OF THE GENUS THUNBERGIA. 7 
ancy of colour, novelties or grotesque mixtures in colour being- the ruling passions 
in these times of varying tastes. 
The varieties are generally called according to the caprice of the individual who 
raises them from seeds, either descriptive of their colours (which is preferable when 
it can be done concisely) or some favourite or poetical name. 
In conclusion we may add the oftener young plants are raised the better, as upon 
young healthy plants such a difference takes place in the size and colour of the 
flowers, as oftentimes not to be taken for the same thing ; there might be a succes- 
sion every month, put in from the beginning of May to July, the latest seeds 
produced in the autumn should be sown in March, when the young plants would 
receive slight protection in inclement weather. 
OF THE GENUS THUNBERGIA, 
MORE PARTICULARLY OF THE CULTURE OF THUNBERGIA ALATA. 
This is a family which, in the Linnsean system, belongs to the fourteenth class, 
Didynamia, and to the second order Angiospermia ; that is, the stamens are four 
in number, two of them being longer than the two others ; and the seeds are 
enclosed in a capsule, or dry seed-vessel, which opens by means of valves. The 
flowers of most of the plants of this class are irregular, gaping (ringent), or have- 
closed lips, somewhat like those of a fish {jper sonatas). But Thunbergia exhibits 
very slight marks of these characters : its flowers are nearly regular, the border flat 
and expanded, and cut into nearly equal divisions. 
The characters of the genus, whereby it is botanically described, are a calyx, 
said to be double, but this is incorrect ; the two-leaved external integuments are an 
involucrum, which encloses the flower, opens to let that expand, and remains per- 
manent, if the seed-vessel form and ripen ; but is deciduous if it prove abortive. 
The real calyx is a very small organ, cut into ten or twelve minute teeth, close 
seated under the capsule. 
Corolla campanulate, or bell-shaped ; though but slightly so. 
Capsule beaked, two-celled, containing two or three seeds. 
In the natural system, Thunbergia is found in the order AcanthacecE, which has 
Acanthus as its type. The leading characters of this order are the following : — 
The joints of the stem are swollen, the capsules are elastic and fly open ; the 
seeds are attached by little hooked processes. 
We do not interfere with the authorities which have placed this family in 
Acanthacece ; but we think that its situation ought to be reconsidered ; for to us 
it appears that the relationship between Thunbergia and its congeners is somewhat 
remote. 
