rounded, of a light orange colour, with a yellow spot at the base,
encircled by a darker ring. Alee or wings broadly spathulate,
slightly eared near the base, dark copper-coloured. Keel much
shorter than the wings, ventricose, obtuse, notched at the point,
pale straw-coloured, slightly eared above the unguis. Stamens
10, distinct: filaments smooth, ascending, unequal in length,
attached to the back of the anthers, which are two-lobed: pollen
pale yellow. Ovarium slightly pedicled, sericeous. Style
short, smooth, uncinate. Stigma oblique, blunt. Pod large, inflated,
reticulately veined and clothed with close-pressed hairs;
the one that we examined contained twenty-four seeds, which
are kidney-shaped, smooth, and glossy.
This beautiful little plant is a native of the south-west coast
of New Holland; the plants from which our drawing was made
were raised at the Nursery of Mr. Mackay, from seeds sent home
by Mr. W. Baxter; the plants first produced a few flowers in
the Autumn of 1826, and began flowering again in April last,
and continued to bloom the greater part of the Summer, and ripened
their seeds; they require the protection of a good Greenhouse
in Winter, or their young shoots are liable to be killed
with the damp or too much cold. The best situation for this
species in Winter is on an airy shelf, where it will make a handsome
appearance in Spring, with its branches hanging down in
full bloom. A light sandy soil suits it best, or an equal mixture
of turfy loam, peat, and sand, is a very proper compost for it;
and it will require but little room, as a small pot will suit it best,
so that it will be a desirable Greenhouse plant, and may be increased
from seeds, which appear to ripen plentifully.
The generic name was given by M. Labillardiere, and is derived
from x°P°c a dance, and Z,r\nia a punishment or injury, the
leaves of the species known to him being spiny, which would occasion
pain or inconvenience to the naked footed dancers of that
country.
1. Calyx. 2. Vexillum. 3. The two Wings. 4. Keel Stamens. 6. Ovarium, terminated by the nncinate Style asnpdr eoabdl iqoupee nb.l un5t. STthigem 1a0. 7. The reticulated Pod.