178 NAT. ORDER. RUTACE.E. 



villous, tipped with a gland, the lower part erect, the upper half spread- 

 ing- ; hypogijiious disk, an annular, dark -green gland ; gcrmen very 

 short, abortive, crowned with five lanceolate, fleshy, slightly spreading 

 appendages ; slt/le, filiform, curved ; stigma, minute. 



There are, perhaps, few plants that have been long cultivated in 

 our collections, which are less understood and which require more il- 

 lustration by figures, than the various species of the old Genus Dios- 

 vui of the Cape of Good Hope, and which now constitutes a section of 

 the Natural Older Ridacccc. The individual now figured is an old in- 

 habitant of the green-houses, both of this country and England, e.spe- 

 cially the latter, where it has gone under various names, such as 

 Diosma crcnala, Diosma laiifoUa, Diosma odorata, §t. Wendland 

 figured it under the name of Parapctalifcra odorata in his collections, 

 but he made it, afterwards, the variety of Diosma sci-ratifoUa, and has 

 referred to the same variety, the Diosma crenata, of Linneeus, &c. — 

 But surely if it can be proved to be the Diosma creriulata (not crenata) 

 of Linnaeus, that name ought to be adopted in preference to any others ; 

 and Linnaeus' description does appear to be so characteristic, that for 

 my own part I have no hesitation in preferring the name. My opinion 

 is further strengthened by a remark of Sir I. E. Smith, in Rees's Cy- 

 clopaedia, where he notices the great affinity of the Diosma serratifolia, 

 (a supposed Australian species,) with the Diosma crenata of Linnaeus. 

 'Of the true Diosma sorratifolia, I have only seen cultivated specimens ; 

 they have much longer, narrower, and accuminated leaves, marked 

 with raised glands on the upper surface, and three distinct nerves ; 

 they have decidedly serrated leaves, and always pure white flowers ; 

 •so that I have no hesitation in keeping these two distinct. If the above 

 "be con-ect, I see no impropriety in referring to our Barosma crcnulata, 

 the valuable properties of which, as an internal medicine, and as an 

 outward application, for healing lacerated flesh, are well and highly 

 ■'tipoken of by both ancient and modern writers. 



Lastly, I would mention that tlie Bucku of our Pharmacopaeias, 

 which has lately obtained so much celebrity as a sudorific, diuretic, 



