out to receive them. Ovary egg-fhaped, fuperior, 3—4 celled, 

 feeds many, minute; ftyle o, ftigma flefhy, three or four- 

 lobed. Refembles in habit a Plantago. 



Michaux confiders it of the family of Erica Ju(f. to us its 

 natural affinity is not very apparent j in the form of the ne&ary, 

 Achyranthes comes near it. 



This very rare and curious plant appears to have been un- 

 known to every European Botanift fmce Linnaus, who had 

 himfelf but a very imperfea knowledge from dried fpecimens, 

 and the little which he could acquire from the obfervations 

 of Mitch el and Gronovius, until it was detefted and more 

 fully and accurately defcnbed by Michaux, who gave it the 

 name of Erythrorhiza, from the colour of the root, which 

 he fays is of a deep red, much like that of Madder. 



To the indefatigable Mr. Eraser, of Sloane-Square, Chel- 

 fea, we are indebted for its introduction into this country. 

 He informs us that he firft difcovered it at the foot of the 

 mountains at the back part of the State of Georgia, in the 

 year 1786. Not finding that any Botanift here was at all ac- 

 quainted with the plant, he felt himfelf at liberty to name it 

 after the Marquis of Blandford; we are forry, by reftoring 

 the original Linnean appellation, to deprive this nobleman of 

 this well-merited honour. Michaux found it on the high 

 mountains of Carolina, flowering in May. This author 

 refers it to Monadelphia, but as it has not the fmalleft 

 affinity with any other plants of this clafs, we rather choofe to 

 leave it where Liknaus had arranged it, although what we 

 call the tubular neBary, to which the ftamens are attached 

 may perhaps, without impropriety, be confidered as formed* 

 by the jundion of the filaments. It is probably a hardy her- 

 baceous plant, though whilft fo fcarcc it may be fafeft to melter 

 it through the Winter in the Green-Houfe, by which means 

 too the old leaves being longer preferved, continue after the 

 plant is in flower, and add much to its beauty. Is eafily pro- 

 pagated by means of its creeping root. Should be planted in 

 bog-earth with a mixture of fandy loam. 



