4 



NATURAL HISTORY OF FLANTS. 



glomerules 



Half a dozen species 2 of MirabUis proper are known, 

 some of which are frequently cultivated in our gardens. The exterior 

 green gamophyllus envelope of our common Marvel of Peru is not a 

 calyx, but really an involucre; for in M. iri flora it contains, instead 

 of a single flower, three, of which one is terminal, and two younger 



MirabUis Jalapa. 



Fig. 8. 



Fruit with indusium. 

 Longitudinal section (bilateral). 



Fig. 9. 

 Fruit without indusium (\). 



Fig. 10. 



Seed, the teguments taken 

 away. 



ones lateral. A genus has been made for this plant under the name 

 of Quamoclidion? In M. multiflora* the flowers are still more nume- 

 rous within the involucre ; from four to six may be counted around 

 the terminal flower. In the preceding plants the number of bracts 

 in the involucre varies from four to seven or eight. In some other 

 species of MirabUis, distinguished under the generic name of Acleis- 

 antlt.es? there are not more than two, or more rarely three bracts 

 under the articulate flower ; and they are besides very small, instead 

 of protecting the entire" bud when young. The variable size of these 

 bracts, however, does not permit us to distinguish the three or four 

 known species of Acleisantlies 1 otherwise than as a section in the 

 genus MirabUis. Thus constituted, 8 this genus consequently includes, 

 according to us, as many as ten species. 



1 Often viniparous towards the extremity of 

 the infloreseuce. 



2 Rheed., Jlort. Malah., x. t. 75 (Audi- 

 Malleri). — RtTMPH., Herb. Amboin., v. t. 89 

 — L., Spec, 252. — Mcench, Meth., 508 (Jalapa). 

 — Sm., Exot. Bot., i. 43, t. 23. — H.B.K., Nov. 

 Gen. et Spec, ii. 212. — Eeetol., Hort. Bonon., 

 15, t. 1. — Trautv., in Bull. So. Acad. Petersb,, 

 vi. n. 14. — Lepeex., in Ann. Mus., viii. 4S1. — 

 BLANCO, Fl. de Filipp., 77.— C. Gay, Ft. Chil, 

 v. 205.— DC, Fl. Fr., Hi. 425.— Cuet., in But. 

 Mag., t. 371.— Walp., Ann., v. 721. 



3 Cuois., Prodr. 429, n. 2. 



4 Nyctaginia ? Torreyana Cnois., Prodr., 

 430, n. 3. — Oxybaphus muliiflorus Tour., in 

 Afin. Lye. N.-York, ii. 237. — Quamoclidion 

 multiflorum Tokr., ex A. Gray, Brief Char, of 

 some new Gen. and Spec of Nyetag., 7, n. 2 (ex 

 Amer. Journ. Sc, 1853, xv.). 



8 A. Gray, Brief Char., 2. 



G The articulation of the flower is above them. 



7 A. Gray, loc cit., 2, 3. — Chois., Prodr. 

 429, n. 2 (Nyctaginia'). 



1. Nyctago (J.). 



2. Quamoclidion (Chois.). 



3. Acleisanihes (A. Gray). 



8 Mirabilis 

 ect. 3. 



r 



