yellow. Ovarium, about half an inch long, bluntly triangular,
smooth. Style short, smooth, blue, smallest at the base, and
thickening a little upwards. Stigmas 3, spreading a little, flattened
and widened at the base, furrowed on the upper side, and
terminated in a blunt fimbriate point.
Our drawing of this handsome plant was made at the Nursery
of Mr. Mackay, at Clapton, where it was raised from seeds received
from Mr. W. Baxter, who collected them near Lucky Bay,
in New Holland. It is a very free growing plant, succeeding well
in a mixture of sandy loam and peat, and soon forming a large
tuft, which, when covered with its handsome blue flowers, makes
a fine appearance, those continue for a long time in succession,
there being several flowers in each spathe which expand successively,
blooming early in the morning, and closing before the middle
of the day; the only plan to make them hold their flowers
longer is to place them in a shady situation; the flowers vary in
size, according to the strength of the plant, some that we measured,
were rather broader than half a crown. It will succeed
well planted out in a warm border, so as to be covered with a
little straw or mats in severe frost, or it may be grown in pots
which can be protected under frames in Winter, or in the Greenhouse,
and will continue in flower from May to July ; it is readily
encreased by dividing at the root.
The generic name is derived from °pOpoc, morning, and
avOog, a flower, from the flowers expanding in the morning, and
fading before noon.
1. Two of the Bractes, which are enclosed in the Spatha,of the flowers. 2. The three Stamens slightly connected at the base ,a nadn ds udrreocuunrdre tnhte base down the short tube. 3. Ovarium terminated by the Style and Stigmas.