POLYANDRIA DECAGYNIA. Many Chives. Ten Pointals.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Calyx 5-phyllus. Petala 5. Stamina numerosa, receptaculo inserta. Germina quinque vel decem, desinentia in stylis, oligo-sperma.
Empalement 5-leaved. Five petals. Chives numerous, inserted into the receptacle. Seed-buds 5 or 10, terminating in shafts, few-seeded.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Hibbertia foliis crenatis, sub-cordatis: floribus solitariis, axillaribus, luteis, patentibus. Caulis fruticosus: ramis patentibus, numerosis, purpureis.
Hibbertia with scolloped leaves nearly heart-shaped. Flowers grow singly from the insertion of the leaves, are of a yellow colour, and spreading. Stem shrubby. Branches spreading, numerous, and purple.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The empalement.
2. A petal.
3. Chives and pointals.
4. Seed-buds and pointals.
5. A seed-bud and pointal, magnified.
This is an addition to the genus Hibbertia, but differs from the H. volubilis in having ten pointals instead of five; and will most likely, when more of the genus are in cultivation with us, form a section under the title of decagynia, and the original of the genus as pentagynia: a mode frequently adopted, to prevent that confusion too often attending the formation of new genera. Under this arrangement the genus of Hibbertia will be considerably enlarged, and certainly no genus more deserves it than that which bears the name of such a liberal promoter of botanic science.