PLATE CLX. 



ARISTEA MAJOR. 



Spike -flowered Ariflea. 



CLASS IIL ORDER L 

 TRIANDRIJ MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal. 



ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Petala 6. Stigma concavura. Capfula tri- 

 loba, trilocularis, loculis compreflis. Semina 

 in fingulo loculo bina, comprefl'a truncata. 



Petals 6. Summit concave. Capfule three- 

 lobed, tliree celled; cells flattened. Seeds 

 two in each cell, flattened and appearing 

 cut off" at the end. 



See Aristea Cyanea, PI. X. Vol, I. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Ariftea foliis enfiformibus longiffimis; floribus | Ariftea with very long leaves; flowers grow io 

 fpicatis, cai;ruleis. fplkes, and blue. 



t 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The two flieaths of the Enipalement. 



2. A Blolfom with the Seed-buJ, both cut open and remaining attached, the Shaft removed. 



3. The Pointal natural fize, with the fummit detached m.ignitied. 



4. A ripe feed-veirel, natural fize. 



5. The fame with the cells laid open to fhew the fituation of the feeds. 



The Genus Ariftea, having certainly been formed from a dried fpecimen of the plant, the alterations 

 ■we have made in our Generic and Effential characters, will, upon inlpefting the dilledlions, appear 

 abfolutely necelTary; as the lliaft is not bent, in either fpecies we have examined, whilil the flower 

 is perfeft; but alVurncs that appearance on its decay, as it becomes involved with the petals, which 

 twifi up in the manner of Morcea, Iris, &c. The Summit likewife, is not funnel-fhaped, but merely 

 a little concave, with a border: other fmall variations have been made, in the character of the feed- 

 vciTcl and Iced. In the year 1/94, this fine plant was raifed by Meffrs. Lee and Kennedy, from feeds 

 received by them from the Cape of Good Hope, where it is native. It is one of the very hardieft 

 inhabitants of the gfeeiihoufe, and is propagated, either from the feed, which ripens with us; or by 

 the offsets made from the root. The plant is perfiltent, but does not acquire a ftem ; the leaves 

 growing to the length of from two, to three feet, the flower-ftem fometimes to the height of four feet; 

 ■whith was nearly that of the plant in the Colletlion of G. Hibbert, Efq. Clapham, from which our 

 drawing was taken in the month of July 1600. It fliould be planted in fandy peat. 



