PLATE CCXXXVIII. 



ROELLA DECURRENS. 



Decurrent-lca'ccd Roella. 



CLASS y. ORDER L 

 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Calyx. Perianthium monophyllum, turbina- 

 tum, quinquepartitum, peififtens; laciuiis 

 lanceolatis, acutis, dentatis, magnis. 



CoBOLLA monopt-tala, infundibuliformis, deci- 

 dua; tubus cal}xe paulo brevior; limbus 

 ereftopatens, quinquepartitus, calyce lon- 

 gior. 



Nectarlum e fquamis quinque, conniven- 

 tibus, in fundo corollae. 



Stamina. Filamenta quinque, fubulata, nec- 

 tario infidentia. Antherae lubulatse, conni- 

 ventes, longitudine filamentorum, altitudine 

 calycis. 



PisTiLLUM. Germen oblongum, inferum. Sty- 

 lus filiformis, longitudine ftaniinuno. Stig- 

 mata duo, oblonga, depreffa, patentia. 



Pericarpium. Capfula cylindracea, calyce bre- 

 vior, coronatacalycepatenti majoreque tafto, 

 bilocularis. 



Semina pluriraa, angulata. 



Obf. Campanulas valde affinis. 



Empalement. Cup one leaf, top fliaped, five- 

 divided, remaining; fegraents lanco-lliaped, 

 pointed, toothed, large. 



Blossom one petal, funnel-fliaped, deciduous, 

 lube a little (horter than the cup; border 

 between upright and Ipreading, five-divided, 

 longer than the cup. 



Honeij-ctip formed of five fcales, approach- 

 ing, at the bottom of the blolTom. 



Chives. Five threads, awl-lliaped, placed upon 

 the honey-cup. Tips a\vl-fliaped, approach- 

 ing the length of the threads, the height of 

 the cup. 



Pointal. Seed-bud oblong, beneath. Shaft 

 thread-fliaped, the length of the chives. 

 Summits two, oblong, flattened, Ipreading. 



Seed-vessf.l. Capfule cylindrical, fliorter than 

 the cup, crowned with the fpreading cup 

 which has become larger, two celled. 



Seeds many, angled. 



Obf. This Genus is very nigh affiued to campa- 

 nula. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER 



Roella foliis lanceolatis, ciliatis, integerrimis, 

 decurrentibus; floribus Iblitariis, pedunculis 

 longifiimis, axillaribus. 



Roella with lance-fhaped leaves, fringed, quite 

 entire, decurrentj flowers folitary, foot- 

 flalks very long, growing from the bafe of 

 the leaves clofe to the flem. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Empalement, Chives, and Pointal, the bloflbm removed. 



2. A BlofTom cut on one fide, and fpread open. 



3. One of the fcales of the Honey cup, with its Chive magnified. 



4. The Pointal, cleared of the other parts of fruftification. 



As an annual, this is a moft beautiful little plant; but, although the feeds have been received feveral 

 times, from the C.^pe of Good Hope, where it is native; and firft at the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 

 1/87, fent by Mr. F. Maflon; yet, has it never been leen the fecond year; owing, we fuppofe, to 

 the imprafticability of procuring ripe feeds in our climate. Perhaps future trials, by ditTerent treatment, 

 may meet with a h.nppier ifiue. The figure was taken at the Clapham Garden, in Auguft 1800; 

 when the plant had apparently attained its greateft perfeflion ; but unfortunately, no feeds ripened; 

 and at prelent, we believe, there is no veftige of the plant in Britain. It appears to delight in fandy 

 peat, and to be kept under cover, even in the fummer feafon. 



