66 Cuphea viscocissima 



ever is not a native of this conntry, this indeed being the only one 

 found indigenous. The plant is not possessed of sufficient beauty 

 to invite culture, except on account of its rarity, in places where it 

 is not found wild. In the botanic gardens of England however, 

 it is thought worthy of cultivation; and is readily propagated 

 from seeds obtained from Brazil. It improves in some degree in 

 those places, but perhaps never attains a finer appearance than in 

 very favourable and protected situations in this country. Such as 

 enjoy a due degree of moisture, combined with a loose, sandy, but 

 rich soil, are most likely to produce luxuriant specimens. Yet the 

 petals never increase much in size, however vigorous the herbage 

 may be. They are liable to variation merely in number, being quite 

 as often only five as six, the number the generic character requires. 



Fig- 1. About one-half of the main stem of a flowering specimen 

 eighteen inches high, culled September 13. 



2. A flower separated. 



3. The capsule after it has bursted, exhibiting the seeds erect- 



ly attached to the filiform, lateral branches of a triquetrous 

 cartilaginous receptacle. 



4» A seed, separated. 



(All the size of nature.) 



