Monogyna. Stigmata quinque. Fructus pentacoccus.
One Pointal. Five summits. Fruit beaked, five berries.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Geranium, tuberosum, pinnis foliorum oppositis subovatis acutis inciso-bifidis seu trifidis integrisve, scapis simplicibus, petalis clavato-linearibus.
Geranium, tuberous, with the pinnæ of the leaves somewhat ovate acute gash-bifid or trifid or entire, simple flower-stalks, and clavatedly-linear petals.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The empalement cut open.
2.The chives and pointal.
3.The chives spread open.
4. The seed-bud and pointal
We have here the pleasure of adding another tuberous-rooted Geranium, not enumerated by Willdenow, to the great variety of that description already given in this work. As a species it appears sufficiently distinct from any of them, although pretty closely allied to that which is delineated in our last number; and also to G. fissifolium of our 378th plate. Its flowers are yellow marked with red, as is frequently the case amongst the tuberous species of this extensive tribe of plants, but of very rare occurrence in the other departments of it.
From the Clapham collection, incomparably rich in this description of plants, our figure was derived, so long since as the summer of the year 1803.
Like its congeners, it is a native of the Cape; requires the treatment of a green-house plant; and is increased, but very slowly, by carefully dividing the tubers of its roots, when quiescent; taking especial care that no moisture comes in contact with the wounded parts, until nature has healed them by drying, and formed what the gardeners call a callus; that is, a dry and hardened external skin.[Pg 127]