Part 78

ASTER REFLEXUS.

Reflexed-leaved Starwort.

CLASS XIX. ORDER II.

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA. Tips united. Superfluous Pointals.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

RECEPT. nudom. Pappus simplex. Cor. radii plures 10. Cal. imbricati squamæ interiores patulæ.

RECEPT. naked. Feather simple. Florets of the circumference 10 or more. Cup tiled, the innermost scales spread outward.

See Aster dentatus, Pl. LXI.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Aster fruticosus, foliis ovatis sub-imbricatis, recurvatis, serratis; floribus solitariis, terminalibus, sessilibus.

Starwort with egg-shaped leaves, almost tiled, bent backward and sawed; flowers grow solitary, terminal, and sit close to the ends of the branches.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement. 2. A Floret of the circumference. 3. The Pointal of the foregoing. 4. A Floret of the centre (magnified). 5. The Chives and Pointal of a floret of the centre (magnified). 6. The Shaft and Summit of the same (magnified).

The singular merit of this pretty greenhouse plant, is, that its blossoms are still to be seen through the whole year; and is kept with as little care, as is required for any. It is with ease, and certainty, increased by cuttings, put in about the month of May; or by seeds, which it sometimes perfects by being kept from the rain in autumn. It is a plant known by name, to most botanists; but has not been introduced to us, till the year 1794, when it was received in seeds from the Cape, at the nursery Hammersmith; where it has flowered, these two successive years, and where our figure was taken.

PLATE XCIV.

GALAXIA OVATA.

Oval-leaved Galaxia.

CLASS XVI. ORDER I.

MONADELPHIA TRIANDRIA. Threads united. Three Chives.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Spatha univalvis, membranacea, connivens.

COROLLA monopetala, supra; tubus filiformis, longus, erectus, apice paullulum ampliatus; limbus sexpartitus; laciniis obovatis, patentibus.

STAMINA. Filamenta tria, in cylindrum conata. Antheræ ovatæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen inserum, obtuse triangulare, glabrum. Stylus filiformis, staminibus paullo longior. Stigmata tria, filiformi-multipartita, patentia.

PERICARPIUM. Capsula oblongo-subcylindrica, trisulca, trilocularis, trivalvis.

SEMINA plurima, globosa, minima.

EMPALEMENT. Sheath of one valve, skinny, and closing.

BLOSSOM, one leaf, above; tube thread-shaped, long, upright, the upper part a little widened; border divided into six parts; segments inversely egg-shaped and spreading.