the two outer ones longest, bluntish at the point, and concave
inwards. Petals 4, spreading; the lamina broadly obovate,
and rounded at the end, entire, much veined; unguis
slender. Stamens 6, erect, two shorter than the others. Young
pod sessile, somewhat quadrangular, densely villous. Style
very short. Stigma very large, capitate, indented at the top.
Our drawing of this pretty and elegant plant, was made
from a fine specimen sent us from the collection of the late
Robert Barclay, Esq. of Bury Hill, as long ago as the 6th of
April, 1830; but as we had neither pods or seeds, and could
not make it agree with any described genus, we kept the
figure and description, without publishing it, till the present
time, and have not yet been able to procure them. Mr. D.
Cameron informed us that he had raised it three years before
from Siberian seeds ; that it was a beautiful little plant, quite
hardy, and perennial, and had never flowered till that Spring.
It never produced seeds at Mr. Barclay’s ; those from which
the plants were raised, were received from Mr. Hunnemann,
who had them direct from Dr. Fischer.
We have now, for the present, arranged it under this genus,
with which it agrees in every respect, as far as we can
make out, except the two-lobed stigma; the stigma being
capitate, and not lobed in the present species; it is also somewhat
related to Parrya, (Neuroloma DC.) but differs in its
leafy scape and four-sided siliqua, agreeing with it in the hard
white scales where the leaves have dropped off. It is in habit
and pubescence, also, related to Stevenia, but differs in the
form of the leaves on the scape, and in its four-sided siliqua
and much larger stigma; when the perfect seeds and siliqua
have been examined, it will probably be found different enough
to form a new genus, and to belong to a different tribe, or even
a suborder. We cannot find a described species in any genus
that is at all related to it, with which it will agree; we have,
therefore, given it as a new species, and should we hereafter
meet with it again in a proper state for examining with the
ripe pods and seed, we will then endeavour to set all our doubts
to rights.
Hesperis is derived from earrepoc, the evening, several of
the species being only scented at that time, particularly in
the first section of the genus, to which Y.. fragrans of Number
61 of our first series belongs, as does also H. tristis, and
H. alyssifolia.
1. Calyx. 2. Th e 6 Stamens dilated at the base, 4 long and 2 shorter. 3. Th e young
Siliqua, which is tetragonal and densely w oolly, showing the short S ty le , and capitate S tig ma,
which is slightly open at the end.
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