Tab. 5397. 

 ophelia umbellata. 



Umbellate Ophelia. 



Nat. Ord. GENTIANEiE. — Pentandria Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Calyx 5-4-partitus, segmentis ima basi conncxis valvaribus. Co- 

 rolla marcescens, rotata, 5-4-partita, plicis coronaque continua destituta, supra 

 basim foveis glanduliferis nunc nudis nunc squaraula ssepius fimbriata tectis, et 

 margine hinc fimbriatis instructa. Stamina 5, 4 corollas fauci inserta, fi lament is 

 nunc basi dilatatis monadelphis nunc basi aequalibus liberis. Antherce incum- 

 bentes, nutantes, sgepius virescentes. Ovarium uniloculare, ovulis suturse insertis 

 plurirais. Stigmata bina, terminalia, brevia, ssepius revoluta, stylo nullo vel brevi. 

 Capsula bivalvis, septicida, unilocularis, placentis nunc spongiosis suturalibus 

 nunc juxta suturas expansis. Semina placentis immersa, uumerosissima, minima, 

 plerumque exalata. — Herbee fere omnes Imaicolce, annua v. rarius perennes, 

 stricta, ramosce, paniculate, interuodiis subcet/ualibus foliis oppositis, cymis extre- 

 mis Hmbellifonnibus, hinc contractu. Griseb. 



Ophelia umbellata ; annua erecta subpedalis glabra, superne paniculato-raraosa, 

 foliis subsessilibus inferioribus obovato-spathulatis, intermediis ovatis acutis 

 supremis minoribus lanceolato-acuminatis omnibus 3-subquinquenerviis, pa- 

 nicuke ramis ultimis umbellatis, floribus tetrameris albis ca3ruleo tinctis, 

 calycibus lato-subulatis, corolla? segmentis lato-lanceolatis acutissimis 3—5- 

 nerviis basi poro orbiculari margine elevato ciliato. 



Ofhelia umbellata. Wight, III. of Ind. Bot. v. 2. p. 175 (name only, no descrip- 

 tion), t. 175. b. III. A. (ultimate umbel and analysis only). 



Ophelia is a very pretty genus of the Natural Order Genti- 

 anece, and nearly allied to Swertia, established by Don, and now 

 including many species, all natives of the Old World, chiefly in 

 Himalaya and hilly regions of other parts of India. The species 

 are difficult of discrimination ; and Dr. Wight assures us that 

 the form and structure of the pore at the base of the corolline 

 segment, together with its appendages, afford some of the best 

 distinguishing characters. A nearly allied species to this is 

 figured at Tab. 4489 of this work, where it will be seen that the 

 pore is of a very different structure from that which is here 



AUGUST 1st, 1863. 



