ICOSA.VDRIA MONOGYNIA. 2^7 



S!ve!v trojiical. They a'-e amongst the most singular of 

 ve.i-etable productions, but scarcely ali reierrlbie to the 

 same genus. 



326. *BARTONIA. 



Calix snpej'ior, 5-cleft, persistent. Corolla 

 of 10 petals. Capsule cylindric-obbng, l-celK 

 c(l, sinnniit flat, valvular: valvulce 5 in 7. Re- 

 ceptacular pliicentce 3 to 7, jiarietal. Seeds nu- 

 merous, cofiipressed, arranged horizontally in 

 a tioubie series. 



Heibaceo'js; leaves alternate, pinnatifid, asperate; flow- 

 ers large, terminal and solitarv, vespertine, (or expand- 

 ing- towards sun-set,) not deciduous or inarcescent after 

 closinj>% but reopening at the usjal time for several da>s 

 in succession, when closed involute in a cone; small valves 

 of the capsule variable in number, but corresponding- with 

 the placentae, and the spiral strictures of the stigma; in the 

 g^erm there exists the rudiments of a Columnar receptacle. 

 The whole plant turns blackish in drying-, on the slight- 

 est wound it also exsudes a resinous sap which instantly 

 blackens in the air. Pubescence compoundly barbed 

 and tenacious, as appears to be more or less the case iii 

 the v/hole order of the Loase^. 



Species. 1. B. or?uiin. Leaves lanceolate, interrupt- 

 edly pinnatifid; segments subacute; base of the capsule 

 tbliose; valves 5 to 7; seeds nearly v.ltbout mar:;in. JR. 

 decapeUda. Bot. Mag, Obs. The whole plant, except 

 t!ie petals more or less scabrous with short barbed hairs. 

 Biennial; root long, succulent and fusiform. Stem irre- 

 gularly angular and much branched, 2 to 4 feet high. 

 Leaves alternate, sessile, oblong-lanceolate, interruptedly 

 and sinuatciy pinnatifid, 6 to 8 inches long; segments 3 lo 

 6 Uncsin length, incurved, generally with 1 or 2 dentures 

 on the lower side; uppermost leaves ovate-lanceolate, or 

 dilated at the base. Calix inseparably investing the germ, 

 border 5-cleft, superior, segments lanceoiaie, acumi- 

 nate, pei-sistent, an inch long. Flovfers odorous, jellow- 

 ish v.'jiite, of uncommon magnitude ah'^ost resembling 

 .some species of Cac'ns, solitary and terminal, sessilf'. 

 Petals 10, hmceolate-ovate, concave and spreading, con- 

 spicuously unguiculate, acu<e, numerously nerved, mscrt- 

 ed upon the calix, about 2 niches long, the 5 interior 

 somewhat smaller. Stamina very numerous, from 200 to 

 250 more or less, a Uttle shorter than the corolla and iii* 



