PLATE XC. 



SEPTAS CAPENSTS. 



Cape Septus. 



CLASS VII. ORDER IV. 

 HEPTJNDRIA HEPTAGYN1A. Seven Chives. Seven Pointals. 



SPECIFIC 

 Septas, foliis fubrotundis, crenulatis, oppofitis ; 

 glabris; radice tuberofa. 



GENERIC CHA 



Calyx. Perianthium feptempartitum, patens, 



acutum, perfiftens. 

 Corolla. Petala feptem, oblonga, sequalia, 



calyce duplo longiora. 

 Stamina. Filamenta feptem, fubulata, longi- 



tudine calycis. Antherae fubovatas, eredlae. 



Pistillum. Germina feptem, oblonga, defi- 

 nentia in ftylos fubulatos, longitudine fta- 

 minum. Stigmata obtufmfcula. 



Pericarpium. Capfula feptem, oblonga:, acutae, 

 parallels?, univalves. 



Semi k a plurima. 



RACTER. 



Empalemlnt, Cup of feven divisions, fpread- 

 ing, iharp-pointed, and remaining. 



Blossom. Seven petals, oblong, equal, twice 

 the length of the cup. 



Chives. Seven threads, awl-fhaped, the length 

 of the cup. Tips nearly egg fhaped, and 

 upright. 



Tointal. Seven feed buds, oblong, and end- 

 ing in awl-fhaped fhafts, the length of the 

 Chives. Summits bluntifh. 



Seed-vessel. Seven capfules, oblong, iharp- 

 pointed, parallel, and of one valve. 



Seeds many. 



CHARACTER. 



Septas with roundifh leaves, {lightly fcollopcd, 

 oppofite and fmooth ; root tuberous. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Empalement. 



2. The Chives, and Pointals, (magnified). 



3. One of the Pointals detached, (natural fize). 



We are happy in having procured for the entertainment of our botanical friends, a fpecimen of fo 

 lingular a plant as the Septas : which, from the conformity of its conilituent generic characters in 

 point of numbers, has given it die title it bears and forming for itfelf an order of plants, in which it 

 Hands alone. No plant is better known to botanifts than Septas by name; but as yet, there exifts 

 only one miferable uncoloured figure of it; which is to be found in the Mantilfa of Plukenet, tab. 340, 

 fig. g. The firfl plants feen of Septas in England, were purchafed in roots from Holland, under the 

 name of Saxifraga Tuberoa, by MelTrs. Lee and Kennedy Hammerfmith. The beginning of Auguft 

 this year, a drawing was taken from a plant in the collection of G. Hibbert, Efq. Clapham, he hav- 

 ing received fome fine bulbs of it, in the fpring, from his collector at the Cape. There are few plants 

 rival Septas for beauty that are of equal lize ; it is herbaceous, fhould be removed from its pot when 

 in a llate of inaftion, and dried like the Anemonie. The bulbs may be cut, or parted at the time 

 of removal for propagation. 



