Mona N DR I A. ( i ) 
SCARLET C O S T U S. 
W HETHER every Plant of Cost us aflumes this glowing Colour, at 
a certain Period, I cannot lay : this was from Madagascar ; and tho 
leveral Flowers were perledf on it j and the Buds ol many others had 
not yet opened, it was, except for a few light Traces of Green toward the Top, 
entirely Scarlet. The Snow-white of the Flowers upon this red Ground, give it a 
Charadfer of confummate Elegance ; and there is Singularity enough about them 
to demand the Attention, alfo of the Philofopher. 
The Stalk is round ; jointed as a Reed, a Yard high, and of a Ihining Crim- 
fon. The Leaves furround it at their Bafe, forming a filmy Scabbard ; thence 
they run out to a confiderable Length; waved at the Edge, lupported by large 
Ribs ; and pointed at the End. They were, in this Plant, of a high and pure 
Scarlet. 
The Flowers are numerous, and moft confpicuous. Their Buds form together 
a vafl: Head, which feems compofed of polilh’d Coral. The Rudiment of a Seed 
Veflel fupports each Flower : There rifes from the Head of this a Cup divided 
into three deep, pointed Segments of a glowing Red on the outfide, and ol a Violet 
Blue within. The vaft Flower burfts from its Hollow, and is of an Ermine White- 
nefs ; tender, delicate, and finely fcented ; and in Form different from all we 
know in Europe. 
Three pointed Petals form the lower and the outer Part, and from the midft 
of thefe rifes a Ne61:arium, or tubular Body ; larger, and expanded at the Rim : 
within this there is yet another feeming Petal fmaller, bent back upon it, and curled 
up again ; and facing this a very narrow Part crowned with a yellow Iplit Button, 
all the reft being White. This is the f igure of the Flower from Nature. The 
Style is fingle and flender ; The Seed Veftel, which follows, is divided into three 
Parts, and holds many Seeds ; The Root is tuberous, irregular, fpungy, and white ; 
almoft infipid, but with a light fpicy Flavour. 
4 
The Fragrance of the Flower is delicate ; and ’tis the Bafe alone that has it; the 
upper Part is fcentlefs. 
No Care would be too much to make this more familiar in our Colledfions ; 
and in the native Soil ’tis very hardy ; it loves a black moift Earth, and thrives 
belt under Shade. The Roots parted at any Seafon grow readily : The Flowers 
open at Night, and melt away under the next Day’s Sun ; but there is a long and 
large Succeftion of them. 
The modern Syftem, invented by Linn^us, arranges Plants into Clafles, ac- 
cording to the Number, Situation, and Proportion of the dufty Buttons in the 
Flower, which grow ufually upon flender Filaments, about the young Seed Vefi- 
lei. In this there is only one ; the Plant is therefore of the firft Clals, the 
Monandria. The Button is fupported on a narrow Petal, inftead of a Filament 
in this Flower ; and ’tis the fame in others of the Clals, the Canna is an Inftance. 
We lhall Ihew hereafter the Diftindfion between Filament and Petal is flight and 
vague: one eafily enlarges to the other, and many double Flowers are formed by 
the fwelling of their Filaments. 
Coftus Lin. 
Coftus Arabicus Authorum. 
