2. An inner hermaphrodite Floret of the disk, with its seed and skinny chaff, magnified.
3. The Chives, Pointal, and Seed of an hermaphrodite Floret, divested of its corolla, magnified.
The English specific title to this plant, should seem to imply, that the flowers are such, as should not come into our arrangement; but, as the character is not constant in all the flowers, even on the same plant, it cannot be considered but as a specific character in this particular species, though the name has its proper force, in contradistinction to its congeners, in our language. It is a native of Mexico, South America; and was introduced to our gardens about the year 1789, by Monsʳ Richard, from the Paris gardens, at the same time with the Virgilia; a most beautiful annual, of the habit of Arctotis, now lost in both countries from the difficulty of procuring ripened seeds. It is to be raised in the same manner as the other species, on a gentle hot-bed, in March, and planted out the beginning of May. The flowers make their appearance about the beginning of August, and continue, in succession, till they are destroyed by the frost. To be certain of the seed, the heads must be taken from the plant, whilst they appear yet fresh; as the petals are persistent, and have not the appearance of entire decay, though the seed is nearly ripe; for if the receptacle once begins to rot, (which it is very subject to,) the seeds are immediately contaminated and spoilt. Our figure was taken, this year, at the Hammersmith Nursery, where, it was grown first in this kingdom.[Pg 184]
PLATE CXC.
GERANIUM ASTRAGALIFOLIUM.
Astragalus-leaved Geranium.
CLASS XVI. ORDER IV.
MONADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Threads united. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Monogyna. Stigmata quinque.