29 
PORTULACA THELLUSONII. 
(mr. thelluson's purslane.) 
cl4ss. order, 
DODECANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER, 
PORTULACACE^. 
Generic Character. — Calyx either free, or adhering to the bottom of the ovary, bipartite, ultimately 
separated at the base, and deciduous. Petals four to six, equal, detached from each other, or united 
at the base, inserted on the calyx. Stamens t\g\\i to fifteen, or indefinite ; filaments free, sometimes 
adnate to the base of the corolla. Ovary nearly round. Style one ; five, six, or nine-cleft at the 
summit ; or, style wanting, and stigmas three to eight, elongated. Capsule somewhat globular, 
one-celled, separated in the middle. Seeds many, affixed to the centre of the placentse. 
Specific Character. — Plant annual. Stems erect, succulent. Leaves alternate, somewhat cylindrical, 
acuminate, obtuse, with a number of filamentous stipules round their base, becoming nearly verti- 
cillate immediately beneath the flowers. Flowers on the summit ot" the bi-anches, sometimes 
collected into small heads, sessile. Corolla large, expansive, deep red. Petals two-lobed, slightly 
concave. 
The accompanying figure of this exceedingly interesting and somewhat rare 
plant is now brought forward with the view of calling attention to its great merits. 
These consist mainly in a capacity for creating a most brilliant display for many 
months in the year, in a stove, a greenhouse, a frame, or the open border ; for in 
either of these situations it perfects its splendid blossoms throughout the whole 
of the late summer and early autumnal months. Its habit, too, is particularly 
dwarf, its flowers very abundant and in rapid succession, and its cultivation 
extremely easy. 
Seeds were sent from Florence to the Horticultural Society by the Hon. 
Frederick Thelluson, now Lord Rendlesham ; and in the garden of that body, at 
Chiswick, it first produced its flowers. These are of an intense reddish crimson 
hue, and are superior in colour and beauty to those of any other known species. 
At first, it was described as a variety of P. grandiflora ; but subsequent investiga- 
tion induced Dr. Lindley to elevate it to the rank of a species. It ranges, how- 
ever, near P. grandiflora ; but, says Dr. Lindley, " its deeply two-lobed petals 
form a good mark of distinction from that species ; while its longer and taper- 
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