LETTER XXXII. 



have a crumpled appearance when the flower unfolds. 

 A great many stamens, much shorter than the petals, 

 grow in a ring from below the ovary {Jig. Q.). The 

 ovarv itself (^^. 3.) is superior, with five cells, in each 

 of which are many ovules, rising upwards upon slen- 

 der curved stalks, and pointing towards the top of the 

 cell. Each ovule is egg-shaped, and has a perforation, 

 called a foramen, at its point (Jig. 5. a.). The style 

 is taper, and rather thicker at the upper than the lower 

 end ; the stigma (Jig. 8.) is a convex undivided space, 

 abruptlv terminating the style, and bordered by a deli- 

 cate fringe of hairs. 



When the seed-vessel of this plant is ripe, it is en- 

 closed within the calyx, grown larger, harder, and 

 deep bro\^^l (fg. 6.). It consists (Jig. 7.) of five 

 boat-shaped valves (a. a.), along the middle of each 

 of which passes a ridge that was, in the ovary, a dis- 

 sepiment, and to which the numerous seeds adhere. 

 The seeds are little, smooth, stalked, heart-shaped bodies 

 (Jig. 8.), pointed at the upper end, and containing an 

 embrvo, coiled up in the most curiously careful man- 

 ner (fig. 9.) ; the embryo itself is imbedded in a small 

 quantity of albumen, and, contrary to what usually 

 occurs in other plants, the radicle is placed next the 

 point of the seed (Jig 9. a.). 



Such are not only the characters of the Purple Rock- 

 Rose, but also in a ^reat measure of the whole tribe. 

 The common genera differ from each other, chiefly in 

 little points, that in no way interfere with the more 

 striking features ; such for example, as having only 

 three sepals instead of five, having the seed-vessel 



