BARTONIA ORNATA. 



BARTONIA. 



Icosandria Monogynia, Linn. Loasex, Juss. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Calix superior, 5-cleft, persistent. Corolla of 10 petals. Capsule cylindric-oblong, 

 1-celled, summit flat, valvular: valvulx 3 to 7. Receptacular placcntx 3 to 7, 

 parietal. Seeds numerous, compressed, arranged horizontally in a double 



series. 

 Herbaceous ; leaves alternate, pinnatifid, asperate ; flowers large, terminal and soli- 

 tary, vespertine, (or expanding towards sun-set,) not deciduous or marces- 

 cent after closing, but re-opening at the usual time for several days in suc- 

 cession, when closed involute in a cone ; small valves of the capsule varia- 

 ble in number, but corresponding with the placentae, and the spiral stria- 

 tums of the stigma; in the germ there exists the rudiments of a columnar 

 receptacle. The whole plant turns blackish in drying— on the slightest 

 wound it also exsudes a resinous sap which instantly blackens in the air. 

 Pubescence compoundly barbed and tenacious, as appears to be more or 

 less the case in the whole order of the Loasex. Nutt. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Leaves lanceolate, interruptedly pinnatifid; segments sub-acute; base of the capsule 

 foliose ; valves 5 to 7; seeds nearly without margin. Nutt. 



