PLATE IX. 



ATRAGENE CAPENSIS. 



Cape Atragene. 



CLASS XIII. ORDER VII. 

 POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA. Many Chives. Many Pointals. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Calyx. Perianthium tetraphyllum ; foliolis 



ovalibus, patentibus, obtufis, diciduis. 

 Cokolla. Petala duodecim, linearia, bafi an- 



guiliiiima, obtufa, patula. 

 Stamina. Filamenta plurima, breviflima. An- 



therse oblongae, acumenatae. 

 Pistillum. Germina plurima oblonga. Styli 



villofi. Stigmata fimplicia, longitudine 



antherarum. 

 Pekicakpium. Nullum. 

 Semina plurima, definentia in caudam pilofam. 



Empalement. Cup four-leaved, which are oval, 

 fpreading, blunt, and deciduous. 



Blossom. Petals twelve, linear, narroweft at 

 bafe, blunt, and fpread open. 



Chives. Threads many, very fhort. Tips ob- 

 long, pointed. 



Pointal. Seed-buds numerous, oblong. Shafts 

 hairy. Summits fimple, the length of the 

 lips. 



Seed-vessel. None. 



Seeds many, terminating in a hairy tail. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Atragene, foliis ternatis; foliolis incifis, dentatis, 

 rigidis; flore incarnato, femipleno. 



Atragene, with three divifions; the fmaller di- 

 vifions jagged, toothed, and harfh; the 

 flower flefh-coloured, and femidouble. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1 . A Petal cut off clofe to the receptacle. 



2. The Fruit-ftalk, Chives, and Pointals; the Chives thrown to one fide, to expofe the fituation 



of the Pointals; one tip magnified. 



3. A Seed of the fize when ripe. 



This plant has been considered by Burmann, Hermann, and other Cape botanifts, as an Anemone, 

 to which genus it certainly may as eafily be referred as Atragene: but as it has been clearly de- 

 fcribed by Linnaeus, under that genus, we have not hardinefs enough to difpute his authority. It is 

 (as the trivial name implies) a native of the Cape of Good Hope, but at fome confiderable diftance 

 within land; whence it requires a dry ftove to preferve it, fuffering much from damps. It is only 

 fince the year 1/95, that this plant has been found in our greenhoufes; being then introduced by 

 Meflrs. Lee and Kennedy, nurferymen, where it has flowered and perfected feeds; which feems to 

 be the only means of propagating it: the foil it prefers is a mixture of peat and loam; flowering 

 about March, or April. 



