380 Dr Balfour's Description of Bare Plants. 



turn and scales. Triangular, subulate, membranaceous, brownish 

 bracts occur in various parts of the inflorescence, especially at 

 the points where the primary and secondary peduncles come off ; 

 they are sometimes very acute, and vary in length from half an 

 inch to 4 inches. 



Flowers hermaphrodite, small, yellowish, sessile, occasionally placed 

 singly on the rachis, but generally in clusters of 3, the central 

 flower opening first. Clusters placed alternately in a spiral order. 

 Perianth or per igone double. Outer perianth or calyx 3-cleft, seg- 

 ments broadly ovato-triangular, tip often brownish, closely applied 

 to the inner perianth, and about half its length. Inner perianth 

 or corolla 3-partite, segments ovate, concave internally, imited at 

 the base, aestivation valvate. Stamens 6, included ; filaments 

 dilating downwards in a triangular form, and ending in a disk- 

 like membrane which unites their bases, and ishypogynous; anthers 

 ovate, bifid at the base, versatile, introrse, with longitudinal de- 

 hiscence ; pollen yellow, elliptical, furrowed. Pistil small, con- 

 sisting of 3 carpels united; ovary rounded, flattened above, ob- 

 soletely 3-lobed ; ovule erect, one in each cell ; style short, subulate, 

 trigonous ; stigma depressed, capitate. Fruit an olive-like berry, 

 usually single, containing only one seed, in consequence of the 

 abortion of two ovules ; albumen cartilaginous; embryo cylindrical. 



This plant was introduced into the Edinburgh Botanic Garden about 

 30 years ago from Kew. It is now about 3G years old. It produced 

 flowers in February 1847. This seems to be the first time that 

 it has flowered in Britain, and perhaps in Europe. Mr N. B., 

 "Ward informs me, that it has not flowered in Messrs Loddiges' 

 palm-house. He says, " The plant at Hackney is most gigantic, 

 but the roots have made their way through the bottom of the tub, 

 and are now growing in the soil, which may possibly account for 

 its not having flowered." 



Pjiimula Stuartii, TFall. — Nat. Ord. Primulacese. — Pen- 

 tandria Monogynia. 



Generic Character. — Calyx subcampanulatus vel tubulosus, saepius 

 angulatus vel inflatus, quinquedentatus vel quinquefidus. Corolla 

 hypogyna, infundibuliformis vel hypocraterimorpha, tubo cylin- 

 draceo, brevi vel elongato, ad faucem dilatato, limbo quinquefido, 

 laciniis obtusis, emarginatis vel bifidis. Stamina quinque, corolla 

 tubo inserta, ejusdem laciniis opposita, inclusa ; jilamenta brevis- 

 sima ; anthcra3 oblongae, biloculares, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. 

 Ovarium globosum, uniloculare, placenta basilari substipitata. 

 Ovula plurima, punctato-rugosa, peltatim amphitropa, dorso plana, 

 ventre convexa. Capsula ovata quiuqucvalvis, valvulis integris 

 aut bifidis apice tantum dehiscentibus. Si^mina minima, numerosa. 



