S E M 



S E M 



sessile, wedge-shaped or obovate, somewhat 

 more than an inch long, very fleshy, thick, flat 

 above, alilile convex beneath, keeled and whitish, 

 smooth on both sides, the ed^es iVinged with 

 hairs and generally tinged with red, pointed, 

 iijjright, gradually smaller inwards: ofi'sets on 

 long footstalks, globular, the size of a pigeon's 

 egg or larger, composed of erect leaves lying 

 over each other: the Howering-stem upright, 

 IVoni nine inches 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 spreadmg and bending back : the flowers 

 numerous, clustered, upright, pubescent, flesh- 

 coloured, all growing one way. It is a native 

 of Europe, flowering in July. 



The second species has the leaves much nar- 

 rower, and the heads furnished with a greater 

 immber of them than those of the first sort, 

 which grow more compact, and are closely set 

 on their edges with hairs: the offsets are globu- 

 lar, their leaves turning inward at the lop, and 

 lying close over each other; these are 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 

 Julv. 



The third has much shorter and narrower 

 leaves 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 ilower-stalks about six inches 

 high, succulent and round, having awl-shapcd 

 succulent leaves placed on them alternately : the 

 upper part divides into two or three branches, 

 upon each of which is a single row of flovvers 

 ranged on one side ; each composed of eight 

 lanceolate petals, of a bright red colour, w ith a 

 deep-red line running along the middle; they 

 spread open in form of a star. It Is a native of 

 Switzerland and Italy, flowering In June and 

 July. 



'rhe fourth species greatly resembles the first, 

 but the leaves are smaller, and have no inden- 

 tures on their edges: the offsets spread out from 

 the side of the older heads, and their leaves are 

 more open and expanded : the flower-stalk is 

 nine or ten inches high, having some narrow 

 leaves below; the upper part is divided into 

 three or four branches, closely set with deep red 

 flowers composed of twelve petals, and twenty- 

 four stamens with purple anthers. It is a native 

 of Germany, &c, flowering in June and July, 



The fifth rises with a fleshy smooth stalk eight 

 or ten feet high, dividing into many branches, 

 which are tenriinaied bv round heads or clusters 

 of leaves lying over each other like the petals of 

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

 having very small indentures on their edges: 

 the stalks are marked with the vestiges of the 

 fallen leaves, and have a light brown bark : the 

 flower-stalks rise from the centre of these heads ; 

 and the numerous bright-yellow flowers form a 

 large pyramidal spike, or thyrsc. It Is a native 

 of Portugal, &c. flowers through the winter, 

 commonly from December to March. 



The sixth species seldom rises above a foot 

 and a half 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, endins^; 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 Islands, 

 flowering in June and July. 



A variety of this with variegated leaves was 

 obtained from a branch accideutallv broken from 

 a plant of the plain sort, at Badmington, the 

 seat of the Duke of Beaufort. 



Culture. — 'llie diflcrent herbaceous sorts arc 

 all capable of being increased without difficulty 

 by planting their oft-set heads, which should be 

 slipped with a few root fibres to tliem, and 

 planted in the spring season on rubbish rock- 

 works, or other places, or in pots for variety:- 

 and the tender green-house sorts may be raised 

 from cuttings of the branches and from seeds; 

 but the lirst is the better method. 



The cuttings should be made from the smaller 

 branches in the early sunmier months, and be 

 jjlanted out in pots, or a bed of tine earth, in a 

 warm shaded situatioii: where the cuttings are 

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

 few days to heal over the cut part ; they should be 

 shaded from the sun; and those in pots lightly 

 watered in drv weather: u hen they are become 

 well rooted, they should be carefully removed 

 into separate pots of a middle size, being placed 

 in the green-house. Some forward these plants 

 by means of bark hot-beds. 



The seeds of the Canary kind should be sown in 

 the autumn or early spring in pots of liglil mould, 

 placing them in a garden-frame to protect thenj 

 from frost, having the air freely admitted in mild 

 weather: when the plants are come up, and 

 have a little strength, they should be removed 

 into small pots and placed in the green-house. 



