406 Report on some remarkable Hardy Ornamental Plants, fyc. 



come as interesting to the horticulturist from its beauty as it is to 

 the botanist, from forming the connecting link between the Ranun- 

 culaceae and Papaveraceae. The trisepalous calyx, and numerous 

 distinct ovaria would have placed it in the former order were it not 

 for the structure of the anthers, the very deciduous sepals, and 

 the general habit, which do not admit of its being removed from 

 Papaveraceae, especially considering its close affinity with Esch- 

 scholtzia through Platystigma and Dendromecon. 



It is a low, branching, erect, and pale green annual, seldom at- 

 taining beyond a foot in heighth. The w T hole plant is smooth, with 

 the exception of long spreading hairs on the peduncles, the mar- 

 gins, and here and there the surface of the leaves, and on the 

 calyx and ovaria. The leaves are alternate, the upper ones often 

 several so near together as to have the appearance of an imper- 

 fect whorl ; they are oblong, lanceolate, obtuse, perfectly entire, 

 embrace the stem at the base, and are marked with from three to 

 five parallel ribs. The peduncles are solitary, axillary, about six 

 inches long, and bear at the extremity a single erect flower, rather 

 larger than that of the common Helianthemum. The sepals are very 

 hairy, round-ovate and obtuse ; the petals yellow, with occasionally 

 a reddish tinge outside. The flower is sweet scented, and of a pale 

 straw-colour. 



Mr. Douglas's dried collection contains also specimens of two 

 other plants, each forming a new genus of the same order of Papa- 

 veracese, characterised as follows. 



Platystigma. Sepala 3, ovata, caduca, pilosa. Petala4-5. Stamina numerosa. 

 Filamenta filiformia. Antherae lineares, biloculares, lateraliter dehiscentes. Stigmata 

 3, ovata, acuta, erecto-divergentia. Capsula oblonga, basi attenuata, 1-locularis, 3- 

 angularis, 3-sulcata, 3-valvis, ab apice ad basin dehiscens : valvulis conduplicatis 

 margine in placentis filiformibus productis. Semina numerosa, minuta, ovoidea, nigra, 

 laevissima, nitida. 



