68 The Thunbergia. 



in the autumn or winter, and the young plants kept in pots 

 and set out in May. As fast as the old flowers drop off, new 

 ones will expand, and the bed continue to present a mass of 

 splendid purple until the coming of frost. This species is 

 found to hybridize freely with the other, and the union of the 

 two produces a great number of beautiful varieties, some of 

 which are very large and fragrant, and of a lilac color, and 

 others of a fine rich crimson shade of purple. Their culture 

 is very easy ; they will grow and bloom freely, if the seeds 

 are merely scattered on any common soil, and by no flower is 

 the care of the cultivator better repaid. 



THUNBERGIA— THE THUNBERGIA. 



Natural Order, Acanthaceae. Linntean Class, Didynamia. Order, Angios- 

 permia. Generic Distinctions: — calyx, double; exterior in two leaves, 

 interior shorter, with awl-shaped teeth ; corolla, campanulate, tube infla- 

 ted, limb five lobed, equal ; stigma, two lobed ; capsule, globose, beaked, 

 two celled. 



T. alata. Stem twining ; leaves triangularly cordate, sinuately toothed, 

 five nerved ; petioles winged. (PI. 13. Fig. 3.) 



This genus was named by Linnaeus in honor of Charles Pe- 

 ter Thunberg, an eminent naturalist, professor of botany at 

 the University of Upsal, and author of several scientific works. 

 The species are mostly climbing plants, and some of them are 

 very beautiful. Their colors are singularly opposite and dif- 

 ferent ; the flowers of one species being blue ; those of another 

 scarlet ; those of others white, bright orange, and, as the one 

 in the plate, a pale buff. X. alata is a native of the East Indies, 

 and its beauty has made it very popular among gardeners, 

 who frequently give it the pet name of Black-eyed Susan. Its 

 seeds are of a curious shape, and have the appearance of be- 

 ing covered with a delicate net work, and the capsule which 

 contains them is hard and horned. The proper method of cul- 

 tivation seems to be, to sow the seeds in a soil composed of 

 nearly equal parts of peat earth, or vegetable mould, and sand, 



