in our specimen: branches deeply angular, 1 or 2-flowered,
leafy, the leaves nearly sessile, trifoliate, and not so deeply
serrate; those below the flower sometimes simple. Flowers
more or less green or purple, according to the state of the
weather, or mildness of the climate : in this also depends
the size of the plant, as well as flowers. Calyx persistent,
ot 5 sepals, roundly oval, more or less livid purple at the
back, according to the mildness of the season when in
flower: inside green, tinged with purple. Petals varying
from 8 to 10, according to the size of the flower, sometimes
even less, tubular, narrowing downwards, and honey-bearing,
green above, and shadowing downwards to a pale
yellow. Stamens varying more or less, according to the
size of the flower. Ovaries varying from 3 to 6 (rarely 7)
from Waldstein and Kitaibel: terminated with a slender
otyle and an orbicular Stigma.
Our drawing of this species was taken from a plant in
flower, in the beginning of March last, which had now
flowered, for the first time, in the Apothecaries’ Company’s
Carden, at Chelsea. Mr. Anderson looked for the date
when the seed was sown, which was as long ago as the year
1820; as it flowered so very early in Spring, and at the
same time the weather being rather severe, the flower-stem,
and the stem-leaves, and flowers, became stunted by the
cold; this accounts for the difference between our figure
and that in Flora Hungarica, and in the size and colour of
the flowers. Native of woods in Hungary,
The best situation for this plant, would be that of a
warm sheltered wood, where the dead leaves, with which
it might be covered in Winter, would protect it from the
cold, and cause it to grow luxuriantly in Spring, and pro-
duce larger and better coloured flowers.
The generic name is derived from fXAijSopoe, a poisonous
plant, that is said to be used to cure all the most malianant
disorders.
3 Stamen n '» » ey -b e a r in g petals. 2 . P e ta l detached.
Stimna. detached. 4. Tlie 4 Ov a iiums, terminated by th e S ty le , and orbicular
if!
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