A T R 



A T R 



leaved Athanasia; 4. A. piiiescens, Woolly- 

 leaved Athanasia. 



The first has a low, shrubby, branching stem, 

 seldom rising three feet high. The flowers are 

 pale yellow, appearing early in sunmier, and, if 

 the season- prove favourable, are succeeded In- 

 ripe seeds in autumn. 



There is a variety, in which the corymbs are 

 compound and terminating, the flowers larger, 

 and the leaves broader at the base. 



The second species has the stem shrubby and 

 branching like the following. The leaves are 

 linear, divided more thanhalf their length, sonic 

 into three, others into five narrow segments. 

 The flowers are like those of the next species 

 in shape and colour, and there is a succession 

 on the same plant for a great part of the sum- 

 mer ; but unless the season is warm, they are 

 rartlv succeeded by ripe seeds in this climate. 



Tlie third has the stem shrubby, live or six 

 feet high, dividing into many irregular branches, 

 with flat glaucous leaves, cut at their e.xtrfmity 

 into three segments, and having an agreeable 

 odour when b"iuised. The flowers ;ire of a brigb.t 

 vtllow colour, and appear in August, but are 

 seldom succeeded by ripe seeds here. 



The fourth species rises with a shrubby stem 

 six or seven feet high: the flowers are yellow: 

 the seeds do not ripen in this climate. 



Cnllure. — These Cape exotics, as they seldom 

 or ever produce seeds in this climate, must be 

 propagated by setting the cuttings during the 

 summer season in pots, which should be plunged 

 into a declining hot-bed, and then closely co- 

 vered with the "glasses, being properly shaded in 

 the heat of the" day, and supplied with water. 

 After thev have stricken root, and are perfectly 

 established, they should be transplanted singly 

 into pots made iip with fresh light earth, being 

 placed in shaded situations till they have be- 

 come well rooted again ; they may then be set 

 out in assemblage with other similar plants in 

 warm situations until it becomes necessary to 

 remove them under the protection of frames or 

 the oreen-house, where thev should have as much 

 fresh air as possible when the weather will permit. 

 ATRAPHAXIS, a senus comprehending t\\ o 

 p'ants of the shrubby kind. 



It belongs to the class and order He.raiulria 

 Disi'jnia, and ranks in the natural order of Ho- 

 f^iracets. 



The characters are, that the calyx is a two- 

 leaved perianthium ; the leaflets opposite, lanceo- 

 late, eoiourtd, and permanent: the corolla has 

 two roundish, sinuate petals, larger than the 

 <:alyx, and permanent : the stamina consist of 

 six capillary filaments, the length of the calyx : 

 tlic anthers arc roundish : the pisliiluni is a com- 



pressed germ : no style : the stigmas two, ca- 

 pitate : no pericarpium: the calyx closed, in- 

 cluding the seed. One seed roundish and com- 

 pressed. 



The species are: 1. A. sp'nwsa, Prickly- 

 branched Atraphaxis; 2. A. v}idulata,-\\'a.ye- 

 lea\-cd Atraphaxis. 



The first is a shrub, which rises four or five 

 feet high, sending out many weak lateral 

 branches, armed with spines, and garnished 

 with small, spear-shaped, smooth leaves, of an 

 ash-colour. The flowers come out at the ends 

 of the shoots in clusters, each consisting of 

 two white petals tinged with purple, included 

 in a two-leaved calyx, of a white herbaceous 

 colour, in August. 



The second species sends out many slender 

 branches, trailing on the ground : the leaves arc 

 small, and oval, being waved and curled on their 

 edges, embracing the stalk half round at their 

 base, and placed alternate. It is a native of the 

 Cape. 



Culture. — As these plants do not ripen their 

 seeds in this climate, they must be propairatcd 

 by plantino; cuttings in pots of light earth, ia 

 the later spring and early summer months. 

 They require the protection of a green-house 

 during the winter season. 



Al'RIPLtX, a genus containing plants of 

 the herbaceous, esculent, and shrubby orna- 

 mental kinds. The Orache. 



It belongs to the class and order Polygamia 

 JMoiiivda, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Hvloracfce. 



The characters are: that in the hemaphroditc 

 flower, the calyx is a five-leaved, concave, 

 permanent perianthium, the divisions ovate, 

 concave, and membranaceous at the edge : 

 there is no corolla : the stamina consist of 

 five subulate filaments, opposite to the leaves of 

 the calvx, and longer than them: the anthers 

 are roundish, and twin: the pistillum is an or- 

 biculate germ : the style two-parted and short: 

 th-:; stigmas reflex: there is no pericarpium: 

 the calyx is closea, pentagon, with th<; angles 

 compressed and deciduous : there is one orbi- 

 cular, depressed seed. In the female flower on 

 the same plant, the calyx is a two-leaved peri- 

 anthium: the leaflets flat, erect, ovate, acute, 

 large and compressed: there is no corolla: the 

 pistillum is a compressed germ: the style two- 

 parted: stigmas reflex, and acute: there is no 

 pericarpium, but the valves of the calyx are 

 very large, cordate, including the seed between 

 them : there is an orbiculatc compressed seed. 



The species are: 1. A. horteiitis, Garden 

 Orache; 2. ^/. Htf//w«.j, Tall Shrubby Orache, or 

 Spanish Sea Purslane, o. A. oortulacoiJts, 



