B A 



tlifc former Sort, and the Flowers are 

 of a fine blue Colour. 



The Flowers of thefe Plants are 

 Very fugacious, feldom continuing 

 open half a Day : they commonly 

 appear in the Morning ; but when 

 the Sun grows ftrong, they are 

 foon clofed, or fall away, fo that 

 there is little Beauty in them ; and 

 the Seeds, when ripe, upon touch- 

 ing the Pods, are thrown out with 

 great Elafticity : therefore there 

 muft be Caution ufed in the gather- 

 ing of them. 



Thefe Plants are propagated by 

 Seeds, which muft be fown upon 

 a good Hotbed, in the Spring; 

 and the Plants muft be prcferved in 

 the- Bark-ftove ; for if they are ex 

 pofed to the open Air in Summer, 

 they will never produce either 

 Flowers or Seeds ; and the firft Cold 

 of Autumn will deftroy the Plants : 

 but when they are placed in the 

 Tan-bed, they mould have a large 

 Share of Air in warm Weather, 

 otherwife they are fubjedl to draw 

 Up weak, and appear of a fickly 

 Complexion. 



BASELLA, or Climbing Night- 

 /hade from Malabar. 



The Characters are ; 



// hath an annual Root: the Stalks 

 are climbing ; the Leaves are round, 

 thick, and fuccuhnt: from the Foot- 

 fialk of the Leaves are produced Spikes 

 of Flowers, which are Male and 

 Female, in different Parts of the 

 Spike t the Female Flowers are fuc- 

 ceeded by fiat Berries, in each of 

 Kuhich is containe d one hard Seed. 

 The Species are j 



t. B -a SELLA. Hort. Mai 



2. Ba sella fore albo, caule tjf 

 foliis pallide wirentibus. Climbing 

 Nightfriade from Malabar, with 

 white Flowers, and pale green Stalks 

 d> d Leaves. 



B A 



3. Basella Sinica, foliis & cau* 

 libus <viridibus, minus fucculentis, 

 f uclu minori Juff. Climbing In- 

 dian Nightftiade, with green Stalks 

 and Leaves, which are lefs fucculent, 

 and a fmall Fruit. 



Thefe Plants muft be fown early 

 in the Spring, upon an Hot-bed ; 

 and when they come up, muft be 

 planted into Pots of good freih 

 Earth, and fet into a frefti Hot- 

 bed, in order to bring them for- 

 ward ; and when grown too high to 

 be contained under the Glafles, may 

 be fet into the Green houfe, or in 

 fome well- defended Part of the Gar- 

 den, that they may ripen their Seeds. 

 There is no great Beauty in the 

 Flower ; but, tor the fingular Ap- 

 pearance of thefe Plants, they de- 

 ferve a Place in all curious Collec- 

 tions of Plants. 



The flrft has thick ftrong fucculent 

 Stalks aHd Leaves, which are of a 

 deep-purple Colour. The Plant re- 

 quires to be fupported ; for it will 

 chmb to the Height of eight or 

 ten Feet, and produce a great Num- 

 ber of Side - branches, which will 

 twift round Stakes, and climb to 

 a great Height, provided the Plants 

 are preferved in the Stove ; for if 

 they are expofed to the open Air, 

 they will not grow very large, nor 

 will they perfect their Seeds, except 

 it be in very warm Seafon? ; but if 

 they are placed in the Bark Move, 

 they will often live thro* the Winter, 

 and produce great Quantities of 

 Flowers and Seeds. The Flowers 

 of this Plant have no great Beauty ; 

 but the Plant is prelerved for the 

 odd Appearance of the Stalks and 

 Leaves. 



The fec'ond Sort is exaclly the 

 fame as the common Sort, except- 

 ing the Colour of the Leaves. Stalks, 

 and Flowers; but I have obferved 



