Lettsomia, PENTANDRIA MONOGYNTA, 495 
ally. shorter than the petioles, three-flowered, though fre- 
quently one of the three, or even two of them, are abortive. 
Flowers short-pedicelled, large, pure white, expanding at - 
sun-set, and perfuming the air to a considerable distance with 
a fragrance resembling that of the finest cloves. In fact it is 
the Prince of the Convolvulacée.  Bractes sub-lanceolate, 
three to each of the lateral flowers. Calyeme leaflets ovate- 
cordate, obtuse, a little hairy. Corol; tube cylindric; bor- 
der ample and nearly entire. Filaments woolly at the base. 
Germ surrounded with a yellow nectarial ring, ovate, four- 
celled, with one ovulum in each cell, attached to its lower, 
inner, angle. Stigma composed of two distinct, cylindric, 
glandular lobes. Berry dry, smooth, shining brown, ovate- 
oblong in our cultivated plants ; somewhat pointed, size of a 
filbert, one-celled. Seeds from. one to four ; in our gardens 
one is by far the most common number; ‘enveloped in a soft, 
white, spongy substance, which in drying separates from the 
inside of the pericarpium and adheres to the seed, which is 
of an oval shape, and about the size of a small pea. Integu- 
ments two, besides the exterior spongy lamina; the exterior 
one hard and tough; the interior one sclestbiratlneeous, and 
entering the folds of the cotyledons. Embryo as in the pers 
convolvulacee, i 
_ Obs; The trivial name bona-noz is well applied hereon ac: 
- count of the charming appearance, and delightful fragrance 
of its flowers from the time they first expand, about sun-set, 
until sun-rise, when they wither. But I doubt if it is the species 
to which Linneeus gave this name; I rather think it was that — 
which I now call ae prandifore bie soe a ae | 
Van pa8H ae 
un L. sniftorai'R ms 
nnial, twining, ie “Leaves reniforn-cordete, net, 
apiece treed ‘Berry dry, spherical, 
3 sec candicans. Rottler. _— amet 
