C H*7 3 



Bartonia decapetala. Ten-petaled 



Bartonia. 



Clafs and Order. 



ICOSANDRIA MONOCYNIA, 



Generic Character. 



Cal. fuperus, pcrfiflens, 5-partitus. Cor. polypetala : petajtj 

 unguiculatis. Stamina numerofiffima, erecla, uniformia. Cap/. 

 cylindrica, 1-locularis, apice operculatim 3 — 5-valvis : Recep- 

 tacula 3 — 5, parietalia, duplici ferie feminifera. Sem. plurima, 

 complanata, fubelliptica. 



Obs. Loafre et Mentzelias affiv is ; ab hac filamentis ccqur.libus 

 feminibus numerofis, ab ilia petalorum numero et veclariornm dejetlu fatis 

 Mfjiincia. 



Specific Character. 



BARTONIA decapetala^ petal is decern, genuine foliofo, fe- 

 minibus nudis. 



The name of Bartonia is given to this plant in honour of 

 Dr. B. S. Barton, Profeflbr of Botany and Natural Hiflory, 

 in the Univerfity of Penfylvania. 



} u s s 1 e u , in his Genera Planiarum, had added M eutzelia 

 and Loasa, in a feparate fe&ion, to the end of the natural 

 order of Onagri, as plants nearly related. But fince the publi- 

 cation of that work, he has (in the Annales du Mufcura cTHift. 

 Nat. v. 5. p. 18.) feparated thefe two genera from the Onagra, 

 making of them a diitincl order, under the name of Loafese. 



To this natural order Bartonia belongs. It differs iVom 

 Mentzelia in the indefinite number of its ftamens, the uni- 

 formity of its filaments, and the number and form of its feeds, 

 which in Mbhtzelia are angular and feldom exceed fix. 

 From Loasa it differs in the number of its petals ; in being 



deftitutc 



