460 
POLEMONIUM mexicanum. 
Greek- Valerian of Mexico. 
—— 
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. PoLEMONIA (recentis POLEMONIDEE). Jussieu gen. 136. 
POLEMONIUM. Cal. urceolatus, 5-fidus. Cor. rotata, tubo brevi, 
limbo ó-fido (regulari). Staminum filamenta (medio corolla tubo inserta) 
basi latiora: anthera incumbentes. (Caps. calyce persistente cincta, 3-locu- 
laris, 3-valvis, polysperma, valvis medio septiferis seu costá prominente in- 
structis, receptaculo s. dissepimento centrali trigono valvularum septis angu- 
latim applicito). Herbe erecta; folia alterna pinnata; flores corymbosi ter- 
minales. Juss. l. c. 
P. mexicanum, foliis pinnatis polyphyllis, terminali trilobo: floribus cernuis: 
calycibus villoso-viscidis. Lagasca elench. append. 10. ` 
Herbacea, biennis, erecta, viscoso-villosa, sesquipedalis v. ultrà, caule 
striato-tereti, alternè remotèque folioso, supernè paniculato ramulis aril- 
laribus apice aggregatim pauci-(2-4-) floris summis in pedunculos unifloros 
abeuntibus, infernè ad articulos vaginá brevi membranaceé cincto. ` Fol. 
erectiuscula, multi-(12-13-)pinnata foliolis angustè decurrentibus ovato- 
oblongis acutis. Cal. villis viscosis subhirsutiùs pubescens, cylindrico-cam- 
panulatus, persistens, segmentis brevibus angulato-ovatis, ad imum divi- 
surarum angulum glanduloso-lutescentibus. Pollen vitellino-flavescens. 
Germ. conicum, torulosum, glabrum, obtusum: stylus filiformi-clavatus: stig- 
mata 3 ligulato-lobata, obtusula, replicato-patentia. Caps, calyce inclusa. 
In the capsule of the Polemonidec the angles of the re- 
ceptacle of the seed (which is central) come in contact with 
the valves at. the partition borne along the middle; and by 
this circumstance the order has been technically dis- 
tinguished from the Convolvulacee, where the angles of 
the receptacle come in contact with the outermost edges of 
the valves; characters mutually influencing the general 
habits of the two orders they distinguish. 
The present species was sent by Professor Cervantes 
from the Botanic Garden at Mexico to Madrid, where it 
flowered, according to M. Lagasca, in 1815. The plant 
that affordéd the drawing was raised in the hothouse at 
Boyton from seed received from Madrid by Mr. Lambert, 
and flowered last autumn for the first time in this country, 
When it was kindly transmitted to our draughtsman. 
A herbaceous upright clammy biennial plant, about a 
foot and a half high; stem round, fluted, alternately and 
