the petals. Filaments green, nearly cylindrical above, with
a broad, flat, cuneiform base. Anthers longer than the filaments,
connivent, cohering at the apex, and close pressed
to the style, linear, 2-celled, inserted by their base ; the
cells narrow, marginal, free, diverging, and obtuse at the
base, narrower and paler towards the top, opening by 2 ter-
minal foramina, finally bursting longitudinally, with the
connectivum extending beyond them into a concave truncate
appendage. Ovarium fusiform, marked with 10 elevated
lines, silky, bilocular, with 2 prominent placentse.
Style compressed, about half the length of the ovarium.
Stigma composed of 2 broad, rounded, concave, minutely
papillose lobes, bearing in the ripe state, a drop of a clear
fluid.
This truly handsome evergreen twining shrub, is a native
of Van Diemen’s Land, where it was originally detected by
Labillardifere, who has given a figure and description of it
m his work on the plants of New Holland. The figure,
which IS by no means a characteristic one, induced Dr!
Lindley to believe it different from the subject of the present
article; but the examination of specimens from the author
himself, has established their identity beyond all question.
Although usually treated as a greenhouse plant, it proves
to be nearly h ardy; and when planted against a wall, with
a favourable aspect, it will be found to thrive even more
vigoiironsly, than if kept in the conservatory. The one in
Mr. Knight’s Nursery, whence our drawing was taken, is
placed against the west wall of one of the houses, where it
has attained the height of 6 feet, and is annually adorned,
during the Summer and Autumn months, with a profusion
of its brilliant azure blossoms. It requires a soil composed
of peat and loam, and is readily increased by cuttings.
The serrated leaves, noticed by Dr. Lindley, if not acci-
dental, constitute a remarkable anomaly in this order, which
we should scarcely have looked for from the confluent
arrangement of the secondary corsEe.
The genus, which is essentially distinguished from Bil-
lydiera, by its spreading petals and capsular fruit, was named
by Dr. Lindley, after Richard Horsman Solly, Esq., F.R.S.
and L.S., &c., who has well merited the compliment, by his
knowledge of vegetable physiology, and by his active promotion
of science in general. D. Don.
1. Organs o f reproduction. 2. Stamen separate. 3. Pistil.