\ 



746 



GERANIACE.&. VII. GRIELUM. TROPJEOLEJE. I. TROP^OLUM. 



tomentose, with linear, oblong segments; calyx tomentose. 

 If. . G. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers one-half 

 smaller than those of the first species. 



7Va;gGrielum. Fl. April, May. Clt. 1825. PI. prostrate. 



3 G. LACINIA'TUM (Gsert. fruct. 1. p. 180. t. 36.) stem to- 

 mentose ; leaves unequally jagged, smooth above and shining, 

 but tomentose beneath ; segments linear-oblong, obtuse, chan- 

 nelled above ; stipulas linear, acuminated, longer than the pe- 

 tioles ; calyx densely tomentose, with acute segments. 1 . G. 

 Native of the Cape of Good Hope. Root succulent. Flowers 

 not half the size of those of the first species. Sweet, ger. t. 

 306. G. sinuatum, Licht. ex Burch. voy. 1. p. 286. 



Jagged-leaved Grielum. Fl. May, Aug. Clt. 1825. PL 

 prostrate. 



Cult. Mr. Sweet says the species of this genus thrive best in 

 sandy gravel, and the pots must be well drained with potsherds, 

 as nothing injures them more than too much wet ; cuttings will 

 root in the same kind of soil without glasses, in a shaded 

 situation. 



ORDER LV. TROP^EO'LEjE (plants agreeing with Tro- 

 pce'olum in important characters). Juss. mem. mus. 3. p. 447. 

 D. C. prod. 1. p. 683. 



Calyx 5-parted, coloured, superior segment furnished with a 

 free spur at the base ; lobes sometimes free, sometimes joined to- 

 gether more or less. Petals 5, inserted in the calyx, and alternating 

 with its lobes, unequal, irregular, 2 superior ones sessile and re- 

 mote, fixed in the mouth of the spur, 3 lower ones unguiculate, 

 smaller, sometimes abortive. Stamens 8 ; filaments free, closely 

 girding the ovary, inserted in the disk ; anthers terminal, ob- 

 long, erect, 2-celled, bursting by a double chink. Carpels 3, 

 closely joined into a trigonal ovary. Styles 3, connected toge- 

 ther into one, which is 3-furrowed. Carpels 3, adnate to the 

 base of the style or axis of the fruit, 1 -celled, 1 -seeded. Seed 

 large, without albumen, filling the cell, and conforming to the 

 cavity. Embryo large ; cotyledons 2, straight, thick, younger 

 ones distinct, but at length closely connected together, and also 

 adhering to the spermoderm, but rather distinct at the base ; 

 radicle lying within the process of the cotyledons, bearing 4 

 tubercles, which at length become radicles. Gaert. fruct. 1. 

 p. 380. t. 79. Rich. ann. p. 90. St. Hil. ann. mus. 18. p. 461. 

 t. 24. American herbs, with a hot taste like the cress, smooth, 

 tender, diffuse and climbing. Leaves alternate, without stipulas, 

 stalked, peltate, entire, lobed, or 5-7-parted. Peduncles 

 axillary, 1-flowered. This order agrees with Geraniocece in 

 the structure of the petals and calyx, but differs in the sta- 

 mens being free, in not agreeing in number with the petals, as 

 well as in the flowers being axillary, and in the structure of the 

 fruit and seeds. It is curious that this is the only order in 

 which the peculiar acrid flavour of Cruciferce is found to exist. 

 All the species are powerfully antiscorbutic. The flowers of all 

 are handsome. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1 TROFJS'OLUM. Calyx 5-parted, upper lobe furnished with 

 a spur. Petals 5, 3 lower ones smallest or vanished. Stamens 

 8, free. 



2 MAGALLA'NA. Calyx 5 -lobed, spurred, 2 of the lobes 

 deeply parted, the other 3 connected into a 3-toothed lobe. 

 Petals 5, unequal. Stamens 8, connected at the base. 



I. TROP^E'OLUM (from rporratoc, tropaion, which the Latins 

 have changed to tropce"um, a trophy ; the leaves are of the form 

 of a buckler, and the flowers resemble an empty helmet). Lin. 

 gen. no. 466. D. C. prod. 1. p. 683. 



LIN. SYST. Octdndria, Monogynia. Calyx 5-parted, upper 

 lobe furnished with a spur. Petals 5, unequal, 3 lower ones 

 smallest or vanished altogether. Stamens 8, free from the base. 

 Carpels 3, somewhat erose, kidney-shaped, indehiscent, furrowed, 

 roundish. Seed large, filling the cell. 



$ 1. Leaves peltate-nerved, entire or lobed. 



1 T. MINUS (Lin. spec. 490.) leaves peltate-nerved, orbicular, 

 somewhat repand ; nerves mucronate at the apex ; petals each 

 ending in a bristle-like point. O- H. or 2/ . G. Native of 

 Peru. Curt. bot. mag. t. 98. Schkuhr. handb. t. 105. Nastur- 

 tium I'ndicum, Dod. pempt. 397. Flowers deep-yellow, streaked 

 with orange and red ; these may be eaten in salads, as well as 

 the leaves, and the fruit may be pickled and used like capers. 

 Calyx coloured like the petals. 



Var. ft, flore-pleno ; flowers double. I/ . G. This is a beau- 

 tiful plant. 



Small Indian-cress. Fl. June, Oct. Clt. 1596. PI. trailing 

 and climbing. 



2 T. MA'JUS (Lin. spec. 490.) leaves peltate-nerved, orbicular, 

 somewhat 5-lobed ; nerves not mucronate at the apex ; petals 

 obtuse. O- H. or Tf. . G. Native of Peru. Curt. bot. mag. 

 t. 23. Hern. mex. 161. with a figure. Plench. icon. t. 294. 

 Flowers larger than those of the foregoing species, yellow, 

 darker on the inside at the base, and streaked with red and 

 orange ; these are frequently eaten in salads, as well as the leaves ; 

 they have a warm taste like the garden-cress, and hence the 

 plant has its common name of Nasturtium; they are likewise 

 used for garnishing dishes. The seeds when green are pickled, 

 and by some are preferred to most pickles for sauce, under the 

 false name of capers. Elisabeth Christina, daughter of the cele- 

 brated Linnaeus, we are informed by her father, observed the 

 flowers of the great Indian-cress to emit spontaneously, at cer- 

 tain intervals, sparks like electric ones, visible only in the even- 

 ing. If this be the case in this plant, it is probable the whole 

 possess the property more or less. 



Far. fi,jlure-pleno ; flowers double. 1. G. This is a beau- 

 tiful plant. 



Great Indian-cress. Fl. June, Oct. Clt. 1686. PI. trailing 

 or climbing. 



3 T. HY'BRIDIIM (Lin. mant. 64.) leaves peltate-nerved, wedge- 

 shaped, somewhat cucullate, 5-lobed ; petals variable. I/ . G. 

 A hybrid raised from the seeds of T. majus in a garden at Stock- 

 holm. Flowers yellow, never perfect, therefore this plant has 

 always been propagated from cuttings. 



Hybrid Indian-cress. Fl. June, Oct. Clt. ? PI. trailing or 

 climbing. 



4 T. ADU'NCUM (Smith, tour, 1. p. 158.) leaves peltate- 

 nerved, somewhat kidney-shaped, with 5-7-lobed, mucronate 

 lobes ; 2 upper petals lobed, mucronate, 3 lower ones smaller, 

 fringed; spur hooked, about the length of the upper petals. Q. 

 w . H. or I/ . w . G. Native of Peru and Mexico. T. peregri- 

 num, Jacq. schcenbr. t. 98. Andr. bot. rep. t. 617. Ker. bot. 

 reg. 718. Sims, bot. mag. 1. 1351. H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. 

 amer. 5. p. 252. but not of Lin. Petals yellow, hardly longer 

 than the calyx. This species is cultivated at Gibraltar in the 

 open air, where it is called Canary-bird flower. 



