Part 58

MONODELPHIA DECANDRIA. Threads united. Ten Chives.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

MONOGYNA. Stigmata quinque. Fructus rostratus, 5-coccus.

ONE POINTAL. Five summits. Fruit furnished with long awns, five dry berries.

See GERANIUM GRANDIFLORUM, Plate XII.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Geranium foliis multifidis, crassis, confertis; floribus umbellatis, pedunculis longissimis; caule erecto, fruticoso.

Geranium with leaves of many clefts, thick, and crowded together; flowers grow in bunches, on very long foot-stalks; stem upright, and shrubby.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement. 2. The Chives and Pointal, (natural size). 3. The Chives cut open. 4. The Pointal, (magnified).

This pretty species of Geranium, from the Cape of Good Hope, is one of those having seven fertile tips; therefore a Pelargonium of Mons. L’Heritier. It is a low growing plant, seldom exceeding eight or nine inches in height, keeping very compact; but is subject to damp in the leaves, if kept moist in winter, though otherwise pretty hardy. Mr. C. Lodiges, of Hackney, first raised it from seeds which he received from Vienna, about the year 1793. It is readily propagated by cuttings, or seeds, and continues to flower all the summer mouths; requiring light rich earth to make it flourish.

PLATE LXVIII.

GOODENIA OVATA.

Oval-leaved Goodenia.

CLASS V. ORDER I.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

COROLLA supra longitudinaliter fissa, genitalia exserens, quinquefida. Stigma urceolatum, ciliatum.

BLOSSOM longitudinally cloven on the upper side, exposing the organs of generation, and five-cleft. Summit cup-shaped, and fringed.

See GOODENIA CALENDULACEA. Plate XXII.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Goodenia foliis ovatis, serratis; corollis luteis, laciniis duobus exterioribus erectis.

Goodenia with egg-shaped leaves, sawed at the edges; blossoms yellow, the two outer segments grow upright.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement and Seed-bud. 2. A Blossom, with the parts of fructification attached. 3. The Chives, and Pointal (magnified).

In the second volume of the Linnæan Transactions, Dr. Smith enumerates ten species of the genus Goodenia; this species makes an addition to the number. The oval-leaved Goodenia is a half woody plant, making long willow-like branches, which mostly decay in the winter, though a great part of the plant remains; it is a hardy greenhouse plant, requiring little trouble either to keep or propagate; the latter of which is done by cuttings. About the year 1793, a parcel of seeds was received by Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, sent to them by Colonel Paterson from Port Jackson, New Holland; amongst them, the seeds of this plant; it nevertheless did not flower till the year 1798, about the month of June. It is certainly a desirable plant, never failing to flower from June till September, if kept growing in vigour, which it will surely do if planted in light peat earth.

PLATE LXIX.

LAMBERTIA FORMOSA. Var. longifolia.