most prominent, hairy, green, the teeth sharp and subulate:
in P. pungens the calyx is much longer and white, with short
wool, and the teeth about twice the length. Corolla tubular,
2-lipped, clothed with little fascicles of short h airs: upper lip
helmet-shaped, bluntly keeled, more deeply notched at the
point, and shorter than P. pungens: lower lip 3-lobed ; terminal
lobe broad, ovate, slightly notched at the point, the side
ones small, lanceolate, acute, generally reflexed, or revolute;
in V.pungens they are inflexed. Stamens 4, 2 a little longer
than the others, inserted in the tube : jilaments declining, at
first inclosed in the helmet, at length their points are exserted,
of a glossy whiteness, but more or less clothed with
weak hairs. Carpella 4, ovate, glossy, inserted in the base
of the calyx. Style glossy, also slightly hairy, the point
declining. Stigma 2-cleft, the upper segment very short,
straight, purple ; the lower one more than 4 times the length.
We have now the pleasure of giving a figure of the true
P. herba venti, and of pointing out the distinctions between
it and P. pungens, which was before done by Marschall
Bieberstein, in his Flora Taurico-Caucasica. Our drawing
was taken from a plant in fine flower, this Summer, at the
Botanic Garden, belonging to the Apothecaries’ Company, at
Chelsea, where it was raised by Mr. W. Anderson, from seed
received from Dr. Fischer. I t is a very handsome herbaceous
perennial, continuing to produce an abundance of flowers
the greater part of the Summer, succeeding well in the common
garden soil, and may be increased, though sparingly,
by dividing at the root, or by seeds, which sometimes ripen;
it is well deserving cultivation in all collections of hardy
flowering plants.
The generic name is derived from <f\oypog, a flame, the
P. Lychnites being called Lamp-wick, in English, from the
cottony surface of the plants being used for making wicks
for lamps.
1. Calyx, with the bracte at its base. 2. Corolla split open. 3. Tube split open, to show
the insertion of the 4 Stamens. 4. The 4 Carpella, and the Style, terminated by an unequally
cleft Stigma.
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