the size of a large clierry, of a bright blue. Receptacle
chaffy. Scales o f the ch a ff fringed, about the length
of the calyx. Calyx tubular, hairy, 5-cleft, persistent;
segments taper-pointed, fringed. Corolla tubular,
5-parted ; segments unequal; 2 upper ones very small
and slender. Stamens 4, inserted in the tube, and
alternating with the larger segments. Style 1, terminated
with an emarginate stigma.
The present beautiful plant is an old inhabitant of
our gardens, though it is now very rarely met w ith ;
and we had never before seen it growing so luxuriantly,
and flowering so abundantly, as we saw it this Spring,
at the Nursery of Mr. Lee, at Hammersmith ; it was
cultivated in a bed of peat soil, several plants of it growing
together, which made a fine appearance; and from
one of them our drawing was taken. Being a short
tufted plant, it might be grown w'ith advantage on
rock-work, but requires a light soil; it will also thrive
well in pots, and may be increased by seed, or dividing
at the root.
1. The chaffy Receptacle. 2. Scale of the chaff, fringed. 3. Calyx and
Corolla. 4. Calyx divested of the corolla, and showing its fringed segments.
5. Corolla split open, showing the insertion of the stamens. 6. Germen, Style,
and cleft Stigma, all magnified except the receptacle.