07 
CHORIZEMA CORDATA. 
(HEART-SHAPED LEAVED CHORIZEMA.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
DECANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
LEGUMLNOSEjE. 
Generic Character. — See vol. iv. p. 153. 
Specific Character, — Plant shrubby. Stems numerous, erect, smooth, green, graceful. Branches 
slender, spreading, woody. Leaves subsessile, cordate, ovately oblong, obtuse, spinose, reticulate, 
with inconspicuous hairs. Racemes terminal or axillary, generally destitute of leaves. Flowers 
very abundant. Bractece awl-shaped, on short footstalks, opposite, bristly. Calyx two-lipped ; 
upper lip two-toothed, lower one three-parted. Vaxillum two-lobed, of a deep red colour, spotted 
with yellow at the base. Wings and keel purple. 
The subject of the figure here given, though inferior to C. ovata in the splen- 
dour and brilliancy of the colours of its flowers, is superior to all the other species 
of this genus with which we are acquainted in the size and beauty of its foliage, 
and the boldness of its habits. It is remarkable that the plants comprising this 
genus, though conspicuous for the rich and beautiful colours of their flowers, are 
generally, and indeed we may say universally, deficient with regard to foliage ; the 
present plant, however, is an exception to this rule, and may be considered as being 
decidedly in advance of all the other species in this respect. 
The leaves of the plant here noticed approximate in form to those of C. ilici- 
folia, and are also, like that species, spinose ; but they are much larger and more 
handsome, and the plant grows more vigorously and luxuriantly, and attains to a 
greater height and size, than any of the species which have previously been culti- 
vated in our collections. 
On the subject of its cultivation it would be superfluous to say any thing here, 
after the copious and detailed directions given under the head of C. ovata in vol. 
iv. page 153 of this work, and it is only, necessary to refer our readers to that 
article, and state that the principles there laid down will be found equally appli- 
cable to the plant now before us. 
vol. v. — no. liii. o 
