284 - ICOSAXDRIA MOXOGYN1A 



226. CUPHEA Jacq. Jfutt. den. 434. 

 [Greek, Kuphos, curved, or gibbous ; in reference to the capsule. J 



Calyx tubular, vent ricosc; limb dilated, unequally toothed. Petal* 

 about 6, unequal, inserted on the calyx. Capsule 1 or 2-cellod, mem- 

 branaceous, covered by the calyx, and, with it, bursting laterally. Seeds 

 few, compressed, oval. 



Herbaceous, or suffi uticose : leaves opposite, entire J tlo we rs axillary and terminal, 

 sometimes racemose. Nat. Ord. 52. Lindl. SalicabuB* 



1. C. viscosissima, Jacq. Herbaceous; viscid-pubescent; leaves 

 ovate-lanceolate, petiolate; flowers solitary, axillary, on short peduncles. 

 Beck, Hot. p. 126, Icon, Hart. Am. 1. tab. IS. 

 Must viscid Cufhsa, 



Root annual. Stem i) to IS inches high, erect, or sometimes decumbent at base, 

 branched, clothed with a purplish clammy pubescence ; branches axillary, alter- 

 nate. Leaves 1 to mar 3 inches lone, and 1 third to near 3 fourths of an inch wide, 

 sprinkled with very short hairs, somewhat repand and ciliate on the margin ; peti- 

 oles 1 fourth to half an inch long, pubescent* Calyx about half an inch long, very 

 clammy, often purple, striate with 12 hairy ribs, gibbous at base on the upper side; 

 tube ventricose, contracted at throat, with the limb more or less dilated, 6- toothed, 

 and lined with purple hairs within. Petals violet purple, obovate, narrowed to a 

 claw at base. Stamens 12, included ; filaments very short, hairy, inserted in the 

 throat of the calyx. Ovary oblong ; style a little longer than the calyx, hairy ; stig- 

 ma subcapitals Cajtsule about as long as the lube of the calyx, very thin and 

 membranaceous, Opening with the calyx its whole length, on the upper side, before 

 maturity, and exposing the naked seeds. Seeds lenticular, nearly oval, minutely 

 puncticulale, yellowish brown. 

 Hab. Gravelly old fields; roadsides: frequent. Fl. Aug. Fr. SeptcmVcr. 



Ob*. The only species in the U. Stales. 



I>. Fruit a Drupe. 



227. PERSIC A. Toumef. 7)C. Prodr. 2. p. 581. 



[A name derived from Persia ; its native country.] 



Calyx tubular, 5-cleft, deciduous. Petals 5, Drupe tomentose, or 

 smooth, fleshy ; nut somewhat compressed, ovate, acute, rugosely sul- 

 fate, and perforated, on the surface. 



Small trees: leaves lanceolate, alternate, stipular, conduplicate when youiiL- ; 

 flowers preceding the leaves, subsessile, solitary. Nat. Ord. ?o. Lindl. Amyg- 

 dale.e. 



1. P. vulgaris, Mill. Serratures of the leaves all acute ; fruit to- 

 mentoee. DC. Prodr. 2. p. 531. 



Amygdaht* Persica. Willd. Sp. 2. p. 982. Pers. Syn. 2. p, 33. Flo- 

 ral, Cestr. p. 125. Lindl. Ency. p. 420. Eat. Man. p. 10. \>ar. a. Ait. 

 Kew. 3. p. 194. 



Common Persica. Vulgo — Peach. Peach tree. 

 iiall. — Pec her. Germ. — Der Pfrschenbaum. Hisp. — FJ Jfclocoton. 

 Stem 8 to \~feet high, bratiching. Leaves 3 to 3 inches lone, and an inch to an 

 inchand hal/tcide, oblong-lanceolate, acute or ac lonimite, smooth, with one or two 

 glands at base on each side of the petiole ; petioles about half an inch long. Calyx 



