PLATE CCCCXXXIX 
STAPELIA ORBICULARIS. 
Orbicular Stapelia. 
CLASS V. ORDER Ii. 
PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. . Five Chives. Two Pointals. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Catyx. Perianthium quinquefidum, acutum, Empatement. Cup five-cleft, sharp, small, and 
» persistens. . , rem, 
Corotta. — crassa, quinquefida, Bossom papain thick, five-parted, pointed, 
acuta, cont and twisted. 
ectaria daplicia, stelliformia ; superiore Honey-cups double and starlike ; the upper 
talia tegente. nectary hiding the parts of fructification. 
Sramiwna sub-sessilia, ad nectarium adhzerentia. Cuives nearly sessile, and attached to the nec- 
Antherz bi . Tips two-cleft. 
oe Germina duo, oblonga, acuminata. Porntar. Seed-buds two, oblong, and tapered. 
$ Sige subulati. Stigma utroque com- Shafts two, awl-shaped. Summit common 
mun m, pentagonum. to both, large, thick, and five-cornered. 
: Weicnceox. Folliculi duo, uniloculares, uni- Seep-vesseL. Two pods, one-celled, one- 
: ; v ‘ 
i SeMINa numerosa, pappo coronata. SzEDs numerous, and crowned with a feather. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
ie Ritts orbicularis; ramis pluribus, erecto- Stapexia with ar flowers ; branches 
: patent 
tentibus, tetragonis, dentatis; corollis merous, erect and spreading, foarsidet 
= inqueficis, in medio orbiculatis, densis- and toothed ; ‘Sean five-cleft, rounded in 
< sime punctatis; laciniis cordatis, rugosis, the centre, and closely dotted; segitenits of 
striatis, fuscatis. the border are heart-shaped, wrinkled, and 
striped with brown, 
EE PI 
. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 
i? 1. The criuabieiiied: nectaries, chives and pointals. 
ie 2. The nectaries, chives, and pointals, magnified. 
3. A section of the above, magnified. 
4. The same shown in a side direction, to expose the situation of the chives. 
5. The seed- buds, shafts, and summit. 
mm 
SSdcaien, new Stapelia we have not met with in any other collection but that of Messrs. Lod- 
dige, from whom we received it under the title of orbicularis, a specific derived from the circular 
centre of the flower a very discriminative appellation; and, although not exclusively the character 
- of this species, is much more distinctly marked in this plant than in any other we have as yet seen. 
r _ Upon comparing our figure with forty-one species described and figured by Mr. F. Masson, not any 
_ affinity could be discerned powerful enough to render a reference by any means requisite: there is 
: a sombre a appearance annexed to almost all the flowers of this most curious tribe, and they more resem- 
- ble pieces of mechanism than the vegetable productions of nature. They require but little water in 
summer, and still less in winter; should be carefully sheltered from rain and frost, and they will 
succeed very well, and are easily propagated by slips from the joints, but very rarely seed in this 
country. Natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and are called Stapelias after a Dutch botanist of the 
name of Stapel. 
