een aaa ee 
AN ENCYCLOPADIA 
OF Ho rü. 543 
Oxylobium continued. 
clusters, either all axillary or also terminal. March. J. ve 
broadly cuneate, truncate, mostly about 1Zzin. long. h. 2ft. 1840. 
(B. R. 1843, 36, and P. M. B. x. 243, under name of O. ob- 
ovatum.) 
O. ellipticum (elliptic-leaved).* A. yellow, in crowded, corymbose 
racemes, May to September. J. from oval-oblong to oblong- 
linear or lanceolate, mucronate, arranged in irregular whorls of 
three. h. 2ft. to 3ft. 1805. (B. M. 3249). Syn. O. Pultenee 
(L. B. C. 1947). 
O. e. angustifolium (narrow-leaved) 7, long, and narrow. 
1805. A handsome variety when well grown. (B. M. 2442, B. R. 
592, and L. B. C. 163, under name of C. arborescens.) 
O. lineare (linear-leaved). H. yellow, or of a dull red, in rather 
loose, terminal racemes, or sometimes in the upper axils. October. 
l. mostly alternate, linear or linear-lanceolate, 2in. to in. long, 
obtuse or mucronate, — 84 beneath when young. h. 2ft. 1838. 
(B. M. 3882, under name of Callistachys linearis.) 
O. obovatum (obovate-leaved). 
obovatum. 
O. obtusifolium (blunt-leaved).* f. with keel and wings crim- 
son, and the standard deep orange-coloured, and yellow at the 
base, disposed in terminal, often one-sided, racemes of lin. to 
2in., on very short pedicels. April. J. alternate or irregularly 
whorled in threes, linear, obtuse, smooth above, but clothed with 
silky tomentum beneath, with revolute edges. h. lft, to 3ft. 
1825. A handsome, compact-growing plant. (S. F. A. 5.) 
O. ovalifolium (oval-leaved). A synonym of O. retusum. 
O. Pulteneze (Pulteney’s), of Loddiges. A synonym of O. ellipti- 
cum. 
O. retusum (retuse). A. reddish-yellow, in dense, almost sessile, 
terminal clusters or corymbose racemes, or rarely also in the upper 
„axils. May. J. mostly opposite, petiolate, ovate or rer} 
elliptic, obtuse, truncate or emarginate, lin. to 2in. long. h. 2ft. 
1825. SYN. O. ovalifolium. (B. R. 913.) N 
O. scandens (climbing). fi. yellow, few, in loose, terminal 
A synonym of O. cuneatum 
axillary racemes. April. Z. mostly opposite, from obovate or 
ovate-elliptical to ovate-lanceolate or narrow-oblong, 1}in. to 2in. 
long. Branches procumbent or half climbing. h. 2ft. 1825. 
(B. R. 1434, under name of Mirbelia Baxteri.) 
O. staurophyllum (cross-leaved). ji. yellow, in loose, axillary 
racemes, rarely exceeding the leaves. April, “. alternate or oppo- 
site, zin. to 14in. long, with pungent points and a cuneate base, 
and deeply divided into three lanceolate, pungent lobes ; the 
lateral ones divaricate, and sometimes bilobed. h. 2ft. 
1822. (B. R. 959, L. B. C. 1177, and P. M. B. iv. 171, under name 
of Podolobium staurophyllum.) 
O. trilobatum (three-lobed).* fl. yellow, in loose, axillary or 
terminal moe often sities the leaves. April. l. mostly 
opposite, from broadly ovate to lanceolate, lin. to 2in. long, with 
ungent points, and bordered by a few distant, pungent teeth or 
obes, of which one or two on each side near the base are usually 
larger than the others. R. 2ft. 1791. (A. B. R. 320, under name 
of Pultenæa ilicifolia ; B. M. 1477 and B. R. 1333, under name of 
Podolobium trilobatum.) ; 
O. twiggy). jl. orange, scarlet, in terminal, sessile, 
corym ei a clusters, and occasionally in the upper 
axils. May. l. in threes or opposite, narrow-oblong, or almost 
linear, rarely ovate-oblong, very obtuse and „ Zin, to 
Iain. long. 1830. (B. M. 3328, and B. R. 1647, under name of 
Gastrolobium retusum.) 5 
OXYPETALUM (from os, sharp, and petalum, a 
petal; petals sharp-pointed). Syns. Gothofreda, Schizo- 
stemma, and Tweedia. ORD. Asclepiadew. A genus 
comprising about fifty species of erect or twining, stove 
or greenhouse, perennial herbs or sub-shrubs, natives of 
South America, mostly Brazil, one species being found 
in Mexico and the West Indies. Flowers blue, white, 
yellowish-white, or purplish; calyx five-parted; corolla 
tube short, campanulate or almost globular, and with five 
often narrow lobes; cymes sometimes umbelliform, loosely 
few-flowered, sometimes capitate, rarely corymbosely 
branched, terminal or (in one species) axillary, peduncu- 
late. Leaves opposite. The species mentioned below 
(probably the only ones introduced) like a tich; well- 
drained, loamy soil, and do best if planted out inside the 
stove or greenhouse, and their shoots trained near the 
glass. O. cœruleum is a charming climber, remarkable 
for the changes in colour exhibited by the flower at 
various stages of its existence. When first open, it is 
pale blue, with a slight tinge of green; then purplish, 
and, when withered, lilac. All are propagated by cuttings 
of the young growths, inserted under a bell glass, in 
bottom heat. 
Oxypetalum—continued. 
O. appendiculatum (appendiculate). fl. pale yellow, fragrant; 
petals narrow-lanceolate, acute, pe A ba spreading ; ’ peduncles 
cymose, usually four-flowered. l ovate, acuminated, cordate, 
downy. Brazil, 1823. Stove twiner. 
O. Banksii (Banks’). f. purple; corolla segments linear or 
linear-lanceolate ; peduncles lax-flowered, longer than the pedicels, 
June. l. cordate or ovate-cordate, shortly acuminate, incano- 
puberulous beneath. Brazil, 1826. Stove twining sub-shrub. 
O. cæruleum (blue).* fl. blue; segments of corolla oblong, spread- 
ing ; peduncles shorter than the leaves, few-flowered, erect. July. 
l. cordate-oblong or cordate-lanceolate, mucronate, tomentose on 
both sides. Buenos Ayres, 1832. Greenhouse or stove twining 
sub-shrub, (B. 55; B. M. 3630, under name of T'weedia versicolor ; 
S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 407, under name of T. cœruled.) 
O. solanoides (Solanum-like). fl. bluish, tinged with rose- 
colour; corolla segments spreading; peduncles terminal or extra- 
axillary, corymbosely — many-flowered. June, J. lan- 
ceolate or oblong-cordate, mucronate, acute, petiolate, tomen- 
tose. Stem almost unbranched, erect. . oft. Brazil, 1846, 
Stove sub-shrub. (B. M. 4367.) 
OXYSPORA (from ozys, sharp, and spora, a seed; 
in allusion to the seeds being awned at both ends). 
ORD. Melastomacee, A small genus (four species) of 
very handsome, slender, erect, or almost scandent, stove 
shrubs, natives of Eastern Bengal and the Malayan 
Archipelago. Flowers pink or red, disposed in terminal, 
elongated, many-flowered, loose, nodding panicles; calyx 
lobes and petals four. Leaves long-stalked, large, oblong 
or lanceolate-ovate, long-acuminate, entire or sinuate- 
toothed, five to seven-nerved. O. paniculata, the only 
species introduced, thrives in a compost of sandy loam 
and fibry peat, with the addition of some small pieces of 
charcoal. Propagation may be effected by cuttings of 
- young shoots, inserted in sandy soil, under a glass, in 
bottom heat, in April. : 8 
O. paniculata (panicled fl. disposed in lax, drooping panicles, 
often lft. long; petals ar bright rose-colour, obovate, acute. 
Autumn. J. ovate or cordate-ovate, acuminate, 
nerved, glabrous above, and obsoletely downy, with short hairs, 
or quite glabrous below, where also the nerves are very pro- 
minent, and red. h. 3ft. to 5ft. India, 1826. (B. M. 4553, under 
name of O. vagans.) 
O. vagans (wandering). A synonym of O. paniculata. 
OXYSTELMA (from ozys, sharp, and stelma, a 
girdle; in reference to the segments of the corona being 
acute). ORD. Asclepiadew. A small genus (four species) 
of stove, climbing, glabrous herbs or sub-shrubs, natives 
of tropical Asia and Africa. Flowers rather large; 
corolla purple-spotted and veined, rather broad; cymes 
loosely racemose or umbelliform, not unfrequently reduced 
to one flower. Leaves opposite, narrow. O. esculentum 
is the only species in cultivation; it thrives in a com- 
post of loam, leaf mould, and sand. Good drainage is 
essential. Like many other stove climbers, it perhaps 
does best when planted out against a wall or rafter, and 
its shoots trained near the glass. 
esculentum white, with a ofr + 
p nn gs 8 10 A ie e 
l. linear-lanceolate, veiny, smooth, 4in. Ein. long. India, 
Java, &c., 1816. : 
OXYTROPIS (from ovys, sharp, and tropis, a keel; 
the keel ends in a sharp point). ORD. Leguminose. 
An extensive genus (nearly 100 species) of hardy, much- 
branched herbs, sub-shrubs, or small shrubs, allied to 
Astragalus. They are found in the mountainous or cold 
regions of Asia, North America, and Europe. Flowers 
violet, purple, white, or pale yellowish, in axillary 
spikes or racemes, or springing from the stem; standard 
erect, ovate or oblong; petals unguiculate. Pods sessile 
or stipitate. Leaves impari-pinnate; leaflets entire, 
exstipellate. Several species are very handsome, but 
many which were at one time much grown are now 
lost to cultivation. They are of easy culture in any 
ordinary soil, but prefer a dry sandy loam. Propagated 
by seeds, sown in their permanent quarters; and by 
dividing the plant in spring. All the species mentioned 
below are pretty, dwarf-growing perennials, 
