176 TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Soiicrila. 



Panicles terminal. Petals equal. Capsules three- eel led, ma- 

 ny-seeded. 



A native of* Sumatra, from thence introduced into the Bo- 

 tanic garden by Mr. Charles Campbell, where it blossoms 

 and ripens its seeds during the whole year. 



Root perennial, consisting of long, firm, thick fleshy fibres. 

 Sterns several from the same root, herbaceous, jointed, as- 

 cending, round, smooth, much swelled at the joints, from 

 two to three feet in height, nearly the whole enveloped in the 

 sheath of the leaves. Leaves alternate, sessile on iheir sheaths, 

 lanceolate, smooth, slightly marked with five parallel nerves, 

 margins entire, waved, somewhat membranaceous, and co- 

 loured. Sheaths shorter than the joints, striated, and smooth, 

 except a few white hairs round their mouths. Panicles 

 terminal ; there are also smaller ones from the superior axills, 

 which are sub-globular, and smaller. Ramifications alternate, 

 at first divaricate, afterwards recurved. Flowers numerous, 

 small, short- pedicelled. Bractes triangular, acute. Calyx, 

 leaflets three, equal, oblong, concave, spreading, fleshy, 

 furrowed on the outside. Petals three, equal, oval, much 

 larger than the calyx, concave, entire, spreading and of a de- 

 licate translucent pale bluish white. Nectarial filaments al- 

 ternate with the longer stamina, bearded (like the latter) to- 

 wards the base, with delicate, slight blue hairs, and crowned 

 with large incumbent, thrce-lobed, yellow glands. Germ 

 somewhat three-sided. Style oblique, length of the filaments. 

 Stiff ma small, crowned with a tuft of hairs. Capsules three- 

 celled, three-valved, with generally from four to six, or seven, 

 angular, rough seeds in each cell. Embryo lodged in a deep 

 pit, in the back of the seed, small, oval. 



SONERILA. R. 



Calyx superior, three-toothed. Petals three on the mouth 

 of the calyx, alternate with the stamina. Germ three-celled, 

 cells many-seeded, attachment central. Capsule three- cell- 

 ed. Seeds numerous, minute. 



