Tab. 4143 

 CRYPTADENIA uniflora. 



Solitary -flowered Cryptadenia. 



Nat. Ord. Thymele^e.— Octandria Monogynia. 



CRYPTADENIA. Meisn.— Flores perfecti. Perigonium coloratum, 

 infundibuliforme, tubo angusto, sursum ampliato, limbo 4-partito, fauce 

 nuda. Glandulee 8, medio perigonii tubo simplici serie adnata;, stammibus 

 alternae. Stamina 8, alterna perigonii laciniis opposita, exserta, alterna, 

 infra sinus inclusa, filamento pertubum adnato decurrente barbato. Germen 

 unilocular ; gemmula unica, pendula, anatropa. Sty lus lateralis ; stig- 



male capitate Fructus perigonii basi persistente hirsutis inclusus. 



—Fruticuli Capenses, ericoidei, dichotome ramosi. Folia opposita, decus- 

 sata v. suprema quaternatim verticillata, sessilia, linearia y. subacerosa, 

 utrinque glabra. Flores terminates, solitarii v. gemini mqjuscuh, v. axil- 

 lares, solitarii parvi, extus sericeo-pubescentes, intus glabri, violacei, hla- 

 cini v. rosei. Endl. 



Cryptadenia uniflora; foliis patulis linearibus acutis v. mucronatis sub- 

 pungentibus compressis dorso acutis (rarius obtusis v. deplanatis) 

 margine nudis summis haud latioribus, floribus terminahbus solitarus 

 majusculis tubo bracteis superante, limbi lobis oblongis acutiuscuhs, 

 tubum sequantibus v. sublongioribus. Meisn. 



Cryptadenia uniflora. Meisn. in Linncea, v. 14. p. 406. 



Passerina uniflora. Linn. Sp. PI p. 560. Burm. Apr. t 48. / 1. 

 Lam. III. t. 291./. 1. PL Eckl in Un. Itin. n. 362. Zeyl. PI. Cap. 

 Exsicc. Suppl. n. 239. 



Among the handsomest of the Linnaean Genus Passerina 

 were three species, the present, P. grandiflora, and P. ciliata, 

 which, in habit, as well as in essential character, differed con- 

 siderably from the others. These Professor Meisner has wisely 

 separated from Passerina, and named Cryptadenia, from the 

 presence of eight glands concealed within the tube of the 

 floral envelope, and alternating with the eight stamens. All 

 are natives of the Cape. The present species, though s ^ cl ' 

 ently known in Herbaria, is probably rare in gardens, though 

 well deserving of a place on account of the beauty ol its 

 copious blossoms, and the long time the plant continues in 

 Mow. it h as> however, been cultivated at Kew since 1755*. 

 It flowers there in the early summer months, m an airy part 

 of the greenhouse. 



