CLASS XII. ORDER IV.
ICOSANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. Twenty Chives. Five Pointals.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Petala valde numerosa, linearia, basi cohærentia.
Petals very numerous, linear, cohering at the base.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.
Mesembryanthemum, foliis triquetris lævibus perviridibus, carinâ gibbosâ, corollis inclandentibus, petalis interioribus valde abbreviatis imbricatisque.
Fig-Marygold, with triquetrous smooth deep green leaves, with a gibbous keel, unclosing flowers, and interior petals extremely abbreviated and imbricated.
Descriptio. M. mutabili nobis affinis, sed species valde distincta: differt in his, foliis lævioribus, et longe viridioribus, minusque mucronatis, marginibus sæpius plus minusve purpureis: floribus speciosis semper apertis; nec inconspicuis, nocteque clausis; saturatissime et vivacissime rubicundis, petalis cuneato-linearibus, latis in hoc genere, apicibus erosis; interioribus (petalis) maxime abbreviatis, imbricatisque quasi in stellam. Calyx subanceps, 5-fidus, membranis rubro punctatis. Filamenta recondita, brevissima omnium (vix linearia), alba, basi purpurea. Antheræ albidæ, circiter longitudinem filamentorum. Styli 5, erecti, pergrossi, virides, altitudine antherarum. Capsulam non vidi. H.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.