OF ORNAMENTAL EXOTIC PLANTS. 
17 
M. ALOPECUROIDES Dec, \ Bot. Mag., t. 1006. 
This is a veiy pretty little plant, with soft spreading leaves, which are covered with a downy pubescence, and 
bright crimson flowers. It was a great favourite in greenhouses towards the close of the last, and about the 
beginning of the present century ; but it is now rarely to be met with. Its popular English name was the Fox-tail 
Milkwort. > 
M. HUMILIS Dec.; Lodd. Bot. Cab., t. 420. 
A pretty little plant, not growing more than five or six inches from the ground, but having many branches. 
The flowers, which are rather large in proportion to the size of the plant, are of a pale pink, with a golden yellow 
crest. Like the others, it is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, whence it was introduced in 1817, 
OTHER PLANTS BELONGING TO THE ORDER POLYGALE^. 
MONNINA OBTUSIFOLIA Kvmtl.-, Bot. Mag , t. 3122. 
A pretty little plant, with purple pea flowers, which, when magnified, will be found very curiously formed in 
a botanical point of view. The species is a native of South America, and it was introduced in 1831. 
MUNDIA SPINOSA Kwnth. 
A pretty little plant, closely resembling the Furze in its general appearance, but with pink and white flowers. 
COMESPERMA GRACILIS Paxt . ; Mag. of Bot., VoL V. t. 145. 
A pretty little plant, with purple flowers and very slender stems. It is a native of Australia, whence it was 
introduced in 1834. It is of very slow growth ; but if supplied with heat and moisture it produces an immense 
number of flowers. 
There are several other species of Comesperma, most of which are natives of New Holland, and have purple 
flowers. 
CHAPTER VI. 
LINAGES Bee. 
Essential Character. — Calyx of three to four, but usually of five 
sepals, hardly eonnected at the base, continuous with the peduncle, 
permanent, imbricate in aestivation. Petals equal in number to the 
sepals, and alternating with them, hypogynous, unguiculate at the base, 
eonnected with the ring of the stamens, as well as sometimes being 
connected together at the base, twisted in aestivation. Stamens equal 
in number with the petals, shghtly monadelphous at the base, alternat- 
ing with the petals, with a tooth or abortive filament between each : 
anthers ovate, inserted by the base, two-celled, birimose. Ovary sub- 
globose, with as many cells as there are sepals, rarely fewer. Styles 
equal in number to the cells of the ovary, capitate or simple at the apex. 
Capsule globose, usually acuminate, crowned by the permanent bases 
of the styles, constantly composed of carpels having induplicate margins, 
each opening by two valves at the apex, with an incomplete dissepiment 
rising from the centre of each, therefore each carpel is divided into two 
incomplete cells, containing two seeds, one in each cell. Seeds ovate, 
compressed, shining, inverted. Albumen sparing, but usually wanting, 
but instead there is always a fleshy tumid endopleura. Embryo 
straight, flat, with the radicle turned towards the hilum, and with 
elliptical cotyledons. (Q. Don.) 
Description, &c. — The plants belonging to this order are all remarkable for the tenacity of their fibres. 
There are only two genera, viz. lAnum and Radiola ; the latter consisting of a single species, an insignificant 
British weed. 
D 
