at the front of the keel into a sharp rigid subulate one, proceeding
from below the point. Bractes deciduous, very
small, membranaceous, one at the base of each peduncle,
and two at the base of the calyx, one on each side. Vexillum
very large, an inch and a half long, and an inch and a
quarter broad, rounded, slightly concave, with a channel
on the upper side, striated with numerous slender lines,
that are strongest at the back, of a bright scarlet, crimson
at the base, becoming darker as the flowers begin to fade.
Wings very small, about half the size of E. laurifolia,
shorter than the calyx which encloses them, very slightly
3-lobed, very pale and almost membranaceous, erect. Keel
rather more than an inch in length, sharply keeled, acute,
strongly striate. Stamens 10, ascending, 9 joined in a tube
but distinct at the points, the tenth distinct, all extended
beyond the keel. Ovarium pedicled, very woolly, terminated
by a flat purple smooth Style. Stigma small, blunt,
but scarcely capitate.
We have now the pleasure of giving our readers, as we promised,
a figure of this splendid plant, which is without doubt the E. Crista-
galli of Sir J. E. Smith’s Exotic Botany, and which he ascertained
to be the plant of Linnmus ; without a comparison of the two plants,
the E. laurifolia of No. J42. might be easily mistaken for the present
subject; but when seen together, nothing need be more distinct:
this is a much stronger growing plant than the other, with
leaves of a very dilTercnt form and texture, and the plant would
most probably attain a large size in a warm climate; we are not
certain that it is so hardy as the other, never having seen it tried
in the open border; nor to the best of our recollection had we ever
seen the plant till last October, when we saw it in line bloom, in the
grand Conservatory’ of Alexander Baring, Esq. at the Grange, in
Hampshire, E. laurifolia flowering by the side of it at the, same
time; and from a fine specimen sen t'u s from thence hy Mr. P .
Mi^. Arthur, in May last, the present figure was taken ; from the part
where the flowers began, to the end of the shoot, was about 2 feet
in length, and would have still been more, before the whole of the
flowers were expanded; and the whole of the plants in the Conservatory,
when we visited it, w ere thriving with the greatest luxuriance,
and many of them were the finest specimens of the sort
that we had ever seen, particularly several species of Polygala; and
Acacia restita, the long pendant branches of which hung down like
a w’eeping Willow, and made a grand appearance.
The present plant will thrive well in any rich light soil; and
young cuttings of it planted in sand, under hand-glasses, on a moist
heat, will soon strike root. I f intended to be tried in a warm border
of the garden, it must be planted deep, so that the part which produces
the annual shoots may be out of the reach of frost; the earth
can easily be removed from it in Spring, to give it the benefit of the
sun, to accelerate its breaking afresh. E. laurifolia requires the
same treatment, to succeed well with it.
1. Calyx. 2. Vexillum. .3. Keel spread open, to show the inside. 4 . The
two very short wings. 5. The single Stamen. 6. The 9 connected ones. 7. The
villous Ovarinm, terminated by the smooth purple Style and small Stigma.