sg 
SVN0E„.,^ 
YELLOW S C A L E W O R T. 
ZINNIA PAUCIFLORA. 
I Had the good fortune in this inftance to add a new Genus to the prefent Stores of B 
tany : and many have wonder’d that I have not follow’d the cuftom of the mod 
writers, and nam’d it from my Patron ; or from fome friend who could return the 
pliment. But in this, 1 think, the antients were much wifer than we. A naine is uf'f 1 
when it conveys fome idea of the Plant; 1 therefore call’d this LaptA. The S 1^ 
of the Cup are its moft obvious diftinftion from all others : and that word e.\prefles it 
have comply’d fo far with cuftom, as to deduce it from the Greek ; but in the co ^ 
praiftice of naming Plants from men, the folly is extream, and the flattery fulfome "a|| 
laugh to hear a Tulip call’d the King of Prussia, or an Auricula Prince Ferdina 
V'hy is the ridicule lefs to name other Plants Mitchclla, or Millcria ; Cateiba-a or Coft'’^' 
fonia .? The Botanift that can’t preferve his name by better marks, does not deferve th T't 
Ihould be remember’d. * 
Singularity is the beft claim this Plant has to our regard ; for it cannot boaft mu I 
beauty. A fpecimen of it came with my other China Plants and Seeds ; but the pmf ' 
Figure is taken from a growing Plant produc’d from thofe Seeds in England. Mr 
of H.4MMERSM1TH, a Very e.\cellent gardener, rais’d it. 
The height is near three feet ; the afped of the Plant, rough and inelegant. The Stalk 
is firin, and the Leaves are hard. The Flowers are very numerous and confiderably larcre 
and they are very lafting.^ In this Plant the firft Flower attain’d a perfeftion, none of tlie 
reft reach d ; and remain d on the Plant feveral weeks. 
The radiated Syngenefious Plants, to which this belongs, are different from all others 
Each Flower confifts of many tubular Flofcules, or little Flowers in the difk and many 
flat ones at the Verge making the Rays; but the charaaer of the Clafs is taken from a 
LT ; 7’’" Buttons unite into 
one body. In fome they ftand out far beyond the Flower; in this they are lefs confpicuous. 
In the midft of thefe five Filaments is a Style, divided into two parts at the Top, and in 
the Bofom of each Ray is alfo a Style ; but there are no Filaments^ ^ 
The Flower of the Lepia is conftruaed thus : the Cup is long and hard, and is com- 
pos d of broad hollow Scales; each fwelling forwards, and crown’d w-ith a rounded Rim 
0 ?! FI 1 7 " o" Dents at the end. The 
tubular Flofcules nfe in a conic Head which is form’d of young Seeds, cover’d with li.ht 
nTt^TtheT: Th r"? "TT" the Rudi- 
P n ipal F ov^^ r T 7'" with a Seaion of the 
rdifcence o r " mV™ c f B'°wer exhibiting 
the Seed, divefted of it7fhelly Tt!" ^ 
are more narclnn-iKlo rK ■ i r others : but errors in this Clafs 
more pardonable than in any other, for it is the moft obfeure of all. 
it linnV’VT”''™ ‘°n of this work, Linnaius faw the Plant and nam’d 
Zinnia floribui fcfiilibui. 
yf' 
