The largest species hitherto (1794) known. Root woody, 
strong, emitting numerous ramifying fibres. Stem. strong, 
firm, upright, woody, pretty regularly branched, more like 
a little tree. Branches spreading, numerous, disposed 
somewhat in a pyramidal manner, stout, while young an- 
cipitous, glaucous and thickly covered with leaves; when 
old, more cylindrical and woody. Leaves lunulate or very 
compressedly triangular, incurved with a sharp-edged pro- 
tuberance, very entire keel, anda slight cartilaginous border, 
which does not terminate in a point like those of many of the 
species of this genus, opposite, rather stemclasping than 
connate, much the thickest towards the base, especially on 
the inside, the largest about two inches long, almost one 
inch deep, and about the third of an inch across the 
broadest part of the upper side, whence it gradually tapers 
to a very fine edge, smooth, irregularly sprinked with 
minute semipellucid dots, covered with a white bloom or 
hoar, like that we see on a fresh-gathered plum. lowers 
(in the specimen Mr. H. saw, and which he thinks might be 
imperfect from the cold season they were produced in) 
terminal, by threes (or rather fives), small. Peduncles 
angular, furnished with two large leaflike bractes. Calyx 
5-cleft, with unequal segments, two of which, as in most 
other species, are larger than the rest. Corolla purple; 
petals linear, numerous. Germen five-cornered. 
