Refugiwm Botanicum. | | April, 1870. 
TAB. 202. 
Natural Order UmMBELLIFER. 
Tribe HyprocoTyLEe. 
Genus Hyprocotyite, Linn. 
H. astatica, Linn. Sp. Plant. p. 234. Caulibus late repentibus, petiolis 
elongatis foliis consociatis 3—4 rotundato-reniformibus sinu basali 
profundo deltoideo crenatis glabris vel pubescentibus, pedunculis 
brevibus, floribus in capitulis 3—4-floris dispositis bracteis 2 
suffultis capitulo primum equantibus, pedicellis perbrevibus, in- 
eequalibus, fructibus sesqui-latioribus quam longis distincte costatis. 
—D.C. Prodr. iv. 62. H. repanda, Pers. D.C. Prodr. loc. cit. 
HH. cordifolia, Hook. fil. Ic. Plant, t. 303, cum synonymis multis 
altis. 
Distributed almost universally through the temperate and sub- 
tropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere. 
Stems slender, firm, wide-creeping, with the roots, leaves and 
flowers in clusters from the nodes, which when the plant is well- 
developed are two to four inches apart. Leaves three to four to 
a cluster, on petioles varying from two inches to a foot long, 
herbaceous, green on both sides, glabrous or rarely hairy prin- 
cipally beneath, rotundato-reniform, varying from half an inch to 
two inches across each way, distinctly crenate or inciso-crenate, 
with a deep deltoid basal sinus, with seven to nine veins radiating 
from the apex of the petiole. Peduncles one to three from a 
tuft, glabrous or pubescent, three to twelve lines long. Flowers 
three to four in a dense head, which at first is equalled and 
clasped by its pair of oblong glabrous or pubescent bracts. 
Pedicels unequal, very short. Petals very minute, equal, greenish 
white tinged with pink. Fruit an eighth of an inch deep by half 
as broad again, glabrous, much flattened laterally, the faces 
distinctly ribbed. ve 
Tab. 202.—1, cluster of flowers with bracts: 2, separate flower ; 
3, fruit: 4, horizontal section of the same: all magnified.—J. G. B. 

The flowers of this plant are very inconspicuous, but the habit 
of the plant and its fine green foliage render it well worthy of 
cultivation as a pendant plant grown in a basket. I obtained it 
from seed sent from Bahia by Mr. E. C. Reed. It requires 
damp stove treatment, thriving in any good soil, is very easy 
of cultivation, and is freely propagated by the creeping stem.— 
Hee WS 
