C *2 3 5 ] 



BOSSI^EA SCOLOPENDRIA. Fl AT -STEMMED 



Bossi^a. 



Oafs and Order. 



DlADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 



Generic Characler. 



Cal. 2-labiatus : labio fuperiore bifido retufo. Legumen 

 pedicellatum, compreffum, margine utroque incrafTatum, [intus 

 fpongiofum, multiloculare,] polyfpermum. Smith. 



Specific Characler and Synonyms, 



BOSSI./EA fcolopendria ; ramis compreflis alatis dentatis 

 denudatis foliis ovato - ellipticis. Smith 

 in Tranf. Lin. foe. v. 9. p. 303. 



PLATYLOBIUM fcolopendrium. Venten. Malm- 55. 



PLATYLOBIUM fcolopendrum. Bot. Repof. 191. v 



In the feedling plant the ftalk is rounded and clothed with 

 alternate leaves, at firft orbicular, afterwards oval, and finally 

 wedge fhaped, upon fhort petioles jointed at both ends, but as 

 the plant grows the leaves fall off and no more are afterwards 

 produced : the branches become broad and flat with alternate 

 indentations along the margin, of a black colour, from ihefe 

 the flowers afterwards come out folitarily upon fhort peduncles, 

 which have from three to five awl-fhaped brafles. The calyx 

 is bilabiate : upper lip broad, very obtufe, emarginate, the teeth 

 quite divaricate : lower lip 3-toothed, teeth lanceolate. G rotla 

 papilionaceous : vexillum 2-lobed, reflexed, internally of a 

 purplifh yellow colour, with a bright yellow fpot bordered with 

 Fed at the bafe ; externally chiefly red, with a lunar-fhaped 

 greeniln yellow fpot. Ala fhorter than vexillum, reddifh with 

 bronze tips. Carina very fhort, truncated, united at the tip 

 into one petal. Stamens diadelphous 1 and 9 Germen linear : 

 Jlyle reflexed : Jiigma villous. Legumen large comprefled, with 

 both margins thickened and rounded, one celled. Seeds feveral 

 attached by longifh pedicles to the upper margin. 



BoSSIiEA 



