PLATE CCVIII. 



LASIOPETALUM FERRUGINEUM. 



Rujiy Woolly -hlojjom. 



CLASS V. ORDER L 

 P E NT A ND R I A MO NOG YNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal. 



GENERIC CHARACTEK. 



Calvx. Perianthium tripliyllum, foliolis fubu- 



latis, tomentofis, perfiftentibus, ferrugino- 



fis. 

 Corolla monopetala, rotata, laniiginofa, quin- 



quefida; laciniis ovatis, apicibus acutis, in- 



curvatis. 

 Stamina. Filamenta quinque, brevia, erefta, 



gerniinis bali affixa. Antherae eredae, dorlb 



bilobs, apicc poris duobus. 



PisTii.LUM. Germen ovatum, fuperum. Stylus 



minutus, filitbrmis, erectus. Stigma ob- 



foletum. 

 Pericaupium. Capfula fubrotunda, fupera, tri- 



fiilcata, triloculari'i, trivalvis, diHepimen- 



tis e medio valvularum. 

 Semi N A numerofa, fubrotunda. 



Empalement. Cup three -leaved, leaflets awl- 

 fliaped, downy, permanent, and of a rufty 

 iron colour. 



Blosso.m, one petal, wheel-fliaped, woolly, and 

 five-cleft; fegments egg lliaped, fharp 

 pointed and incurved at the point. 



Chives. Threads five, (hort, upright, fixed to 

 the bafe of the feed-bud. Tips upright, two- 

 lobed at the back, and two porei at the 

 point, 



Pointal. Seed-bud egg-fliaped, above. Shaft 

 fmall, thread-lhaptd, upright. Summit 

 obfolete. 



Seed-vessel. Capfule roundifli, above, three- 

 furrowed, three cells, three valves, parti- 

 tions from the middle of the valves. 

 Seeds numerous, roundilh. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Lafiopctalum foliis fublinearibus, obtufis, ine- 

 qualiter finuatis, fupra glabris fubtus lanu- 

 ginofis; floribus racemofis, axillaribus. 



Woolly blolTom with nearly linear leaves, blunt, 

 unequally indented, fmooth above, woolly 

 beneath ; flowers grow in long bunches 

 from the infertion of the leaves into the ftera. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Empalement. 



2. The BloUbm. 



3. The Chives and Pointal. 



4. A Chive, magnified. 



5. The Pointal. 



D. The fame magnified. 



The fingularrty of this plant recommends it to our notice, rather than its beauty. It is a native of 

 New South Wales, near Port Jackfon, and is found in marilij' grounds; where its branches are feen 

 to extend many yards, embracing all the under llirubs they meet; they feldom exceed the fize of 

 fmall twine, but are exceeding tough. The whole plant, when old, has a dirty or rufty brown ap- 

 pearance, the leaver becoming very fmall and narrow ; although from culture in this country, we have 

 feen the leaves, on fome plants, near an inch in breadth, and three in length. For the Generic and 

 Specific titles of this plant we are indebted to Dr. Smith, P. L. S. &c. and we do not think more appro- 

 priate ones could have been invented. The giving fpecific names and charafters to plants, where only 

 one has been difcovered of the Genus, although a little from Linnnean principles, we mull confefs 

 accords wiih our ideas; for, although, to compare is necellary to diltindive difference; yet, if the 

 moll; oftenfible, and novel appearance of the parts, are taken from the firll difcovered plant, for 

 the fpecific charafter; Lliere is no more danger of confufion, from any addition to the Genus, than 

 if no fuch obfervations had been made ; for, what mnft in future be taken as fpecific diftinition mull 

 arife from an oppofition to the firll plant on which the Genus was founded: wherefore we have 

 adopted this manner, from the commencement of the work. This plant was firft railed at the Hain- 

 merfmilh Nurfery, from feeds received from New South Wales in 1791. It is propagated by cuttings 

 taken from the young ihoots, in April; fliould be planted in very fandy peat earth, and kept very dry 

 in winter. It is in flower nearly the whole year. 



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