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P L A T E XLIX.
M A L P I G H I A CRASSIFOLIA.
Thick-leaved Malpighia.
C L A S S X. ORDER IIL
DECANDRIA TRIGYNIA. Ten Chives. Three Pointals.
GENERIC
CALYX. Perianthium pentapliylliim, ereflum,
minimum, perfillens, connivens. Glandulae
melliferae duae, ovales gibbos, (bliolis calycinis
externe inferneque adnatas.
COROLLA. Pétala quinqué, reniformia, magna,
plicata, ciliata, patentia, concava; unguibus
longis, linearibus.
STAMINA. Filamenta decern latiufcula, eredta,
in cylindrum polita, parva. Antherae cordatae.
P I S T I L L Q M . Germen fabrotundum, minimum.
Styli tres, filiformes. Stigmata obtuía.
PEKICARPIUM. Bacca globofa, torulofa, magna,
unilocularis.
SEMINA tria, oíTea, oblonga, obtufa, angulata.
CHARACTEE.
EMPALEMENT. Cup five leaves, upriglit, very
fniall, remaining and clofing at tiie points.
Two honey-bearing glands, oval and gouty,
are fixed to the outer and lower part of the
leaves of tlie cup.
BLOSSOM. Petals five, kidney-lliaped, large,
plaited, laihed, fpreading, and concave;
claws long, linear.
CHIVES. Threads ten, rather broad, upright,
placed cylindrically, and fmall. Tips heartihaped.
POINTAL. Seed-bud nearly round, very fmall.
Shafts tliree, thread-ihaped. Summits
blunt.
PEKICARPIUM. Berry globular, knobby, large,
of one cell.
SEEDS three, bony, oblong, blunt, and angulated.
S P E C I F I C CHARACTER.
Malpighia foliis lanceolato-ovatis, fubtus tomentofis,
integerrimis; floribus terminalibus,
fpicatis, pallide-luteis.
Malpighia with oval fpear-lhaped leaves, downy
beneath, and entire; flowers terminate the
branches in fpikes, and are pale yellow.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement, Chives, and Pointal, (natural fize).
2. The Empalement, (magnified).
3. The Chives fpread open, (natural fize).
4. A Thread, and its Tip, (magnified).
5. The Pointal complete, (natural fize).
ALTHOUGH, we have given to this fpecies of Malpighia, the fpecific name under which it has been
introduced; yet, there is much doubt, whether it is not the Verbafcifolium of Linnaeus; or indeed if
they are not both the fame plant, named from different fpecimens. Our fpecies makes a very handfome
hothoufe plant, growing to the height of five, or fix feet, before it flowers. It is a native of
Jamaica, and moft of the adjacent iflands, and was introduced by MeflTrs. Lee and Kennedy about
the year 1702. From the extreme tendernefs of the young leaves, and Ihoots, it muft be kept in a
ftrong growing pine heat during the winter months; otherwife, they are fubjeft to damp off. It is
raifed by cuttings, and feems to delight in a rich foil. The figure was made from a fpecimen communicated
by the Right Hon. Lord Vifcount Courtenay, in whofe moft fuperb colleftion at Powderham
Caftle, near Exeter, it flowered, for the firfi; time in England, in the month of September 1798.
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