PLATE XIX. 



GLADIOLUS VERSICOLOR. 



Changeable Gladiolus. 



CLASS III. ORDER I. 

 TRL1NDRIA MONOGYNU. Three Chives. One Pointal. 



GENERIC 

 Calyx. Spathae bivalves. 



Corolla, fexpartita, ringens. Tetala oblonga, 

 omnia unguibus in tubum connata. 



Stamina. Filamenta tria, fubulata, divifurii 



alternis petalorum inferta. Antherse ob- 



longae. 

 Pistillum. Germen inferura. St)'lus (implex, 



longitudine flaminum. Stigma triridum 



concavum. 

 Fericarpium. Capfula oblonga, obtul'a, tri- 



locularis, t rival vis. 

 Semina plura, fubrotunda. 



CHARACTER. 



Empalement. Sheath two valves. 



Blossom, of fix divifions, and gaping. Petal» 



oblong, having their claws formed into a 



tube. 

 Chives. Three awl-fliaped threads, fixed into 



the alternate divilions of the petals. Tips 



oblong. 

 Pointal. Seed-bud beneath. Shaft fimple, the 



length of the chives Summit cut into 



three, and concave. 

 Seed-vessel. Capfule oblong, blunt ended, 



three cells, three valves. 

 Seeds many, nearly round. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Gladiolus, foliis lineari-cruciatis; floribus maxi- n Gladiolus, with linear crofs fliaped leaves; flowers 

 mis, verficoloribus. || very large, and changeable. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The two Sheaths of the Empalement. 



2. The Pointal, and Seed-bud; one of the divifions of the Summit magnified. 



3. A ripe Seed, natural fize, in its tunic. 



That colour bears the chirac\er given it by Sir Ifaac Newton, our prefent fubjeft (as did the prifm) 

 adds another proof. The Gladiolus verficolor might, like the camelion, equally be a fubjeel of con- 

 tention, to thofe who have feen its blofTom at different periods of the fame day; for, ftrange to tell! 

 it is brown in the morning, and continues to change from that colour till it becomes light blue by 

 night. During the night it regains its priftine colour; and this change is effected diurnally, whilft 

 the flower is in its vigour; but upon the decay, the change is lefs powerful, gradually fixing in a 

 dark brown; which, however, does not take place in lefs than nine or ten days. This is the only 

 flower, we have ever noticed, to regain the colour that has once forfook it. A drawing was began 

 about ten o'clock in the morning, but before it was finifhed the plant was fo totally altered in colour 

 that there was an abfolute necefiity for taking a fecond day to complete it. The bulbs of this plant 

 were lent from the Cape of Good Hope by J. Fringle, Efq. of Madeira, in 1/94, amongft many others, 

 to Melfrs. Lee and Kennedy, of Hiimmerfmith, where the drawing was made. It flowers about the 

 month of June; is increafed by the root or feed; and thrives beft in peat earth. 



