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- METROSIDEROS CitRINA. -HArsH-LEAV’D — 
METROSIDEROS. | 
OS Glatt ang Order 2. - 
_ Icosanprra Monocynta, © 
Generic Charaffer. «.- 
Cal. g-dentatus, finu germen fovens. Petala 5, caduca. Stam. | 
difcreta, petalis multoties longiora, Cap/. 3-4 locularis, po- — 
lyfperma. Banks. Gariner. 
Specific Charafter and Synonyms. 
ge 
METROSIDEROS citrine foli 
s lineari-lanceolatis rigentibus. - 
Though many fpecies of this genus have been raifed from _ 
- feeds, brought within thefe few years from the South Seas, 
where they are faid to be very numerous; this is, we believe, _ 
the only one that as yet has flowered in this country: our 
drawing was made from a plant which bloffomed toward the 
clofe of laft fummer at Lord Cremoxnes, the root of which 
had been fent from Botany-Bay; previous to this period we 
-have been informed, that the fame fpecies flowered both at 
_ Kew and Sion-Houfe: as it is without difficulty raifed both 
from feeds and cuttings, young plants of it are to be feenin © 
not flower till they are at leaft five or fix years old. 
moft of the Nurferies near town; it would feem that they do 
Metrofideros is a name given originally by Rumputus in his _ 
_ Herb. Amboin to fome plants’ of this genus, the term applies to: 
the hardnefs of their wood, which by the Dutch is called 
"Yzerhout (Ironwood): Forster in his Gew. Pl. figures this 
and another genus on the fame plate, under the name of Lepio- 
. Jpermum ; SCHREBER in his edition of the Gen. Pl. of Lins 
n£us, unites Metrofideros, Melaleuca, Leptofpermum, and Fabri- 
cia, under the genus Melaleuca ; Gartner in his elaborate — 
work on the feeds of plants, makes feparate genera of thefe, _ 
agreeably to the ideas of Sir Josrpn Banxs and Mr. Dry- 
ANDER, who on this fubje& can certainly boaft the beft in- o 
formation. 
_ We cannot, without tranfgreffing the allotted limits of our 
letter-prefs, give a minute defcription of the plant figured> 
-. fuffice it to fay, that it is an ever-green fhrub, growing to the 
height of ffom four to fix or more feet, that its leaves on the eS 
old wood feel very harfh or rigid to the touch, and when 
_ bruifed give forth an agreeable fragrance, the flowers grow | 
{pikes on the tops of the branches, and owe their beauty whol} 
__ to the brilliant colour of the filaments. ee 
ET 
