132 THE LADIES' FLOWEK-OARDEN 
CHAPTER XV. 
ZYGOPHYLLE.E. 
Characteh of the Order. — Calyx of five distinct sepals, or hardly 
connected at the base. Petals five, alternating with the sepals, and 
inserted in the receptacle. Stamens ten, distinct, hypogynous, five 
opposite the petals, and five opposite the sepals. Ovary I — 5-celled. 
Styles five, joined into one, but sometimes they are distinct at the top. 
Carpels five, constantly more or less adnate to each other, and to the 
central axis ; cells opening at the upper angle, usually many-seeded, 
sometimes one-seeded. (G. Don.) 
Description, &c. — The type of this order is the Bean Caper, Zygophyllum Fabago, a plant with small rod 
flowers, by no means ornamental. The order is distinguished from Oxalidese by the styles being joined in one, 
and the seeds having no axil. The leaves are also generally compound, and furnished with two stipules at the 
base of the petioles. There are very few ornamental plants in the order, and almost the only showy plant 
belonging to it which will flower in the open air is Melianthus major. 
GENUS I. 
MELIANTHUS, Lin. THE HONEY-FLOWER. 
Lin. Sysl. TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. — Calyx five-cleft, unequal; lower segment I of which are connate. Style one, crowned by a four-cleft stigma. Cap- 
drawn out into a hollow gibbosity. Petals five. Stamens four, two | sulefour-lobed, four-celled; cells one-seeded from abortion. (G.Don.) 
Description, &c. — There are three species in the genus, only one of which will, however, flower in the open 
air. The name Melianthus is composed of two Greek words, signifying literally Honey-flower ; and it alludes 
to a hollow projection in the flower, which is filled with a sweet liquid, tasting like honey. The flowers have a 
coloured calyx, which forms their showy part, the petals being seldom seen. The leaves are very large and 
glaucous, and they have an unpleasant smell when bruised. The stems are sufiruticose, and those of the 
greenhouse kinds are decidedly shrubby. 
1.— MELIANTHUS MAJOR, Lin. THE LARGER HONEY-FLOWER. 
Synonymes. — M. africanus, //erm. ; Sicilian, or Sea Ragwort. I Specific Character. — Leaves smooth on both 'surfaces, glaucous. 
Engravings. — Bot. Reg. t. 45 ; and omfy. 3 in Plate 33. 1 Stipules lai-ge, joined to the petioles. (G, Don.) 
Description, &c. — This plant, though called suffruticose, is properly a perennial, as the slight woodiness 
which it sometimes shows near the base is only found in old plants ; and a stem ten feet high will be often 
entirely hollow and herbaceous. It is very handsome, even when it does not flower, from its large, glaucous, 
pinnate leaves, which have broad stipules sheathing the petiole. The flowers are also very handsome, though 
the showy part is only the calyx. The species is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, whence it was sent to 
Holland in 1673 ; and it was brought to England from that country in 1688, by Mr. Bentinck, afterwards 
Lord Portland. The leaves have a very unpleasant smell when bruised ; and the flowers, when shaken, give 
out a sweet glutinous liquid, which is highly prized by the natives at the Cape. It is even said that when one 
of these plants is descried in flower, the natives will run to it, eagerly striving which shall be first to secure the 
delicious liquor for himself. The plant in England is frequently kept in a greenhouse ; but it seldom dowers 
except in the open ground, though it is somewhat tender. The best way, therefore, of treating it is to plant it 
in the open ground, in face of a south wall, and to cover the shoots during winter, as it will not flower if the 
