Part 64

PERICARPIUM. Drupa subrotunda, monosperma.

SEMEN. Nux ossea, subrotunda, compressa.

EMPALEMENT, none.

BLOSSOM. Four petals, supporting the chives near the bottom, bent back, and thickened at the point.

Honey-cups. Four round glands at the base of the seed-bud.

CHIVES. Four short threads, one growing out of each petal about the middle. Tips linear, and approaching each other, then reflexed.

POINTAL. Seed-bud egg-shaped, and above. Shaft awl-shaped, smooth, and remaining. Summit blunt, and bent downward.

SEED-VESSEL. A pulpy berry, roundish, with one seed.

SEED. A hard, roundish nut, flattened.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Persoonia foliis lanceolatis, acutis, enerviis, utrinque glabris; petiolis tortis; floribus axillaribus, flavis.

Persoonia with lance-shaped leaves, sharp pointed, without nerves, and smooth on both sides; foot-stalks twisted; the flowers grow at the lower part of the leaves, close to the stem, and yellow.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A Blossom. 2. One division of the Blossom with its Chive. 3. The Pointal (natural size). 4. The same (magnified). 5. The Receptacle, with the Honey-cups (magnified). 6. A Berry cut in two, the Seed taken out. 7. A ripe Seed.

Every step we make in the examen of plants, from that endless source for botanical research, New Holland; nature almost as constantly, presents us with a perfectly new face; such is the object of our present consideration. Dr. Smith, P. L. S. in the Linnæan Transactions, Vol. IIII. p. 215, considering a new Genus as necessary for this tribe of plants, has named it in honour of C. H. Persoon, much noted for his works on the fungi. This is a handsome, spreading greenhouse plant, growing about five feet high, and covering itself with deep yellow blossoms. It is propagated by cuttings, or seeds, which come to maturity with us, and are produced in great numbers. J. Willson, Esq. of Islington, raised this species from seeds about the year 1791; from a specimen in whose collection our figure was taken, this year in July, and where it flowered for the first time last year, in the month of August, and is still in bloom, although many seeds are already perfected, from the flowers of last year.

PLATE LXXV.

PHYSALIS PROSTRATA.

Trailing Winter-cherry.

CLASS V. ORDER I.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, ventricosum, semi quinquefidum, pentagonum; laciniis acuminatis; persistens.

COROLLA. Monopetala, rotata. Tubus brevissimus. Limbus semiquinquefidus, magnus, plicatus.

STAMINA. Filamenta quinque, subulata, minima, conniventia. Antheræ erectæ, conniventes.

PISTILLUM. Germen subrotundum. Stylus filiformis, staminibus fere longior. Stigma obtusum.

PERICARPIUM. Bacca sub-globosa, bilocularis, intra calycem maximum, inflatum, clausum, pentagonum.

SEMINA plurima, reniformia, compressa.

EMPALEMENT. Cup one leaf, bellied, half five-cleft, and five-sided; the segments are tapered; permanent.