The structure of the stamens in Salvia is very remarkable, 

 and makes the essential character of the genus. But the want 

 of uniformity of language among botanists, in speaking of 

 these parts, is apt to render their meaning not always easily 

 intelligible to students. The filament consists of two parts, 

 connected together by a joint: the lower portion is upright, 

 and generally very short ; the upper portion is much longer, 

 and united to the lower, not at either extremity, but at some 

 determined point between the two, more or less distant from 

 the middle, in different species. This transverse portion is 

 generally curved, and the longer arm ascends and bears the 

 anther at the extremity, while the shorter arm descends and 

 is terminated by a gland. 



Some authors, when they speak of the filament, mean the 

 lower upright portion only, whilst others consider the trans- 

 verse portion as the filament, .and. call the upright a stipes or 

 pedicle. Etlinger, who wrote a monograph on Salvia, con- 

 sidered the transverse portion as a part of the anther elon- 

 gated, separating its two ceils and beating one at each 

 extremity y that on the longer ascending arm being always 

 fertile, whilst that on the descending arm is sterile. This 

 opinion is rendered the more probable from the circumstance, 

 that the fertile anther consists of only one cell ; and further, 

 that the sterile portion, though more usually only a callous 

 gland, yet, in other cases, shews its affinity to an anther, by 

 bearing a small quantity of pollen. 



The proportion in the length of the two arms of the trans- 

 verse portion of the filament, though constant in the same, 

 varies in different species, and would, in many cases, afford 

 excellent distinguishing characters. In the present species, 

 the upper arm is very long, extending nearly the whole length 

 of the upper lip of the corolla : whilst the lower arm is very 

 shorthand attached nearly its whole length to the tube of the 

 corolla. 



A hardy biennial. Propagated by seeds. Introduced in 1793, 

 by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks. Flowers in May, June, 

 and July. Our drawing was made from a living specimen, 

 sent by Mr. Lambert from his garden at Boyton. Communi- 

 cated also by Mr. 'Walker from Arno's-Grove, Southgate. 





