40 HORTUS JAMAICENSIS. BAr.?AS; 



BACHELORS BUTTON. GOMPIIRENA. 



Cu. b, OR. 2. Pcntandria digynia. Nat. or. Amaranlhe. 



This generic name is derived I'roni a Greek word signirying a nail, knob, or button. 



Gen. char. Ciilyx a coloured perianlhiuni ; outer tliree-leavetl ; leaflets two, c>)a- 

 verging, keeled; corolla fi\e-peia!led, nectary a cylindric tube, the Iciigtii of ihe 

 loroliu, witii a five-tooched patulous mouth ; stamina scarcely observable within 

 the mouth of the nectary ; anthers upright, closing the mouth of the nectary ; 

 gennen ovate, pointed; style cloven half way ; stii^mas simple, the length of the 

 sianiens ; cajjsule roundish, circiimcisetl ; seed single, large, roundish, ^i'ith an 

 oblique tip. Two species grow in Jamaica. 



1. GL0B03A. GLOBUL.AR. 



Stem upright ; leaves ovate lanceolate, heads solitary, peduncles two Ic.ived, 

 This is a very ornamental plant in gardens, and is annual,^ rising with an upright 

 branched stalk, about two feet high. Leaves, branches, and peduncles, opposite ; the 

 latter axillary, long, and naked, except that there are two short leaves close under each, 

 head of flowers. These heads are at first globular, but as they increase in size become 

 <i\d\. There is a white an^l a purple variety. Tiie Bovvers, if gathcrca before too far 

 advanced, \riii retain their ijeauty and brilliant colour for a considerable length of lime.. 

 Two varieties grow naturally in the AVcst Indies, the heads of which resemble the others, 

 in colour and shape, but are much smaller. They are propagated by seeds. Browne 

 is doubti'ul whether this species is not a native, as he found it growing wild about the- 

 yavannas, rising twelve or fifteen inches, 



2. INTERRUPTA. INTERRUPTED. 



Stem almost upright, spike interrupted. 



Root annua!. Stem shrubby at bottom, from one to two feet high. Branches jointed,, 

 sub-decumbent, lanuginose, white. Leaves at the root aggregate, sessile ; above op- 

 p.-jsite, lanceolate, obtuse, tomenti5se, beneath white lanuginose, soft. Flowering- 

 stems leafless, stiff, whitish, except that they are often purple towards the end. Flow- 

 ers in spikes, aggregate, sessile, interrupted, lanuginose. Scales two or three mem- 

 branaceous, minute, forming an involucre to the calvx, which is five-parted ; the jJarts 

 linear erect, purple, woolly on the outside. Germ large, compressed, woolly; style 

 short ; stigma sub-capitate, yellow. ^Capsule largish, involved in the calyx, opening 

 in two pans at top, woolly, compressed, crested on the edge. This species is a nativej 

 cf the dry sandy fields, in the southern parts of Jamaica. ^ia'. 



See Rupture AVorth, Hairy. 



BALSAM HERB. DL\NTHERA. 



Cl. 2, OR. 1. Diandria nionog7/nia. Nat. or. Persoiiat^^ 

 This genus takes its name from a Greek word, signifying double anthered. 

 Gen. char. Calyx one-leafed, five-parted, tubular ; corolla one petalled, ringent, 

 tube short, patulous, upper lip ovate, lower with three segments ; stamina shorter 



