60 



MALESHERBIACE^E. I. MALESIIEUBIA. LOASEjE. 



Cult. See Passiflora, p. 56. for culture and propagation. 



ORDER CVI. MALESHERBIA'CE^E (this order only eon- 

 tains the genus Malesherbia). D. Don, in edinb. phil. journ. 

 1827. p. 321. Passiflorea:, Tribe III. Malesherbieae, D. C. 

 prod. 3. p. 337. 



Calyx tubular (f. 9. h.), membranous, inflated, 5-lobed (f. 9. 

 a.) ; lobes imbricated in aestivation. Petals 5 (f. 9. 6.), alter- 

 nating with the segments of the calyx, permanent, convolute in 

 aestivation, arising on the outside of the short membranous crown 

 (f. 9. e.~). Stamens 5-10, perigynous ; filaments filiform, dis- 

 tinct, or connected with the stipe of the ovarium ; anthers versa- 

 tile. Ovarium superior (f. 9. g.), stipitate, 1-celled, with the 

 placentas at the base, from which the ovules arise by the inter- 

 vention of umbilical cords. Styles 3, filiform, very long, arising 

 from distinct points at the apex of the ovarium (f.9. rf.) ; stigmas 

 clavate. Fruit capsular, 1-celled, 3-valved, membranous more or 

 less, many-seeded. Seeds attached by umbilical cords to pla- 

 centas, arising either from the axis of the valves, or from their 

 base ; testa crustaceous, brittle, with a fleshy crest, and no 

 arillus. Embryo terete in the centre of fleshy albumen, with 

 the radicle next the hylum. Herbaceous or half shrubby plants, 

 clothed with glandular pubescence. Leaves alternate, simple 

 lobed, without stipulas. Flowers axillary or terminal, solitary, 

 yellow or blue. 



This order agrees with Passiflbrece on the one hand, and Tur- 

 neraceae on the other. From the former they differ in the inser- 

 tion of their styles, in their versatile anthers, in their short pla- 

 centas, membranous fruit, terete embryo, want of arillus, and 

 stipulas ; and altogether in their habit. From Turner acece, to 

 which their habit nearly allies them, they differ in the presence 

 of a perigynous membrane, in the remarkable insertion of the 

 styles, and in the want of all trace of an arillus ; agreeing with 

 that order in the aestivation of the corolla, and in the principal 

 other points of their structure. The plants are unknown except 

 as objects of great beauty. 



I. MALESHE'RBIA (in memory of Christian William de 

 Lamoignon Malesherbes, born at Paris in 1721, a great patron 

 of the sciences). Ruiz, et Pav. prod. p. 45. D. Don, 1. c. D. C. 

 prod. 1. c. Gynopleura, Cav. icon. 4. p. 51. 



LIN. SYST. Pentdndria, Monogynia. Character the same as 

 that of the order. 



1 M. THYRSIFLORA (Ruiz et Pav. prod. p. 457. et Hook. bot. 

 misc. vol. 2. p. 220.) leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, sinuately 

 toothed, tomentose ; tube of calyx long, with a contracted throat ; 

 crown 10-cleft, with the segments 2-4-toothed. T? . G. Native 

 of Peru, in exposed argillaceous soil. Gynopleura tubulosa, 

 Cav. icon. 4. t. 375. Flowers yellow. 



Thyrse-Jlorvered Malesherbia. Shrub 1 to 2 feet. 



2 M. PAHICULA'TA (D. Don in edinb. phil. journ. 1827. p. 

 321.) leaves oblong, obtuse, ciliated, pinnatifid : upper ones 

 nearly entire ; throat of calyx dilated ; crown simple, acutely 

 toothed. T? . G. Native of the north of Chili. Flowers yellow ? 



/"amcfed-flowered Malesherbia. Shrub 1 to 2 feet. 



3 M. LINEARIFOLIA (D. Don in edinb. phil. journ. Jan. 1832.) 

 villous ; leaves linear, entire ; throat of calyx dilated ; crown 

 10-c!eft, with toothed segments. I? . ? G. Native of Chili, 

 especially in the tract of Portilla, near Mendoza. Gynopleura 

 linearifolia, Cav. icon. 4. p. 52. t. 376. Flowers white. 



FIG. 9. 



Linear-leaved Malesherbia. PI. 2 to 3 feet. 



4 M. HU'MILIS (D. Don, 1. c.) plant very villous ; leaves jag- 

 ged; throat of calyx dilated; crown simple, erosely toothed ; 

 anthers roundish. Tj . G. Native of Chili about Coquimbo. 

 Stems procumbent. Flowers white. 



Dmarf Malesherbia. Fl. Aug. Clt. 1832. PI. procumbent. 



5 M. CORONA'TA (D. Don, I.e.) 

 plant clothed with glandular pu- 

 bescence ; leaves linear, sinuately 

 toothed ; throat of calyx dilat- 

 ed ; crown simple, toothed. Tj . 

 G. Native of Chili, at Valpa- 

 raiso. Flowers blue ; crown 

 white. Sweet, fl. gard. new. ser. 

 t. 167. (f. 9.) 



Crowned Malesherbia. Fl.Aug. 

 Oct. Clt. 1832. PI. 2 to 3 feet. 



6 M. FASCICULA'TA (D. Don, 

 1. c.) leaves lanceolate, acumi- 

 nated, quite entire ; flowers in 

 fascicles; crown 10-cleft, with 

 the segments tridentate. Tj G. 

 Native of Chili. A stiff erect 

 shrub. Flowers small, in bundles 

 at the tops of the branches. 



Fascicled-Rowered Malesherbia. Shrub 1 to 2 feet. 



7 M. TENUIFOLIA (D. Don in edinb. phil. journ. Oct. 1832.) 

 leaves nearly pinnate ; segments linear ; calyx tubular ; crown 

 deeply lobed. O- G. Native of the south of Peru, in the 

 province of Tarapaca at Huataconda, where it is commonly 

 called Agi de Zorra, i. e. Fox capsicum. Flowers reddish, ac- 

 cording to the dried specimen. 



Fine-leaved Malesherbia. Fl. Feb. PL \ foot. 



Cult. This genus is composed of curious plants, bearing very 

 showy singular flowers, and are therefore worthy of culture as 

 ornaments. A mixture of loam, peat, and sand, or any light rich 

 earth is a good soil for them. The shrubby species may 

 either be increased by seeds ; or young cuttings will root if 

 planted in light soil, under a hand-glass. The seeds of annual 

 kinds require to be sown in a hot-bed, in order to forward the 

 plants ; and after they have grown an inch in height, they may 

 be potted off into small pots, and afterwards shifted into pots of 

 increasing size, as they grow. Some of them may be planted 

 out into the open border, in a sheltered situation, where they 

 will probably flower and seed freely. 



ORDER CVII. LOA'SEJi (plants agreeing with Loasa, in 

 important characters). Juss. ann. mus. 5. p. 18. diet. sc. nat. 

 27. p. 93. D. C. prod. 3. p. 339. Loaseae-verae, H. B. et 

 Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 6. p. 115. 



Tube of calyx adhering to the ovarium, or girding it closely 

 (f. 10. a. f. 12. a.) ; limb 5-parted (f. 11. a. f. 12. a.), rarely 

 4-parted, permanent. Petals equal in number to the lobes of 

 the calyx (f. 12. b. f. 11. 6.), with an inflexed valvate aesti- 

 vation, or double that number (f. 10. &.), and disposed in 

 2 series ; those of inner series, when present, usually much 

 smaller (f. 10. 6.) than those of the outer, scale-formed and 

 truncate at the apex, inserted in the throat of the calyx. 

 Stamens indefinite, arising from within the petals, disposed in 

 several series, either distinct (f. 10. c.), or joined at the base in 

 several parcels before each petal, within the cavity of which 

 they lie in aestivation ; filaments subulate (f. 10. g.), unequal, 

 the outer ones frequently destitute of anthers. Ovarium adnate 



