as worthy of General Cultivation. 443 



flowers. The under surface- of its petals being crimson, and the 

 inner pure while, a most elegant appearance, unlike that of any 

 other species, occurs when unexpanded; the usual curvature of 

 each petal presenting a line of pure white, in contrast with the 

 fine exterior. 



For a constant bloom, during several months, none affords 

 such beauty as the 0. rosacea, whose very large rosy flowers 

 are deeply embosomed in its dark-green and ciliated foliage; and 

 yet more conspicuous for an elongated peduncle, is O. Bowiei, 

 also with rosy flowers, but in three's and five's, instead of only 

 one. There is certainly no species which has attracted our at- 

 tention and admiration like this. Its peduncle is quite long — 

 and, literally crowded with these noble flowers, it presents a very 

 fine appearance. A beautiful yellow or pale sulphur-colored 

 species we have, in O. cernua, usually and erroneously called, 

 in this vicinity, O. caprina. The flowers of this species are not 

 very large, but numerous, and supported in a graceful manner on 

 a long and somewhat pendant peduncle. A curious garden va- 

 riety is often seen, which is double; but beauty is here evidently 

 sacrificed for singularity. For a continual, it may almost be add- 

 ed, perpetual flowerer (at least as perpetual as, and more so than, 

 some roses, which bear that trivial and distinctive name), may 

 be mentioned the tuberous rooted O'xalis multiflora, which we 

 have had in constant bloom for five months past, and at this mo- 

 ment is covered with its dark rose-colored corols, and an exu' 

 berance of young buds. 



Some of these pretty plants are singular for foliage. The 

 pinnae-like leaflets of 0. flabellifolia has suggested its trivial name, 

 resembling a folded and expanded fan. This is a brief flowering 

 species, with yellow blossoms. Many are downy, as the 0. 

 lanata. 



Several North American species are interesting, both from their 

 intrinsic beauty and manner of growth. In deep, rich, moist 

 and shady situations, especially in the western states, we find a 

 pretty bulbous species with violet flowers, O. violacea. In the 

 fissures of the decayed trunks of our prostrate forest trees, pene- 

 trating with their small and beaded roots, and delighting in the 

 deep and cool shade, we find the pretty O. Acetosella, having 

 large white flowers delicately striped with red. Both these little 

 gems of our native forests will flourish when transported into our 

 gardens, if allowed shady and retired situations. We have had 

 them thriving without any extra care for several successive years. 



Of the genuine Oxalidese are two remarkable exceptions in 

 the genera Biophytum and Averrhoa. The leaves of the former 

 are irritable, collapsing on the touch. The latter, of which there 

 are two species, differs in being arborescent. A. Bilimbi is the 

 cucumber tree of Goa, and cultivated in many parts of the East 



