85 



MARICA CiERULEA. 



(Blue Marica.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. IRIDEJ5.— (JR. Brown, Prod.) IEIDACE^.— 



(Lmd. Nat. Sys. Bot.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER, 



Marica (Schbeb.) Perianthiurn 6-partitum insequale laciniis interioribus minoribus. 

 Stamina libera angulis styli triquetri opposita. Antherce lineari-oblongse, filamentis longiores. 

 Stigma petaloideum, 3-fidum. Capsula elongata, tereti-trigona, polysperma. 



Perianth 6-parted, unequal, the interior segments being smaller. Stamens free opposite to 

 the angles of the 3-sided style. Anthers linear-oblong, longer than the filaments. Stigma 

 petal-like, 3-cleft. Capsule elongated, 3-angled, many-seeded. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



M. caerulea ; scapo alato ensiformi erecto multifloro ; spathd non vivipara. 



Scape winged, sword-shaped, erect, many-flowered ; spathe not viviparous. 



Desgb. — Plant herbaceous, perennial. Leaves ensiform, plane, nerved, from four to six feet 

 long. Scape erect, many-flowered. Spathes enclosing several flowers, which appear in succession. 

 Flower six-parted, the three exterior segments elliptico ovate, margin somewhat wavy, of a 

 brilliant blue except towards the base or claw, which is concave, slightly bearded, and marked 

 with irregular transverse bars of rich brown ; interior segments much smaller, recurved, with 

 revolute margins, and more copious pubescence. 



We do not offer this to the notice of our readers as a novelty (it having been 

 introduced in 1818), but on account of its extreme beauty, which seemed to claim 

 for it a place in the " Floral Cabinet." It is a native of the Brazils, and requires 

 the warmth of the stove, of which it forms a most splendid ornament. It has 

 much of the character of Marica Northiana, a native of the same country, where 

 it was gathered on the island of Raza, near the mouth of Rio Janeiro, by the 

 late Sir Joseph Banks. 



This plant differs from M. Cceruiea in having the larger segments of the 

 flower white instead of blue ; in producing a smaller number of flowers ; and in 

 having the scape bent to the ground, with a viviparous spathe, by which means 

 the young plant contained in the spathe is enabled to take root and establish 

 itself in the soil. The flowers of both species are very fugitive. 



In order to flower these plants well, they should be frequently shifted in 



