PLATE XLIX. 



MALPIGHIA CRASSIFOLIA. 



Thick-leaved Malpighia. 



CLASS X. OR D E R III. 

 DECANDRIA TRIGYNIJ. Ten Chives. Three Pointals. 



GENERIC CH 



Calyx. Periantlmun pentaphvllum, erettum, 

 minimum, perfiftens, connivens. Glandula? 

 mellifeme duae, ovales gibbse, foliolis caly- 

 cinis externe infernequc adnata:. 



Corolla. Petala quinque, reniformia, magna, 



plicata, ciliata, patentia, concava; ungui- 



bus longis, linearibus. 

 Stamina. Filamenta decern latiufcula, erefta, 



in cylindrum polita, parva. Antherae cor- 



datoe. 

 Pistillum. Germen fubrotundum, minimum. 



Styli tres, filiformes. Stigmata obtula. 



Pericarpium. Bacca globofa, torulofa, magna, 



unilocularis. 

 Semina tria, offea, oblonga, obtula, angulata. 



SPECIFIC CH 

 Malpighia foliia lanceolato ovatis, fubtus to- 

 mentofis, integerrimis; floribus terminali- 

 bus, fpicatis, pallide-luteis. 



ARACTER. 



Empalement. Cup five leaves, upright, very 



fmall, remaining and doling at the points. 



Two honey-bearing glands, oval and gouty, 



are fixed to the outer and lower part of the 



leaves of the cup. 

 Blossom. Petals five, kidney-fliaped, large, 



plaited, lathed, fpreading, and concave; 



claws long, linear. 

 Chives. Threads ten, rather broad, upright, 



placed cylindrically, and fmall. Tips heart- 



fhaped. 

 Pointal. Seed-bud nearly round, very lmall. 



Shafts three, thread-fhaped. Summits 



blunt. 

 Pericarpium. Berry globular, knobby, large. 



of one cell. 

 Seeds three, bony, oblong, blunt, and angulated. 



ARACTER. 



Malpighia with oval fpear-ihaped leaves, downy 

 beneath, and entire; flowers terminate the 

 branches in fpikes, and are pale yellow. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Empalement, Chives, and Pointal, (natural fizel. 



2. The Empalement, (magnified). 



3. The Chives fpread open, (natural fize). 

 -1. A Thread, and its Tip, (magnified). 



5. The Tointal complete, (natural fize). 



Although, we have given to this fpecies of Malpighia, the fpecific name under which it has been 

 introduced; yet, there is much doubt, whether it is not the Verbafcifolium of Linnaeus; or indeed if 

 they are not both the fame plant, named from different fpecimens. Our fpecies makes a very hand- 

 fome hothoufe plant, growing to the height of five, or fix feet, before it flowers. It is a native of 

 Jamaica, and moft of the adjacent iflands, and was introduced by Meflrs. Lee and Kennedy about 

 the year 1792. From the extreme tendernefs of the young leaves, and fhoots, it muft be kept in a 

 ftrong growing pine heat during the winter months; otherwife, they are fubjeft to damp off. It is 

 railed by cuttings, and fecms to delight in a rich foil. The figure was made from a fpecimen com- 

 municated bv the Right Hon. Lord Vifcount Courtenay, in whole moft fuperb colleftion at Powderham 

 Caftle, near Exeter, it flowered, for the firft time in England, in the month of September 1798. 



