The Persian Bell-Flower. 291 



MICHAUXIA— THE PERSIAN BELL-FLOWER. 



Natural Order, Campanulacea? ; Liuusean System, Octandria, Monogynia. 

 Geueric Character: — Calyx eight or ten cleft, with appendages covering 

 the recesses; corolla eight or ten parted, rotate; stamens eight or ten; 

 filaments very broad, membrauous, approximate at the base ; anthers cus- 

 pidate ; style hairy ; stigmas eight, filiform ; ovary eight-celled ; seeds 

 numerous ; capsule eight or ten valved, opening at the base. 



M.campanuloides. Stem pilose; leaves lanceolate, irregularly lobed ; peti- 

 oles marginate ; appendages of the calyx shorter thau the lobes. — PI. 40. 

 Fig- 2. 



This genus was named in honor of Andrew Michaux, the 

 distinguished botanist, who discovered its only two species. 

 Both species are biennial plants, and natives of Asia. The 

 flowers are very singular. Those of M. campanuloides, when 

 in the bud, much resemble a Campanula, but when they are 

 fully open, the eight petals curl back, and expose the broad 

 filaments growing together at their bases. The stamens are 

 eiffht, with yellow anthers ; the limb of the calyx has eight di- 

 visions, and there are eight stigmas. The flowers are white, 

 with a tinge of pink ; the stems are reddish, the leaves are 

 large, and irregularly lobed, with a very conspicuous midrib, 

 and the root is fusiform. The plant grows about six feet high, 

 and bears a profusion of its curious and showy flowers in July 

 and August. It was discovered near Aleppo and on Mount 

 Lebanon, and was introduced into England in 1787. It is 

 found to be quite hardy, except that its seeds do not ripen 

 well. The seeds should be sown in the autumn, and the 

 young plants suffered to remain in the seed-bed till May, when 

 they should be removed to where they are to flower. 



