A N T I R R H I N U M reticulatum.
Reticulated Toad-flax.
D I D Y N A M I A Angioipermia.
E s s e n t . C h a r . Calyx o f five leaves. Bafe o f the Corolla extended into a
Spur-inaped nedtarium. Capfule two-celled.
^Sedion 3. Leaves alternate.
Specific C har. Leaves linear, channelled, fcattered; thoie on the radical ihoots
generally in fiv e s : calyx h a iry : flower-ftalks ihorter than the bra&eaj.
Difcovered in Algiers by Profejfor Desfontaines o f Paris, who fe n t it to the royal garden, frtm whence, its
feeds were communicated to me by Mon/ieur Thouin. M r. Fairbaim,at the phyfic garden, Chelfea,wfyofe
care andJkill I have often experienced, raifed feveral’plants from them in 1788, which flowered in great
perfection thefame y ea r.. u ,
R o ot perennial, branched, fibrous.
Stems herbaceous, ere£t, branched, leafy, round, glaucous, finooth. Radical Jhoots feveral, pro-
ftrate, leafy, ihort.
L eaves on the flem fcattered, linear, rather obtufe, entire, channelled, naked, glaucous 5 thofe on
the radical Jhoots fhorter and more obtufe, in whorls, for the moft part five together, fometimes
four or fix, very rarely alternate in the lower part of the (hoot. Stipule none.
Flowers raceinofe, terminating the item and branches, variable in colour, very beautiful but
fcentleis. Flower-Jlalls alternate, fimple, ihort, fingle-flowered, moderately fpreading, hairy, a
little vifcid. BraEUte folitary at the bafe o f the flower-ftalks, fpreadingi reaching to the top of
the calyx, lanceolate, hairy, fometimes membranaceous in the margin.
Ca l yx - leaves unequal, lanceolate, pointed, carinated, membranaceous in the margin, externally
hairy, a little vifcid, permanent.
C o rolla thrice as long as the calyx. Spur conical, acute, a litde curved, twice the length o f the
flower-ftalk, pale yellow, ftreaked. Upper lip ereft, divided; its fegments acute, divaricated,
itreaked, before their expanfion purple, then blood red, afterwards violet coloured, paler and
downy on the back: L ower lip ihort, deep red, trifid, middle fegment fmalleft. Palate large,
two-lobed, bright yellow, beautifully reticulated with red veins, fmooth externally, but marked
on the infide with two hairy lines running down the throat.
Stamina within the corolla, approaching each other in pairs, whitifh, fmooth. Anthera yellow.
Pistillum,