag; leaves sword-shape; blossom of six divisions, without a tube.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The two sheaths of the Empalement. 2. The Seed-bud, Chives, and Pointal (magnified). 3. The Pointal, (magnified).

This species of Gladiolus has been described by Thunberg, and from him by Linnæus, in his Suppl. Plant. p. 95, under the specific name it here bears. It is a little straining on the genus to introduce this species into it; as it is deficient in most of the essential characters; having a blossom without a tube, and the petals equal. From the Kew Catalogue we learn it was introduced in the year 1787, by Mr. F. Masson, to the royal gardens; is there said to flower most part of the year: a plant of such character is most desirable, but unfortunately we have never seen it in blossom but at the usual season for the flowers of this tribe; that is, from April till June. The capsules of this plant bear a strong resemblance to those of the Euonymus: generally perfecting their seeds. It is a very hardy bulb, blows early, and may be kept in a pit protected from the frost.

PLATE LXIII.

USTERIA SCANDENS.

Climbing Usteria.

CLASS XIV. ORDER II.

DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Two Chives longer. Seeds covered.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, quinquepartitum, persistens; laciniis erectis, subulatis.

COROLLA. Monopetala, ringens, tubus ventricosus, basi arcta; limbus bilabiatus, labium superius bifidum, rotundatum, reflexum; labium inferius trifidum, laciniis rotundatis, intermedia minore.

STAMINA. Filamenta quatuor, sub labio superiori recondita, quorum duo lateralia longiora, fundo corollæ inserta, basi incrassata, lanata, apice incurvata. Antheræ erectæ, versatiles, approximatæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen sub-rotundum. Stylus filiformis, persistens; longitudine staminum. Stigma obtusum.

PERICARPIUM. Capsula sub-rotunda, bilocularis, calyce longior, obtusa.

SEMINA plurima, sub-rotunda, scabrida.

EMPALEMENT. Cup one leaf, five divisions, permanent; segments upright, and awl-shaped.