1246 



ERYTHRINA* poi^thes. 

 Naked-jlowering Krythrina. 



DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 



Nat. ord. Leguminoss. 

 ERYTHRINA.—Suprd, vol. A. fol. 313. 



E. poianthes ; foliis ternatis, foliolis lateralibus ovatis, interraedio rhombeo- 

 ovato, omnibus subti\s pubescentibus, rachi petioloque communi aculeatis, 

 caule arboreo aculeato, calyce obliqu^ truncato, latere superiors v. fisso 

 V. integro, staminibus diadelphis vexillo vix brevioribus. — Brotero in 

 Linn, trans. 14. p. 342. tt. \0 et 11. 



This fine plant was sent, in 1827, from the Royal 

 Gardens at Ajuda to Mr. Lambert, through the interven- 

 tion of Lord Heytesbury, at that time Ambassador at the 

 Court of Portugal. It is cultivated in the stove, v^^here it 

 produces its flowers without the leaves. Our drawing was 

 made from a specimen in Mr. Lambert's possession, in 

 August 1828. 



According to Professor Brotero, this is 10 or 15 feet 

 high, growing in the Botanic Garden of Ajuda, and else- 

 where in Portugal ; and flowering in January, February, 

 and March. Its native country is unknown : it is conjec- 

 tured by Brotero that it may be a native of Asia. 



To the very prolix description given by this Botanist 

 in the Transactions of the Linnean Society, we find nothing 

 to add. He observes, that it must not be confounded with 

 either E. corallodendron, indica, or picta, to all which it is 

 related, but from which it diff'ers in having the stamens 

 truly diadelphous. J. L. 



* So called from l^v^^o?, red, in allusion to the usual colour of the 

 flowers. What is meant by poianthes, we hardly know ; unless the word is 

 formed from 7roi-/iTo^, adventitious, in obscure allusion to the flowers appearing 

 without the leaves. 



