PLATE CCV. 



PLATYLOBTUM LAN CEO LATUM. 



hance-Jhaped-leaved Flat -pea. 



CLASS XVIL ORDER IV. 

 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Chives in two Sets. Ten Chives. 



ESSENTIAL. GENERIC CHAKACTEK. 



Calyx campanulatus, quinque.fidus ; laciniis 

 duabus lupremis maximis, obtufis. Stamina 

 omnia coalita. Legumen pedicellatum.cora- 

 prelfum, dorfo alatumj polylpermum. 



Cup bell-fhaped, five-cleft j the two upper feg- 

 ments very large and obtufe. Chives all 

 united Pod on a footrtalk, comprefled, 

 winged along the back ; many feedcd. 



See Plate CXCI. Vol. III. Platylobium scoLorEXDRUM. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Platylobium foliis glaberrimis, diftichis, lineari- 

 lanceolatis ; floribus folitariis, axillaribus; 

 rarais junioribus fub-comprelfis. 



Flat-Pea with vers^ fmooth leaves pointing oppo- 

 fite ways, linear-lance ftiaped ; flowers grow 

 folitary from the lower part of the leaves 

 clofe to the branches; the younger branches 

 are rather flatilh. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Empalement of the flower. 



2. The Standard, or upper petal of the blolfom. 



3. One of the Wings, or fide petals of the blolTom. 



4. The two lower Petals, or keel of the bloffom. 



5. The Chives, natural fize. 



6. The fame, magnified. 



7. The Seed-bud, natural fize. 



S. The fame magnified, but rather more mature. 



No Clafs, amongft the '24, is more diftiuft in its natural character than Diadelphia ; yet, fince the dif- 

 covery of New South Wales, no one has prefented more difficulty to the botanist. From the great 

 number of plants of that country, appertainmg to this Clafs, and the ftrong diffeiing charafters which 

 moft of them exhibit, fuch indeed, as might formerly have been thought of futficient moment lo confii- 

 tute new Genera ; many mul^ now bend a little for the eal'e of fcience ; or otherwife they will in a fliort 

 time become doubled in number; a matter of no fmall moment to weak although willing memories. 

 Our having placed the P. fcolopendrum of this Volume, PI. CXCI., and our prefent plant to the Genus 

 Platylobium, is the occafion of the above prelude ; as it may be thought by fome who have not feen the 

 feed veffel and feeds, the principal parts upon which the Genus is founded, that nature is a little out- 

 raged in fo doing; but, without we had fo joined them, we mull have given them a new title. This 

 plant was introduced at the fame time as the P. fcolopendrum, and the three other fpecies now in Bri- 

 tain ; not one of them, but has baffled all our moft experienced cultivators to increafe it, by any other 

 mode than from the feed ; fome of which has been procured from the P. formofum, only. They all 

 require to be kept in the dryeft part of the green-houfe, as they are impatient of damp. Our drawing 

 was made in November 1801, at the Nurfery of Melfrs. I,ee and Kennedy, Hammerfmith, by whom it 

 was firft railed in 1792. The general height of the Platylobiums, is about three feet and a half, at moft, 

 in this country, and they do not form bufliy fiirubs. They require a light, fandy peat foil, with rather 

 lefs rool room, than is in general neceft'ary for plants of equal fize. 



