PLATE XLVI. 



M A S S O N I A V I O L A C E A. 



Purple-flowered Majfonia. 



CLASS VI. ORDER I. 

 HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Six Chives. One Pointal. 



GENERIC 

 Calyx, nullus. 

 Corolla fex-petala. Telala ne&ario impofita, 



lanceolata, patentia. 



Ncfiarium infcrum, cylindricum, membra- 



naceum. 

 Stamina. Filamenta fex, nectarii dentibus in- 



ferta, (iliformia declinata, petalis panlo lon- 



giora. Anthers ovatae. 



Pistillum. Germen (refpe&u neiSlarii) fupe- 

 rum. Stylus fubulatus, declinatus, longitu- 

 dine, ftaminum. Stigma fimplex, acu- 

 tum. 



Pekicakpium. Capfula triquetra, glabra, tri- 

 locularis, trivalvis, angulis dehifcens. 



Semina plurima, globofa, glabra, magnitudjne 

 feminum finapios. 



SPECIFIC 



Maffonia, foliis fpathulatis, glabris; fcapus fili- 



formis, ere&us, bipollicaris; flores pedun- 



culati, violacei, fparfi, peduficuli uni- 



flori. 



CHARACTER. 



Emfalement none. 



Blossom fix-petals. Petals placed on the honey- 

 cup, are lance-fhaped and fpreading. 

 Honey-cup beneath, cylindrical and ikinny. 



Chives. Six threads, fixed into the teeth of the 

 honey-cup, thread-fhaped, bent downward, 

 and a little longer than the petals. Tips 

 egg-ihaped. 



Pointal. Seed-bud (with regard to the honey- 

 cup) above. Shaft awl-fhaped, and bent 

 downward the length of the chives. Sum- 

 mit fimple, and pointed. 



Seed-vessel. Capfule three-fided, and fmooth, 

 of three cells and three valves, fplitting at 

 the angles. 



Seeds many, globular, fmooth, the fize of a muf- ' 

 tard feed. 



CHARACTER. 



Maffonia with fpatula-fliaped, and fmooth leaves; 

 flower-ftalk thread-fhaped, upright, two 

 inches high ; the flowers have foot-flalks, 

 are of a violet colour, and grow fcattered; 

 the foot-ftalks have each but one flower. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. A Flower complete. 



2. The fame cut open, to fhew the infertion of the Chives. 



3. The Pointal. 



This genus of plants perpetuates the name, as a botanift, (would it could likewife the mild, unaffum- 

 ing, and univerfally allowed amiablenefs of character) of Mr. Francis Maffon, botanical collector to 

 his Majefty; now exploring die untrod regions of North America, to add to the extenfive collections 

 of his royal and munificent Mafter, which fland fo much indebted to his indefatigable induftry for 

 their prefent fplendour. The Maflonias are all rather tender, and require the fame fituation as 

 Hasmanthus &c; that is, a dry ftove; they are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, or, at leaft, grow 

 within that point of Africa generally fo called, but at fome diflance from the Cape town, near a 

 mountain (according to Thunberg) of the name of Bocklands Berg. The root of this fpecies is very 

 fubjeft to rot when the leaves are decayed, if watered at that time ; therefore, like the Ixias, lhould 

 be put afide, or taken out of the pot for two or three months, after flowering. It is very difficult to 

 propagate, as the feeds are feldom perfected, and rarely makes any offsets; flowering in September, 

 about the beginning of which month this figure was taken, from a plant in the collection of G. 

 Hibbert, Efq. Clapham Common. It appears to thrive beft in a mixture of peat and fandy loam. 



