'r n E VEGETABLE SYSTEM. 
I. OVAL-LEAV’D SKY-FLOWER. 
lot 
Character of the Species. 
The Leaves are oval, of a firm fubfiance, and fiightly 
covered with fhort rigid hairs. The Flowers ftand on 
long naked F ootftalks. 
Fig. 26 *•. k 
This is a perennial woody Plant, native of the Cape of Good 
Hope, and flowers throughout the year. It bears the open air with 
ns in funimer ; and it is then the Flowers fliew their true Iky tindl. 
The green -houfe preferves it very well through Winter, and it 
flowers all the time, fo as to grace the colledtion extremely, though 
not in its full luftre. 
It grows to about three quarters of a yard high ; not perfedlly 
upright, but oblique, and branching extremely, fo as to form a very 
well Ihaped little bulh. Here at Bayfwater, I give it the free ground 
upon a dry hillock all Summer, which it in a manner covers with 
its fpreading (hoots. I have counted upon it at one time more than 
a hundred and eighty Flowers ; which, in the midfl; of a perfe<d:ly 
ferene day, have feemed as if they had no colour of their own, 
but reflected the pure azure of the firmament. 
The Leaves are of a good green; but they get a brownhh afpedt 
bv the hairs which cover them : the Rays of the Flower turn back 
when it is fading. The Diflc is of a very good yellow. 
We have not had this Plant above feven or eight years in Europe. ' 
It has been called a marygold, and an After. Thofe who had a mind 
to refer it to fome known Genus, ftaould have feen that it approached 
much nearer to the Verbefma : but an attention to the Cup, the moft 
certain, as well as the moft obvious fource of generic charadfers, 
(hews what the former uncertainty feemed alfo to point out, that 
the Plant is truely of a Genus diftindt from all others, 
I CANNOT but recommend to thofe who would fee foine of the 
foreign Plants, which are too tender for our winters, in their natural 
perfedtion, the method I have mentioned of giving them the full 
ground all Summer: I ufe it for the African Geraniums, Otbonnas, 
and a great many other of the Grecn-houfe kinds. I/ittle hillocks of 
frefn earth, of two feet and a half diameter, are ranged in a warm 
VoL. II. H d dry 
