Tab. 5544. 



ABRONIA FRAGRANS. 



Fragrant Abronia. 



Nat. Ord. Nyctagine.e. — Pentandria Monogynia. 

 Gen. Char. {Vide supra, Tab. 2379.) 



Abronia fragrant ; folits crassiusculis ovatis v. oblongo-ovatis obtusis basi 

 interdum in petiolum breviter angustatis simian's v. lobato-simiatis pilosubs 

 glabratisve, involucri foliolis late ovato-rotmidatis breviter _ apicidatis sub- 

 membranaceis, perianthii limbo albo, lobis obovato-rotundatis bifidis, fructi- 

 bus 5-alatis. 



Abronia fragrans. Nuttall in Herb. Hook.; Kew Journ. Bot. v. 5. (1853), 261 ; 

 Torrey and Gray in Botany of Gunnison s Railroad Expedition, p. 14 (123), 

 tab. x. 



Notwithstanding the publication of an excellent engraving ol 

 this plant in the Report of the Botany of the American Survey, 

 referred to above, it would appear to be hitherto undescnbed. 

 In habit it much resembles Abronia mellifera, figured in this 

 Magazine (Tab. 2879), differing in the form of the involucral 

 leaves, and the size, colour, and lobing of the perianth. It is the 

 finest species of the small genus to which it belongs, and may 

 be regarded as a valuable addition to our garden flora. Geyer 

 who collected specimens on the " loamy, sandy, firm banks ot 

 the Platte river, describes the flowers as " porcelain-coloured, 

 opening onlv at night and very fragrant." It is to the sandhills 

 of this tributary of the Missouri and the eastern flank ot tlie 

 Rocky Mountains, between 40° and 45° north latitude, that 

 the species appears to be confined. We are indebted to Mr 

 Thompson, of Ipswich, for the specimen here figured, the first 

 probably which has been flowered in England. 



Descr. Stem procumbent, spreading, throwing up numerous 

 ascending, succulent, slightly hairy or glabrate, terete nowering- 

 branches. Leaves opposite, slightly unequal, ovate or oblong- 

 ovate, often a little oblique, obtuse, sinuate, obscurely lobecl or 

 nearly entire, fleshy, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with obscure 

 venation, one and a half to two inches long, three-quarters to 

 one inch broad, on petioles of one inch or less. Peduncles axil- 



KOVEMBEB 1ST, 1865. 



