384 Dr Graham's Descfiption of' New or Rare Plants. 



Stem (1 foot 4 inches high) simple, very slightly coiiiiiresscd, glabroiis, 

 light green, jointed at the origin of the leaves. Flowers capitate, pedi- 

 cels light green, round, glabrous, outer sjmthe bivalvular, longer than 

 the pedicels, membranous, repeated on the inner flowers, which expand 

 in succession. Perianth superior, G partite, glabrous, rotate, tube none, 

 outer segments small, narrow ovate and colourless at the base, concave, 

 keeled and subherbaceous at the apex ; inner segments (7 lines long, 6 lines 

 broad) about twice the length of the outer, unguiculate, cordate, entire, 

 very slightly crisped, retuse at the apex, somewhat fleshy or like white 

 wax, with a distinct somewhat diaphanous middle rib, and very faint di- 

 verging lateral nerves. Stamens three, inserted into the base of the co- 

 rolla, opposite to the outer segments, about as long as the inner; filaments 

 like these segments pure white, erect, cohering for about a quarter of 

 their length, above which they diverge a little ; anthers yellow, incum- 

 bent, oblong, cleft at both ends, but especially at the lower, opening 

 along the sides. Stigmata minute, terminal, capitate, colourless. Style 

 white, single, shorter than the stamens, cleft into three to the point 

 where the filaments cohere, segments diverging between the filaments, 

 each thicker than the cohering part included within the sheath of the 

 filaments. Germen inferior, oblong, triquetrous, green, glabrous, 3-locu- 

 lar. Ovules numerous, oblong, mutually impressed, fixed into a central 

 placenta. 



This species flowered beautifully in Mr Cunningham's nursery at Comely 

 Bank, Edinburgh, in May, having been received from Mr Low at Clap- 

 ton, W'ho raised ic from seeds imported from near the southern extre- 

 mity of the continent of America by Mr Anderson. Its root forms a 

 number of crowns, by which it no doubt may be propagated, and it pro- 

 bably will ripen seeds in the. greenhouse. 



This genus was separated from Sisyrinchium by Mr Brown, and the name 

 of Renealmia. for a time suppressed by Smith, given to it ; but as the 

 genus lienealmia has been restored upon good grounds by lloscoe, it be- 

 comes necessary to adopt from Sprengel the appellation of Libertia for 

 the genus of Brown, which is a most natural one. 



Oxylobium elliplicum. 



O. ellipticum ; fbliis ovali-oblongis, mucronatis, subverticillatis ; bracteis 

 infra apicem pedicelli caducis ; capitulis terminalibus, racemosis, (legu- 

 miuibus calyce duplo longioribus.— £r.) 

 Oxylobium ellipticum, Br. in Kort. Kew. 3. 10. — De Cand. Prodr. 2. 



104 Spreng, Syst. Veget. 2. 349- 



Gompholobium ellipticum, Labillard. Nov. Holl. 1. 106 t. 135. 

 Callistachys elliptica, Vent. Malmais. 115. 

 Description.— S'/imi erect ; bark, on the stem brown, greenish and some- 

 what silky on the twigs. Leaves (1 inch long, A\ lines broad) elliptical, 

 mucronate, coriaceous, shortly petioled, dark green, reticulate, and gla- 

 brous above, somewhat silky below, reflected in the edges, subverticiilate, 

 four in each whorl. Flowers yellow, in terminal capitate spikes. Bractece 

 single below the origin of each pedicel, and opposite a little above its 

 middle, linear-subulate, caducous, silky. Pedicels spreading wide, silky. 

 Calyj^ equal in length to the pedicel, bilabiate, u])per lip of two approxi- 

 mated acute segments, lower of three spreading acute segments. Petals 

 5, nearly of equal length ; standard concave, seniicircular, crenate, sligli tly 

 marked with orange in the throat, claw short ; aloe elliptical, truncated 

 at the -base, claw very slender; keel of 2 petals, united in the mii.ldle, 

 subinflated, each petal shaped like one of the ahe, but with rather a 

 longer claw, and with a pouch ])rojecting outwards and backwards near its 

 base. Stamens hypogynous, included, Irce, fil iments slightly compressed, 

 anthers inserted by their backs, ))ollon yellow. Style ascending, ex- 

 serted. Stigma small, blunt. Germen pedicelled, siiorter than the sta- 

 mens, silkv. Ovules about 8. 



