358 The Chinese Primrose. 



CHiETANTHERA— THE CHiETANTHERA. 



Natural Order, Composite ; Linnaean System, Syngeuesin, Superflua. 

 Gcueric Characters : Involucre, imbricate ; receptacle, flat, smooth ; flow- 

 ers of the ray, numerous, pistilliferous ; exterior lip, ligulate, tridentate ; 

 inner lip, slender, bidentate ; disk flowers, hermaphrodite tubular, bila- 

 biate ; lips nearly equal ; pappus, hairy, persistent. 



C. serrate— Leaves, linear, somewhat wedge-shaped ; serrated at the apex ; 

 scales of the involucre, lanceolate, mucronate ; pappus, somewhat bristly. 

 — Plate 48, Fig. 2. 



The anthers of this genus appear like bristles ; whence the 

 generic name, which signifies a bristly anther. The flowers 

 are peculiar, each having two distinct, differently-shaped lips, 

 in consequence of which, the genus is placed in that division 

 of Compositae called Labiatiflorce. All the species are natives 

 of Chili. C. serrata is a very pretty evergreen plant, growing 

 in low tufts, with large bright yellow flowers. It is easily 

 cultivated in a sandy soil. 



PRIMULA PRjENITENS— THE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 



Specific Character: Pubescent, umbel duplicate ; calyx, membranaceous, 

 ovate, ventricose, many-cleft; capsule inflated ; segments of the corolla 

 sharply dentate. — Plate 49. 



The generic characters of the genus Primula are given at 

 page 294, where the Auricula — another species — is mentioned. 

 The Chinese Primrose has become a great favorite with flor- 

 ists, although it was introduced into England from China as 

 late as 1820. When first introduced, it was called Primula 

 Sinensis ; but it having been afterwards ascertained that a 

 Portuguese botanist had called another species by that name, 

 the present specific name was given to it. Praniitens signifies 

 glossy, or shining, and it is certainly difficult * to understand 

 why it should be applied to a plant covered nearly all over 

 with down. For some time after its introduction, only two 



