15 



* BECiUM bicolur 

 Two-coloured Bcclum. 



Dl DYN A MI A G YMNOSPERMIA . 



Nat. Old. Labiate. 



BECIUM. Bot. Reg. 1842, misc. AA. Calyx bilabiatus ; labio siipe- 

 riore dilatato decurreute inferiore truncato }3ilis brevissimis dense ciliato apice 

 biseto. Corolla bilabiata, tubo recto calyce longiore intus pubescente, labiis 

 a?qualibus superiore 3-lobo lacinia media fissa, convexo apice et margin ere vo- 

 luto, inferiore oblongo concavo. Stamina libera, longissima, declinata, ante 

 anthesin cum stylo circinata ; suprema basi dilatata villosa inferiora Ipevia 

 fdiformia ; antherse ovatse, obtusae, glabrae. Ovarium disco 4-dentato om- 

 nino immersum. Stigtna 2-lobum laciniis subulatis. 



B. bicolor. Lindl. I. c. 



Ocymum grandiflorum. VHerit. Stirp. 89. t. 43. 



O. abyssinicum. Hort. Par. fide Bentk. 



0. filamcntosum. Forsk.Jl. jEgypt. Arab. 100. Bentham Labiat. p. 8. 



Frutex pnjjpscens. Folia ovato-lanceolata., serrata, impunctata. Verti- 

 cillastri subbiflori, spicati, bracteis cordatis tmdulatis acutninatis deciduis colo- 

 ratis calyce longioribus. Corolla alba vents lilacinis. Stamina lilacina. 



"From among some Abyssinian seeds sent to the Horticul- 

 tural Society, from Paris, has been raised a plant of a genus of 

 Labiata;, which does not appear to be described. It is a shrub 

 with downy stems, ovate-lanceolate, serrated, slightly petio- 

 lated leaves, and verticillasters of beautiful flowers arranged 

 in short spikes. The calyx has a broad upper lip, like that of 

 an Ocymum, the lower lip is deep, truncate, bordered with a 

 close fringe of white hairs, and terminated in front by a pair 

 of feeble teeth. The corolla is large, white, with lilac veins, 

 and nearly an inch long. The upper lip is S-lobed, with the 

 middle lobe split at the point, and the points of all rolled 

 back ; the lower lip is of about the same length, oblong and 

 concave. The stamens are four, declinate, bright violet, and 



* From (jriKKiv, one of the names assigned by Dioscorides to the Sage, 

 which this plant much resembles. 



