ZEYHER, Who have made no remark upon it; and Mr. Lop- 
pigEs Only observes, that it is “ allied to myrtifolia, but 
that its flowers are far more beautiful.” This is, indeed, 
quite correct ; but since after the most careful examination 
I find no other point of distinction, I venture here to de- 
scribe it as a slight variety of P. myrtifolia. It bears its 
lovely blossoms in April and May, and they continue a long 
time in perfection, nestled among the yellow-green leaves 
of the young shoots, at the apex of the branches. 
Descr. A much-branched shrub, four to six feet high, 
the young branches downy. Leaves on very short petioles, 
oblong, or oblongo-ovate, glabrous, except in the young 
leaves, and somewhat mucronate, of a rather thin, some- 
what membranaceous texture. Flowers in short racemes, 
which are terminal, but appear lateral from the proliferous 
shoots. Pedicels shorter than the flowers, each with three 
bracteas at the base. Three outer calycine leaves green, 
ovate, mucronate, membranous at the margin: two inner, 
or ale, very large, obliquely and broadly ovate, mucro- 
nate, rich purple, veiny : keel large, veiny, pale, with a deep 
black-purple blotch at the extremity, a very conspicuous 
crest below the apex, and two bifid auricles at the base 
above. Filaments diadelphous. 
Fig. 1. Keel. 2. Stamens. 3. Pistil magnified. 
