FER 
fucceeded by large, oval, comprefied feeds, like thofe 
of the firft: fort. This fiowers and ripens its feeds 
about the fame time as the former fort ; it grows na- 
turally m Spain and Barbary. 
The fourth fort grows to much the fame height as the 
fecond •, the leaves of this branch out on every fide 
pretty wide, and the fmaller leaves on the divifions 
of the leaves, are broader than thofe of the others 
(excepting the third) but they are longer than thofe, 
and are of a darker green colour, ending in three 
points. The umbels of flowers are large, the flowers 
are yellow, and are fucceeded by oval comprefied 
feeds, like thofe of the other fpecies. This grows 
naturally in Sicily. 
The fifth fort is of much humbler growth than either 
of the former-, the ftalks of this feldom rife much 
more than three feet high ; the lower leaves branch 
into many divifions, which are clofely garnifhed with 
very fine briftly leaves ; the umbel of fiowers is but 
fmall, when compared with the others, and the feeds 
are fmaller. It grows naturally in the Levant. 
The fixth fort hath very branching leaves, the foot- 
ftalks are angular and channelled ; this fends out at 
every joint two fide branches oppofite ; thofe toward, 
the bottom are nine or ten inches long, and the others 
are dimimfhed gradually to the top; thefe fide 
branches fend out fmaller at each joint in the fame 
infanner, which are garnifhed with very fine leaves 
like thofe of Spignel, which Hand quite round the 
ftalks in fhape of whorls ; the fiower-ftalks grow three 
feet high, having a pretty large umbel of yellow 
flowers at the top ; thefe are fucceeded by oval fiat 
feeds, which ripen in the autumn. It grows naturally 
in the Levant. 
The feventh fort rifes about three feet high; the 
leaves of this fort are much divided, and the fmall 
leaves on the divifions are very narrow and entire ; 
the umbels of flowers are fmall, and are fituated clofe 
to the ftalks between the leaves at the joints; thefe 
are like thofe of the other forts. It grows naturally 
in Iftria and Carniola. 
The eighth fort grows naturally in Italy and Sicily. 
The leaves of this are compofed of many narrow flat 
fegments, of a gray colour, and are divided into 
many parts : the ftalk rifes from three to four feet 
high, and is terminated by an umbel of yellow flow- 
ers in July, which are fucceeded by oval comprefied 
feeds which ripen in autumn. 
All thefe forts have perennial roots, which will con- 
tinue feverai years ; thele have thick ftrong fibres, 
which run deep in the ground, and divide into many 
fmaller, fpreading to a confiderable diftance every 
way: the ftalks are annual, and decay foon after 
they have perfected their feeds. As thefe plants fpread 
very wide, fo they fhould have each four or five feet 
room ; nor fhould they ftand near to other plants, for 
their roots will rob whatever plants grow near them of 
their nourifhment. 
They are ail propagated by feeds, which fhould be 
fown in the autumn ; for if they are kept out of the 
ground till the fpring, they frequently fail, and thofe 
which fucceed remain a year in the ground, fo that 
much time is loft. The feeds may be fown in drills, 
by which method the ground may be eafier kept 
clean ; they muft not be nearer than a foot row from 
row, and the feeds may be fcattered two or three 
inches afunder in the drills ; when the plants come up, 
they muft be kept clean from weeds; and where they 
are too clofe together, they fhould be thinned, to allow 
them room to grow, for they will not be ftrong enough 
to remove till they have had two years growth ; then 
in the autumn fo loon as their leaves decay, the roots 
fhould be taken up with great care, fo as not to cut or 
injure the tap or downright root, and then planted in 
the places where they are defigned to remain, for after 
this tranfplahting they fhould not be removed. They 
delight in a foft, gentle, loamy foil, not too wet, and 
are very rarely injured by the hardeft froft. 
F E R RA R I A. Burmanl Lin. Gen. ioi 8. 
F I C 
The Character are, 
It hath two keel- f aped fpatha '(or-Jheaths) which alter- 
nately inclofe the flowers, which have fix oblong pointed 
petals curled at their borders , revolving , and are alter- 
nately larger ; and three ftamina fitting on the flyle, ter- 
minated by twin roundijh fummits ; and a roundijh three- 
cornered germen under the flower , jupporting a Jirxple 
erebl ftigma , crowned by three bifid , hooded , curled ftig- 
ma ; the germen afterward becomes an oblong three-cor- 
nered capfuls, having three cells, filled with roundijh 
feeds. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the fecond fectibn 
of Linnaeus’s twentieth clals, intitled Gynandria tri- 
andria, the flower having three ftamina which fit 
upon the ftyle. 
The Species are, 
1. Ferraria .(JJndulata). foliis lanfCeolatis. Burin. Icon. 
Ferr aria with fpear-Jhaped leaves. Iris ftellata, Cycla- 
minis radice, pulio flore. Barrel. Icon. 1216. Starry 
Iris with a root like the Sowbread. 
2. Ferraria ( Enfiformi ) foliis enfiformibus. Burns. Icon. 
Ferraria with jword-jhaped leaves. 
Thefe plants grow naturally at the Cape of Good 
Hope ; the roots of the firft fort were fent me by 
Dr. Job Bafter, of Zirkzee, who received them from 
the Cape. The root of this is fhaped like that of 
the Bizantine Cornfiag ; it has a bright brown fkin 
or cover ; on the upper fide is a hollow like a navel, 
from whence the fiowef-ftalk arifes. The ftalk rifes 
a foot and a half high, and is about the fize of a 
man’s middle finger, garnifhed with leaves the whole 
length ; thefe are keel-fhaped, embracing the ftalks 
with their bafe. The upper part of the ftalk divides 
into two or three branches, which are garnifhed 
with the fame fhaped leaves, but they are fmaller ; 
each of the branches are terminated by a large fpa- 
tha; or (heath of the fame colour with the leaves, 
but this afterward withers and decays ; thefe (heaths 
are double, and fplit at the top, where the flower 
peeps out its petals ; thefe fix petals are three alter- 
nately larger than the other, and are curioufly fringed 
on their borders ; they are of a pale greenifh colour 
on their outfide, but of a tawney purple within, anci 
are of a fhort duration ; in the centre of the flower 
is fituated the ftyle, having the three ftamina fixed 
on the fide, and is terminated by twin ftigmas ; the 
germen is fituated under the flower, which after- 
ward becomes an oblong fmooth capfule with three 
cells, filled with roundifh feeds. 
The fecond fort is rare in England ; this differs from 
the former in having fmaller roots, and longer fword- 
fhaped leaves, which have deeper veins ; the ftalk 
alfo does not divide fo much, and the fiowers are 
fmaller, and lefs fringed on their borders. 
They are both progagated by offsets fent out from 
the roots, in the fame way as the Ixia, and fhould 
be cultivated in the lame manner as is directed for 
thofe and the African Gladiolus, being too tender 
to thrive in the open air in England, nor do they fuc- 
ceed well in a green-houfe ; therefore the beft me- 
thod is, to make a border four feet wide, either in 
the front of the green-houfe or ftoves, covering it 
with a proper frame and glafles, fo that the plants 
may enjoy the free air in mild weather, but be pro- 
tected from froft. In fuch a frame, moft of the Afri- 
can bulbous and tuberous rooted plants may be 
brought to great perfection. 
There is a great Angularity in the root of the firft: 
fpecies, which is in its vegetating only every other 
year, and the intermediate years it remains at reft. 
FICOIDES. See Mesembryanthemum. 
FICUS. Lin. Gen. Plant. 1032. Toum. Inft. R. H. 
662. tab. 420. The Fig-tree ; in French, Figuier. 
The Characters are, 
It hath male and female flowers , which are included 
within the covering , or Jkin of the fruit , fo do not appear 
unlefs the covering is opened ; the male fiowers are but few 
in number, and are fituated in the upper part of the fruit ; 
the female flowers are numerous , and fituated in the lower 
part'. 
2 
