289 



teis close logelhcr without any leaflels helweoii tlieiii, aiul iioi longer 

 than llic leal'. 1 1 is perennial, and a native of In^lli the Indies, 

 tiowerino; iVoni .hilv to October. 



'I'liere are several varieties in the colour of the; flowers, as purple 

 or red, while, yellow, variegated purple and while, and variegated 

 purple and yellow, but which resolve themselves inlo two principal 

 varieties; as with purple and while flowers, which are variable; some 

 being plain purple, others plain while, but most of them variegated 

 Aviih the two colours, and all found occasionally on the same plant; 

 and with red and yellow flowers, generally mixed, but sometimes 

 distinct on ihe sa'iie plant; some plants having only plain flowers, 

 others only variegated, and others again both plain and variegated: 

 but the plants which aie raised from seeds of the purj)le and white 

 never produce rod and yellow flowers, or the C(jnlrary. 



All ihese varielies arc; highly ornamental during the months of 

 July, August, and September, and when the season continues mild, 

 often last till near the end of October. The flowers opening only 

 towards ihe evening, wiule the weather continues warm, but in 

 niotlerate cool weather, when the sun is obscured, they conlinue open 

 almost the whole day, and are produced so plentifully at the ends of 

 the branches, that when expanded ihe plant seems entirely covered 

 with them, and from some being plain, others variegated, on the 

 same plant, have a fine appearance. 



The second species resembles the first sort very much: the stalks 

 have thick swollen joints: the leaves are smaller: the flowers not 

 much more than half the size, and do not vary in their colour from 

 their natural purplish-red: the fruit is very rough. It is a native of 

 Mexico; and connnon in the ^V'est Indies, Avhere it is termed the 

 Four o'clock Flower, from the circumstance of the flowers opening at 

 that time of the day. 



In the third, the stalks fall on the ground, if not supported; they 



grow about three feet in length, and divide inlo several branches; are 



hairy and clammy: the flowers come out at the ends of the branches, 



are white, have very long slender tubes, and a faint musky odour, as 



in the olher sorts; are shut during the day, and expand as ihe sun 



2 p 



