ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Calyx patens aut connivens. Stamina filamentis filiformibus hirsutis. Stigma 1. Semina angulata. Juss. Gen. Pl. 52.
Empalement expanding or converging. Chives thread-shaped hairy. Summit 1. Seeds angulated.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Anthericum, foliis canaliculato-ensiformibus gramineis, scapo paniculato diffuso, radice tuberosâ.
Anthericum, with channel-sword-shaped grassy leaves, diffuse panicled flower-stem, and a tuberous root.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A leaf.
2.The chives and pointal.
3.The pointal and seed-bud, the summit magnified.
4. The seed-bud magnified
The Anthericum paniculatum is a native of New Holland, and was lately introduced from that country to this. In its tuberous root and woolly filaments, it accords very well with the genus Anthericum, as defined by Jussieu, in his celebrated Genera Plantarum; yet recedes from it in wanting thick and fleshy leaves; which all the African species of that genus have: hence it approximates, in habit at least, the genus Phalangium of Jussieu, which Willdenow makes a division only of Anthericum.
But there is nothing peculiarly remarkable in the present species differing a little from its African congeners, because most of the Australasian plants differ in some very striking particular or other from their nearest affinities in all other parts of the world; and very often constitute new genera.