OF ORNAMENTAL ANNUALS. 
125 
1.—LOTUS EDULIS, Lin. THE EATABLE LOTUS. 
Specific Chahacter. — Plant pilose. Stems erect. Leaflets ovate, I calyx. Legume turgid, arched, glabrous. Seeds globose, compressed, 
ciliated. Flowers 1—3. Bracteas ovate, about equal in length to the I wrinkled from dots_ {G.Don.) 
Description, &c. —This plant is a native of the South of Europe, particularly of the islands of the 
Mediterranean, where the pods are eaten when young by the poorer people as kidney-beans are with us. It is 
a trailing plant with yellow flowers, suitable for rock-work. It was introduced in 1759, but we do not know 
where seeds are now to be procured. 
2.—LOTUS JACOBEUS, Lin. BLACK, OR ST. JAGO BIItDS’-FOOT TREFOIL. 
Engravings —Bot. Mag. t. 79; and our fig. 10, in Plate 23. 
Specific Character. —Plant rather glaucous. Stems shrubby. 
Leaflets and stipules linear, or linear-spatulate, rather pilose and 
canescent, mucronate. Bracteas of 1 or 3 linear leaflets. Peduncles 
larger than the leaves. Flowers corymbose on very short pedicels. 
Legume terete, glabrous.—( G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —This is another greenhouse shrub, which succeeds perfectly well when treated as an 
annual. The flowers are small, and of no great beauty, but the plant is worth growing on account of their colour, 
which is very nearly black, perhaps more nearly than any other flower. There is a variety with the flowers 
partly yellow. The species is a native of the Cape de Verd Islands, particularly of St. Jago; and it was intro¬ 
duced in 1714. Seeds may be procured from Mr. Carter, High Ilolborn, or at Lee’s Nursery, Hammersmith ; 
I 
and the plants may be sown in February or March in a hothed, and planted out in May ; or sown in the open 
ground in a warm dry border in April. 
3.—LOTUS MICROPHYLLUS, Hook. THE SMALL-LEAVED LOTUS. 
Engraving. —Bot. Mag. t. 2808. few in each head. Legumes short, cylindrical, hairy, 3-celled. Seeds 
Specific Character. —Slightly hairy. Stem filiform and procum- dotted_ {Hook.) 
bent. Leaves elliptic, hairy beneath. Stipules subulate. Flowers 
Description, &c. —A curious little plant, with slender stems, and very small pink flowers, disposed in heads, 
so small as each to appear at a little distance to be composed of only one flower. The species is a native of the 
Cape of Good Hope, where it was found by the collector to the king of Denmark ; and it was sent by Professor 
Hornemann, of Copenhagen, to Sir W. J. Hooker, at Glasgow, in 1827. The species would be very suitable for 
rock-work, from its slender, procumbent stems, and bright pink flowers; but we have never seen it in the 
London nurseries, and do not know where seeds are to be procured. 
4.—LOTUS ARENAItlUS, Brot. THE SAND LOTUS. 
Engraving. —Bot. Reg. 1488. 
Specific Character. —Stems procumbent, branching, pubescent; 
peduncles branched, erect. Leaflets acute, wedge-shaped; stipules 
ovate. Flowers 5—10 in each head. Bracteas sublanceolate, less than 
the calyx. Calyx subulate, teeth two, the upper one the longest. 
Legumes round, and smooth.— {Dec.) 
Description, &c. —A very showy species of Lotus, with large golden-yellow flowers, and a prostrate stem. 
It was found originally in Portugal, on sandy sea-coast near the mouth of the river Tagus, by Professor Brotero, 
and since by Professor Salzmann on the sandy coast near Tangiers; but it was not introduced into England, till 
seeds were sent here by P. B. "Webb, Esq., from Teneriffe in 1830. Seeds are not common in the London seed- 
shops, but they may be had from Mr. Young of the Milford Nursery, near Godaiming, Surrey. 
