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RONDELETTA ODORATA. 



This is a beautiful plant, and may we think vie with the Ixora coccinea. The 

 genus Rondeletia is composed of trees and shrubs, and was formerly composed of 

 African and American species ; but De Candolle, in arranging the natural order 

 Rubiacese, has confined the species to those of America, and removed the African 

 ones to the genus Wendlandia. The principal distinctions between the two 

 genera are, that in Wendlandia the tube of the calyx is oftentimes striped, the 

 limb very short, the lobes of the corolla acute, the filaments issue from the top 

 of the tube, and the anthers project. Our drawing was taken from a plant in 

 the collection of the Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society, which 

 was presented to that establishment by Messrs. Loddiges, from their extensive 

 collection at Hackney. It requires to be grown in a humid stove, and to be 

 potted in peat, loam and sand, using plenty of drainers. It is increased slowly by 

 cuttings. The natural order Rubiacese, to which our plant belongs, is one of the 

 most natural, one of the most extensive, and one of the most valuable of the whole 

 vegetable kingdom, as it contains within its range the Barks, the Madders, 

 the Ipecac, and the Coffee, the albumen of which, when roasted, affords such an 

 agreeable beverage : and as many persons may wish to know how the order may 

 be distinguished, we will here describe it. 



The tube of the calyx always adheres to the ovarium, variously lobed, lobes 

 equal to the number of the petals. Corolla gamopetalous, attached to the top of 

 the calyx. Petals from four to five, state of cohesion very variable, (Estivation 

 either contort or valvate. Stamens as many as the petals, more or less joined to 

 the tube, and alternate with the lobes. Anthers oval, two-celled, and turned 

 inwards. Ovarium situated within the calyx, and joined to it ; two or more 

 celled, the calyx adhering so as to resemble a crown, or, botanically speaking, 

 urceolate. Style arising from the urceolus one. Stigma oftentimes two, more or 

 less joined, rarely more distinct. Fruit a berry or drupe, two or many-celled, 

 cells one, two, or many-seeded. Seeds in one-seeded cells fixed to the apex or to 

 the base, in the many-seeded cells annexed to an horizontal central placenta. 

 Albumen large, horny, or fleshy. Embryo erect or curved, surrounded by albumen, 

 having the radicle of the seed obverse, with a round hilum. Cotyledons leafy. 

 Branches round or square. 



The generic name was given by Linneus, in honour of Rondelet, a celebrated 

 Physician. 



Fig. 1, tube of a flower laid open to show the attachment of the anthers ; 2, 

 calyx, with its linear segments and pistil. 



