Tas. 5015. 
SABBATIA campgstris. 
Prairie Sabbatia. 
Nat. Ord. GentiaANE#.—PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 
Gen. Char. Calyx 5-6~7-12-partitus, vel rarissime 5-fidus, segmentis dorso 
exalatis. Corolla rotata, marcescens, limbo 5-1 2-partito. Stamina 5-12, corolle 
fauci inserta. Anthere erecte, rimis dehiscentes, demum recurve. Ovarium 
valvulis parum introflexis sub-1-loculare, ovudis ad suturam insertis. Stylus 
distinetus, deciduus, biecruris, cruribus stigmatiferis demum spiraliter tortis. 
Capsula bivalvis, septicida, subunilocularis, placentis spongiosis. Semina funi- 
culis distinctis destituta, varia.—Herbee biennes, graciles; floribus pedicellatis, se- 
pissime roseis, in America boreali temperata indigene. Griseb. 
SABBATIA campestris ; caule tetragono dichotomo ramoso, ramulis unifloris, foliis 
ovatis inferioribus obtusis, calycis tubi suturis alatis, segmentis lanceolatis 
corollam sequantibus, corolle 5-partite rosez lobis obovatis obtusis. 
SABBATIA campestris. Nutt. Fl. Arkans. p.197. Grisebach in De Cand. Prodr. 
v. 9. p.50. Grised. Gen. et Sp. Gent. p. 123. 
An annual, fragrant, and bitter plant, little known even in its 
native countries, Arkansas and the Red River (where it was first 
detected by the venerable Nuttall), New Orleans and Texas (where 
it was discovered by Mr. James Drummond). In those countries 
it inhabits the open prairies, spangling them with its star-shaped 
deep-lilac flowers with a yellow eye. Lindheimer also found it 
in Texas in 1843, and it is No. 120 of fasc. 1 of his ‘ Flora 
Texana.’ We owe the introduction of this pretty annual to Mr. 
W. Thompson, of Ipswich, who imported the seed through a 
correspondent in Germany, in 1855. By some accident they 
were not sown till the spring of the present year, 1857, but they 
germinated with a little artificial heat. Planted out in the early 
summer they produced their copious and ornamental flowers. 
The segments of the corolla Mr. Thompson observes to be vari- 
able, more or less pointed. ‘The specimen here figured tallies 
well with our native specimens. 
NOVEMBER Ist, 1857. 
