species of the genus, gives them a peculiarly graceful ap- 

 pearance. 



According to Endlicher and DeCandolle the stamens are, 

 in the other species, collected into a small cup ; but here at 

 least they arc united into a column, and arranged on each 

 side of the sterile filament, so that in fact the filaments form 

 five parcels, or phalanges, each consisting of four fertile sta- 

 mens adhering, two on each side, to a central sterile one ; as 

 is represented at fig. 1 . 



