GIUL1ETTA. 227 



one of the group of exquisite flowers which at the time of 

 their own blossoming, breathe their colour into the surround- 

 ing leaves and supporting stem. Very notably the Grape 

 hyacinth and Jura hyacinth, and some of the Vestals, empur- 

 pling all their green leaves even to the ground : a quite dis- 

 tinct nature in the flower, observe, this possession of a power 

 to kindle the leaf and stem with its own passion, from that of 

 the heaths, roses, or lilies, where the determined bracts or 

 calices assert themselves in opposition to the blossom, as little 

 pine-leaves, or mosses, or brown -paper packages, and the 

 like. 



13. The Giulietta, however, is again entirely separate from 

 the other leaf-flushing blossoms, in that, after the two green 

 leaves next the flower have glowed with its blue, while it lived, 

 they do not fade or waste with it, but return, to their own 

 former green simplicity, and close over it to protect the seed. 

 I only know this to be the case with the Giulietta Begina ; but 

 suppose it to be (with variety of course in the colours) a con- 

 dition in other species, though of course nothing is ever said 

 of it in the botanical accounts of them. I gather, however, 

 from Curtis's careful drawings that the prevailing colour of 

 the Cape species is purple, thus justifying still further my 

 placing them among the Cytherides ; and I am content to take 

 the descriptive epithets at present given them, for the follow- 

 ing five of this southern group, hoping that they may be ex- 

 plained for me afterwards by helpful friends. 



14. Bracteolata, C. 345. 

 Oppositifolia, C. 492. 

 Speciosa, C. 1790. 



These three all purple, and scarcely distinguishable from 

 sweet pease-blossom, only (smaller. 



Stipulacea, C. 1715. Small, and very beautiful, lilac and 

 purple, with a leaf and mode of growth like rosemary. The 

 "Foxtail" milkwort, whose name I don't accept, C. 1006, is 

 intermediate between this and the next species. 



15. Mixta, C. 1714. I don't see what mingling is meant, 

 except that it is just like Erica tetralix in the leaf, only, ap- 

 parently, having little four-petalled pinks for blossoms. This 



