PELARGONIUM QUERCIFOLIUM— OAK-LEAYED GERANIUM. 
CLASS, MONADELPHIA ; ORDER, HEPTANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER, GERANIACE^. 
Gen. Char. Calyx, five parted, upper divisions much the 
^ broadest, terminating in a funnel-shaped, capillary nectary. Corol, 
\ five petalled, irregular, upper petals very showy, broader than 
the lower, and covered with colored veins. Arils, five, each 
one seeded and awned. Anthers, seven. Spec. Char. Umbels, 
sub-many-flowered. Leaves, simulating the oak. Filaments, * 
ascending at the apex. 
In the description of the Geranium Robertianium, we reviewed 
the prominent characteristics of this natural and exceedingly 
beautiful order. This as well as the most of our conservatory 
species, is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. This geranium 
will show the celebrated spiral air vessels to very good advantage ; 
and those who are curious to witness the secret workino;s of vesfc- 
tation will find much to learn and admire in its structure. For 
this purpose, place one of the petals upon a piece of perfectly 
smooth and flat glass, such as is usually furnished for the trans- 
parent stage of a microscope, wet it with water, and then lay 
over it another flat piece of glass. Press the two firmly together, 
and by degrees all the air will be squeezed out of the petals and 
it will become transjiarent. With a good magnifying power all 
the air vessels of the veins may be distinctly observed, looking 
like fine threads of silver wire twisted upon a spiral spring. 
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