SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Achania foliis tomentosis, cordatis, trilobatis, dentatis. Calyx exterior revolutus, pubescens. Flores solitarii, axillares. Corolla sub-clavata. Petala convoluta, sub-inclusa, læte coccinea, nervosa, tomentosa. Caulis fruticosus, villosus, sub-tripedalis.

Achania with downy leaves, heart-shaped, three-lobed, and toothed. The outer cup is revolute, and hairy. Flowers grow solitary from the axillæ of the leaves. Blossom nearly club-shaped. The petals are folded together and nearly closed, of a bright scarlet colour, nerved, and downy. Stem shrubby, hairy, and near three feet high.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The empalement.
2. A blossom spread open.
3. A petal detached, shown from the outside.
4. The chives spread open.
5. Seed-bud and pointal, summit magnified.

This handsome hot-house plant is certainly an old one, having been a sojourner with us near thirty years, but has not as yet been figured in any publication that we know of:—a neglect most probably resulting from the singularity of its unclosing flowers; so uncommon a character naturally conveying an idea that the plant was in an imperfect state. Under this prejudice it has lost the charm of novelty, and many a less attractive object has been preferred before it. This genus approaches so close to the genera of Hibiscus, Althea, Malva, &c. that it must certainly be considered as a very near relation to that family. Its foliage is frequently deciduous on the lower part of the stem; a defect to which stove plants in general are but too subject. It is a native of South America and the West India Islands, was found by Dr. Houston in Jamaica in 1731, and introduced by B. Bewick, esq. in 1780. It flowers from July till the end of the year.[Pg 41]

[Pg 42]

PLATE CCCCLIII.

PROTEA REPENS.