

OF ORNAMENTAL EXOTIC PLANTS. 17 
M. ALOPECUROIDES Dec.; Bot. Mag., t. 1006. 
This is a very pretty little plant, with soft spreading leaves, which are covered with a downy pubescence, and 
bright crimson flowers. 
Milkwort. 
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 
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 POLYGALEA., 
MONNINA OBTUSIFOLIA Kunth.; 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 Kunth. 
A pretty little plant, closely resembling the Furze in its general appearance, but with pink and white flowers. 
COMESPERMA GRACILIS Pazt.; Mag. of Bot., Vol. V. t. 145. 
A pretty little plant, with purple flowers and very slender stems. 
introduced in 1884. 
number of flowers 
It is a native of Australia, whence it was 
It is of very slow growth; but if supplied with heat and moisture it produces an immense 
There are several other species of Comesperma, most of which are natives of New Holland, and have purple 
flowers. 
CHAPTER VI. 
—>—- 
LINACE Dec. 
Essentian Cuaracter.—Calyx of three to four, but usually of five | equal in number to the cells of the ovary, capitate or simple at the apex. 
sepals, hardly connected at the base, continuous with the peduncle, 
permanent, imbricate in exstivation. Petals equal in number to the 
sepals, and alternating with them, hypogynous, unguiculate at the base, 
connected with the ring of the stamens, as well as sometimes being 
Stamens equal 
in number with the petals, slightly monadelphous at the base, alternat- 
connected together at the base, twisted in estiyvation. 
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 
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. (G, Don.) 
Description, &c.—The plants belonging to this order are all remarkable for the tenacity of their fibres. 
There are only two genera, viz. Linum and Radiola ; the latter consisting of a single species, an insignificant 
British weed. 





