S E M 



S E M 



" •, wedge-shaped or obovate, somewhat 

 more than an inch long, very fleshy, thick, li.u 

 above, a little convex beneath, keeled and whitish, 

 smooth on both Bides, the edges fringed with 

 hairs and generally tinged with red, pointed, 

 ht, gradually smaller inwards: onsets on 

 long footstalk*, globular, the size of a pigeon's 

 egg or larger, composed of erect leaves lying 

 each other: toe Bowering-stem upright, 

 from nine mehes to a foot in height, round, 

 fleshy, pubescent, having alternate, lanceolate, 

 thinner leaves on it, of a reddish colour, at top 

 branched and forming a sort of corymb; the 

 branches spreading and bending back : the (lowers 

 numerous, clustered, upright, pubescent, flesh- 

 coloured, all growing one way. It is a native 

 of Europe, flowering in Jeily. 



The second species has the leaves much nar- 

 rower, and the heads furnished with a greater 

 number of them than those of the first sort, 

 which grow more compact, and are closely set 

 en their edges with hairs: the offsets arc globu- 

 lar, their leaves turning inward at the top, and 

 1> i iiiT close over each other ; these arc thrown off 

 from between the larger heads, and, falling on 

 the ground, take root, whereby it propagates 

 very fast: the flower-stalks are smaller, and do 

 not rise so high as those of the former ; and the 

 flowers are of a paler colour. It is a native of 

 Russia, Austria, &:c. flowering in June and 

 July. 



The third has much shorter and narrower 

 haves than the first : the heads are small and 

 very compact: the leaves are gray, sharp-pointed, 

 and have slender white threads crossing from one 

 to the other, intersecting each other in various 

 manners, so as in some measure to resemble a 

 spider's web: the flower-stalks about six inches 

 ; mlent and round, having awl-shaped 



ent leaves placed ou them alternately : the 

 upper part divides into two or three brandies, 

 upon each of which is a single row of flowers 

 ranged on one side; each composed oi eight 

 lanceolate petals, of a blight red colour, with a 

 deep- red line running along the middle; they 

 I open in form of a star. It is a native of 

 Switzerland and Italy, flowering in June and 

 July. 



The fourth species ereatly resembles the first, 

 but the leaves are smaller, and have no inden- 

 tures on their edges: the offsets spread out from 

 thi side of the older heads, and their leaves are 

 open and expanded : the flower-stalk is 

 nine or ten inches high, having somt narrow 

 leaves below; the upper part is divided into 

 three or tour branches, closely set with deep red 

 flowers composed of twelve petals, anil twenty- 

 four stamens with purple anthers. It is a native 

 ui Germany, kcc. flowering in June and July. 



The fifth rises with a flesh v smooth stalk 

 or ten feet high, dividing into many bran 

 which are terminated by round heads or clustt r* 

 of leaves Ij ::ig over each other like the petals of 

 a double rose, succulent, of a bright green, and 

 having very Bmall indentures on il 

 the -talks arc marked with the \ 

 fallen leaves, and have a light brown bark : the 

 flower-Stalks rise from the centre of these h 

 and the numerous bright-yellow flowers form a 

 large pyramidal spike, or thyrse. It is a native 

 of Portugal, See. flowers through the winter, 

 commonly from December to March. 



The sixth species seldom rises above a foot 

 and a halt high, unless the plants are drawn up 

 by tender management: the stalk is thick and 

 rugged, chiefly occasioned by the vestiges of 

 decayed leaves: at the top is a very large crown 

 of leaves, disposed circularly like a full-blown 

 rose, large, succulent, soft to the touch, and 

 pliable, ending in obtuse points which are a little 

 incurved: the flower-stalk comes out from the 

 centre, and rises near two feet high, branching 

 out from the bottom, so as to form a regular 

 pyramid of flowers, which are of an herbaceous 

 colour. It is a native of the Canary Island, 

 flowering in June and July. 



A variety of this with variegated leaves was 

 obtained from a branch accidentally broken from 

 a plant of the plain sort, at Badmington, the 

 seat of the Duke of Beaufort. 



Culture. — The different herbaceous sorts are 

 all capable of beinc increased without difficulty 

 by planting 'heir on-set hcai'.s, which should be. 

 slipped witli a few root tihres to them, and 

 planted in the spring season on rubbish rock- 

 works, or other places, or in pots for vari 

 and the tender green- house s 

 from cuttings of the branches and from 

 but the tir< t i - I he he ttl I m- 'hod. 



The cuttings should be made from (he smaller 

 branches in the early summer month'-, and iie 

 planted out in p its, or a be 1 of line earth, 

 warm shaded situation: where the cut- 

 succulent, they should be laid in a dry place for B 

 I vs to heal over the cut part ; they should be 



shaded from the sunj and those in pots lightly 

 watered in dry weather: when thi come 



well rooted, they should be carefully removed 

 into separate pots of a middle size, being ; 

 in the green house. Some forward these plants 

 by mear.s of I, .irk hot-beds. 



The see els of the { 'anary kind should be sown in 

 the autumn or earlyspring in pots of light mould, 

 pi icini! the 'u i.: i g itect them 



from frost, having the air freely admitted in mile! 

 weather: when tile plants aie come up, and 

 have a little strength, they should be removed 

 into small pots and placed in the grccn-tn . 



