: ; PLATE CCCCLXIV.. 
DIOSMA OVATA. 
 Oval-leaved Diosma: 
CLASS V. ORDER I 
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNLA. Five Chives. One Pointal.. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.. 
Gororta 5-petala, Nectaria 5 supra ger- Buossom. Five petals. Five nectaries above the: 
men. Caps. 3.8, 5, coalite, Semina tecta, seed-bud, Seed-vessels 3 or.5, joined to- 
oR gether... Seeds covered. . 
_ SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Diosma. ovata, foliis alternis, oppositis, odo- Diosma with oval Jeaves, alternate, opposite, 
tis, supra glabris, infra punctatis, patenti- and full of scent, smooth above, dotted he- 
bus: floribus plerumque duobus, axillari- neath, and spreading. Flowers grow mostly. 
bus, in medio ramulorum, albis. Caulis |} two together from the axille of the leaves, 
erectus; ramis simplicibus. . about the. middle of the branches, and are 
_ white, Stem upright. Branches simple, 
iillccenemeee ness... ocean 
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.- 
1; The empalement. 
2. Seed-buds, er chives, and pointal... 
3. A petal. 
4, A chive magnified. 
5, Seed-bud and pointal. 
: a 32 
Amonc the minal foliage characteristic of 80 many of the Diosmas the present species is by far the ' 
most powerful, and is the plant called Buku, so much used by the Hottentots, at the Cape of Good 
. Hope, by way of perfume. They mix it with grease, and anoint themselves with it so profusely that 
a stranger can scarcely endure the effluvia of it, The D. serrata also possesses a ‘similar scent, and is 
most likely used occasionally for the same purpose by the natives. Its scent, when rubbed, remains 4 - 
Jong time, and by some is thought very pleasant, by others as disagreeable: a difference of opinion 
in general attending all very strong perfumes. The foliage has a very neat’ appearance, and the 
clear white flowers give it a lively aspect. Like several others of the genus, it blooms in winter and 
_ Spring. Our figure was made from the Clapham collection. 
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