Part 9

Primrose, whose leaves have foot-stalks, are heart-shaped, slightly lobed, and scolloped; blossoms of a bright purple.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Cup, and Fruit-stalk. 2. A Blossom cut open, to shew the situation of the Chives, and its internal formation. 3. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, (magnified).

This species of Primrose is figured by Gmelin, in his Flora Siberica. It was in the year 1794, that the seeds of this plant were sent by Professor P. Pallas, from Siberia, to Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, of Hammersmith; at whose nursery the drawing of this most charming plant was made: though a native of so cold a clime, it seems with difficulty to endure the severity of ours; thriving best in a pot, under any flight shelter, or a very dry situation if planted out: it is increased by the root, which should be parted in March; and flowers in June, and July.

PLATE VIII.

GLADIOLUS ALATUS.

Wing-flowered Gladiolus.

CLASS III. ORDER I.

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Spathæ bivalves.

COROLLA, sexpartita, ringens. Petala oblonga, omnia unguibus in tubum conata.

STAMINA. Filamenta tria, subulata, divisuris alternis petalorum inserta. Antheræ oblongæ.

PISTILLUM. Germen inferum. Stylus simplex, longitudine staminium. Stigma trifidum, concavum.

PERICARPIUM. Capsula oblonga, obtusa, trilocularis, trivalvis.

SEMINA plura, subrotunda.

EMPALEMENT. Sheath two valves.

BLOSSOM, of six divisions, and gaping. Petals oblong, having their claws formed into a tube.

CHIVES. Three awl-shaped threads, fixed into the alternate divisions of the petals. Tips oblong.

POINTAL. Seed-bud beneath. Shaft simple, the length of the chives. Summit cut into three, and concave.

SEED-VESSEL. Capsule oblong, blunt ended, three cells, three valves.

SEEDS many, nearly round.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Gladiolus, foliis ensiformibus, costatis; petalis lateralibus latissimis.

Gladiolus, with sword-shape, ribbed leaves; the side petals of the blossom the broadest.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The two Sheaths of the Empalement, with the Chives, detached from the Petals, as they stand in the Blossom, and apparently attached to each other; with the natural position of the Pointal.

2. The Chives, Pointal, and Seed-bud; one of the divisions of the Summit magnified.