DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Two Brotherhoods. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Legumen turgidum, inflatum, pedicellatum. Filamenta connata, cum fissura dorsali.
Pod turgid, inflated, pedicelled. Chives conjoined, with a dorsal fissure.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.
Crotolaria, foliis simplicibus lanceolatis subsessilibus, leguminibus glabris, racemo terminali, caule sulcato. Willd. Sp. Pl. 3. 974.—Curt. Bot. Mag. 490.
Crotolaria, with simple lanceolate somewhat sessile leaves, smooth pods, a terminal bunch of flowers, and a furrowed stem.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The empalement.
2.The standard.
3.One of the wings.
4.The keel.
5.The chives.
6.The same spread open.
7. The seed-bud and pointal
The species of Crotolaria here represented is a native of Malabar and the coast of Coromandel. It was obligingly sent us in bloom last August by the Hon. Mr. Irby, of Farnham Royal, Bucks, and was raised by him from East Indian seeds. Its root is annual; and the plant, in consequence of it, admits of increase by seeds only, which should be sown early on a hot-bed, with the most tender annuals, and the young plants when large enough should be transplanted into separate pots of rich earth; and after they have sufficiently recovered the effects of removal, they should be taken into the hot-house, the assistance of which is requisite to bring them to maturity. They rise with slender and rather rushy stems, which are but slightly branched, to the height of two or three feet, and make a fine appearance when in flower; but they are, like many other tender leguminous plants, very subject to the annoyance of insects, and more especially to that almost indestructible pest of stoves, the red spider; the best mode of destroying which is that of steaming the plants; that is, keeping them well watered, and in a hot and humid air.