Derscr. An annual, humble, tufted plant, everywhere glaucous. 
Stems much branched dichotomously, slender. Leaves opposite, 
exactly ovate or ovate-oblong, obtuse, thick and fleshy, grooved 
or concave above. lowers generally in pairs, forming a leafy 
corymb.  Pedicels varymg in length, often shorter than the 
calyx. Calyx campanulate, fleshy, glaucous, with five slightly 
patent, ovate Jobes. Corolla with a tube as long as the calyx; 
limb large, spreading, of five ovate segments, bright yellow, with 
an inverted letter V of a deep blood-colour on each : finally, the 
whole limb becomes deep blood-colour, paler and orange towards 
the apices. Stamens five. Filaments inserted in the tube of the 
corolla, and alternate with the lacinie, included. Azthers oblong. 
Ovaries five, elongated, narrow, naked at the base, tapering above 
into a style as long as the tube of the corolla. Stigma globose. 
W. J. HH. 
Cur. This pretty annual requires to be raised under glass. 
The seeds should be sown about the middle of March, in a shal- 
low pot or seed-pan filled with light soil, and placed in a close 
frame. Being very minute, they need no covering of soil; a 
slight pressure with the back of the hand is sufficient to fix them. 
In watering, care must be taken not to disturb the surface of the 
soil and displace the germinating seeds by the force of the water. 
In order to prevent this, it is advisable to place the pot in a pan, 
with just sufficient water in it to keep the surface of the soil 
moist. After germination the young plants must not be over- 
watered, for, being of a succulent nature, they are liable to damp 
off. When they are of sufficient strength they should be thinned 
out into other pots, or planted in patches in the open border 
about the end of May. /. 8. 
Fig. 1. Portion of corolla and stamens. 2. Portion of ealyx and pistils :— 
magnified, 
