12 Erythrina herbacea. 



The drawing and description of this plant were made from a fine 

 specimen which flowered atBartram's botanic garden this summer. 

 The spikes were luxuriant, and the flowers numerous, forming a full 

 florescence of more than a foot in length, at one time. The corollas 

 were fugagious, and fell rapidly as the spike flowered towards its 

 apex. The root of this plant is as large as a yam, and irregularly 

 tuberous. Being a native of the south, it does not bear our winters 

 without great care, and has hitherto, in the neighbouring gardens, 

 been difficultly brought to flower. Mr. Curtis mentions, that in Eng- 

 land it supports the winter very well in green-houses, in which it 

 does not always die down to the root. If in that climate it does not 

 often suffer under careful treatment, there does not appear any 

 reason why good treatment would not in the middle and northern 

 states, preserve it in health and vigour. And the superb appearance 

 it makes when reared to florescence, will amply repay the trouble 

 of its culture. The specimen in the green-house at Bartram's gar- 

 den, is near four feet in height from the root to the top of the spikes. 



TABLE III. 



Fig. 1. The upper portion of a flowering spike. 



2. A branch, with leaves. 



3. The stamens, with calix and wings, and keel of the corolla. 



4. A seed. (All the size of nature.) 



