Pentandria. 
( 8 ) 
P E L O R I A. 
I Add to the fifth Clafs a Plant, which ’tis a Cuftom rather to place among 
the Monfters : but few have feen it. This Specimen I owe to the Favour 
of the Bifhop of Pa N x o p p i d A n, who gather’d it in No r way. 
Bp Monfters, among Plants, Naturalifts mean fiich as have been produced bp 
the Copulation of two diftindf Kinds. ’Tis not impoflible that the Organs of the 
fome different Plants map be fo nearlp like to one another, that fuch a Copulation 
map come within the Verge of rational Belief: but I have not pet feen anpinftance 
of it in Nature : Neither do I know to what Plant thep would refer for one Part of 
the Parentage of this, who fancp it a Mongrel; if it were allow’d, that the com- 
mon Linaria, which it muff: be acknowledg’d extremelp to refemble, were the 
other. 
’Tis thought Veronica and Vervain, have produc’d a Monfter, or a Mon- 
grel Plant between them : Nor will I contradiA the Opinion, fince Negatives 
admit no Proof. All I can fap is, that I have long cultivated the two Plants in 
the fame Border, and near one another, but no middle kind has pet appear’d. ’Tis 
not impoflible there map hereafter ; or that which fails with me, map have fuc- 
ceeded with another. 
The Peloria has a general Refemblance, in its Afpedf, of the Toad-flax ; 
but the Flower is altogether different. Even the Clafs is different : nor is the Plant 
if I map, judge from a fingle Specimen, fo verp like this Toad-flax as has 
been faid. 
From a long flender woodp Root there rofe in this three Stalks ; purplilh, weak, 
and bent ; whereas our Linaria is ufuallp robuft and upright. The Leaves were 
long and narrow, but thep had blunter Ends than in the common Toad-flax, 
and thep were paler. The Flowers crown’d the Top of each Stalk in a handfome 
Spike. Thep are large, oblong, p'ellow, and in Conftrudfion whollp unlike not the 
Linaria alone, but thofe of anp other Plant whatever. The Mouth is regularlp 
open’d, and the Tube is long and fwell’d : at its Bafe there are four Horns or Spurs 
form’d of the fame Subftance with the Flower, and hollow. Within there are five 
regular and perfedb Filaments unlike entirelp thofe of the Linaria, and indeed 
of everp thing elfe known. The Rudiment of a Seed Velfel was alfo perfedt in 
manp of the Flowers, and there were fome unripe Seeds. 
. I have fown thefe, tho’ without much Hope, becaufe thep were plainlp immature : 
if thep {hoot we fhall have Opportunities of knowing fomething more of the Plant 
than we do at prefent ; or if thefe fail, it will foon be in the Upfal Garden ; where 
a Root was fome Years fince fet, but at an ill Seafon, and without Succefs. 
Perhaps the Proof of its being or not being a mixt Produ8:ion, map be refer’d 
to the Succefs of fairlp ripen’d Seeds. If thefe produce their like, it will give a 
fevere Shock to the receiv’d Opinion. Mules produc’d from the Horfe and Afs 
do not propagate : and probablp a Law fo univerfal in the Animal Creation is not 
broken in the Vegetable. 
Peloria. Linn» 
