species of the genus, gives them a peculiarly graceful ap- 
pearance. 
According to Endlicher and DeCandolle the stamens are, 
in the other species, collected into a small cup ; but here at 
least they are united into a column, and arranged on each 
side of the sterile filament, so that in fact the filaments form 
five parcels, or phalanges, each consisting of four fertile sta- 
mens adhering, two on each side, to a central sterile one ; as 
is represented at fig. 1. 
