^^o De/criptlon of the Njmphaa Ccrulea. 



tiaiiVj without Tpots, but marked with feven paler ribs very 



The folloles of the calyx in tiie nymphica cesriilea are much 

 jiarrower, lanceolaied, and ainioll cuneiform : the exterior 

 ^de (>r them is of a dark green colour, conftantjy varied with 

 an infinite number of points and fmall lines of a purplilh co- 

 lour, and ,have no apparent ribs. 



The petals of the nymphrea lotus are oval, lanceolated, and 

 very unequal; thofe of the laft being much fmalier than the 

 reft : their colour is a pure milk-white, tinfjed with a greenilh 

 purple colour on the outlide, but rarely. 



In the 7iympha;a Ci:cruiea the petals are lanceolated all pcr- 

 feftly equal, of a bright white colour, tinged, in particular 

 towards the fummit, with the moft beautiful azure, inclining 

 ilightly however, fometimes, to violet. 



The flainina of the nymphxa lotus have antheras very much 

 conipreifed, lanceolated, without any appendix at the fiuumit, 

 and have fcarcely the length of the filaments. 



On the other hand, the antherai ot the nymphxa carulea 

 are verv little conipreflTed, lineal and longer than the fila- 

 ments ; their fummit is terminated by a fubulated blueifh 

 appendix fiuiiiar to a fmall petal. 



Jnthe laft place, the I'uunnits of the radii of the ftigma 

 are longer and fubulated in the nympha:a lotus \ ftiorter, oval, 

 and lanceolated, m the nympbaa carulea. 



The fmell exhaled from the flowers of each kind is alfo 

 very different : that of the tiymphaa carulea is exceedingly 

 fweet and agreeable ; that of the jiymphaa lotus is ftronger, 

 more pungent, and much lefs agreeable. 



In regard to the fruit, I did not find in them any very re- 

 markable difference ; in both fpecies it confifts of a drv round 

 berr)-, which is long, covered by the bafes of the folloles of 

 the calyx and thole of the petals; truncated and radiated at 

 the fummit, which is always ftained by the decompofition of 

 the ftamina and interior petals : it is divided into fevcral cells, 

 each of which correfponds to a radius of the fiigma, and con- 

 tains a quantity of round feeds of a rofe .colour. 



The Arabs have very well diftinguiftied thefe plarits, and 

 given to each a particular name : the former they call luou.- 

 jar, and the latier hachen'in. 



By felefting from thedefcription here given the moft promi- 

 nent difi'erentes, both fpecies may be chara6lerlzed as follows: 

 Nymph-«a Lotus, 



N. foi'iis dcntath, anthcris aptce JivipVic'ihus. 

 NvMPH^A C-aCKULJEA, 



a. Joins rrpand'iSy antheris apke fululato-pelalo'ideis. 



5 Explanation 



