P L A T E CCLV.
M O R Ü A N O R T H I A N A.
Northian Mor¿ea.
CLASS III. ORDER I.
TRIANDRIA MO NOG YNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.
E S S E N T I A L G E N E R I C CHARACTER.
C O R O L L A hexapetala; pétala tria interiora pa- II BLOSSOM fix petals; the t h r e e i n n e r petals fpreadt
e n t i a , aniruftiora. Stigoia trifidum. ing, narrower. Summit three-cleft.
b II See M O R J E A T R I C O L O R . Pi. L X X X I I I . Vol. I I .
S P E C I F I C CHARACTER.
Morsea fcapo foliifque falcatis, glaberrimis, dift
i c h i s ; floribus terminalibus; petalis tribus
exterioribus ovatis, concavis, pendulis, tribus
interioribus i u b - e r e a i s , medio retrofra£
tis, apicibus revolutis.
M o r x a w i t h the flower-ftem and leaves fcymitar
fhaped, very fmooth, p o i n t i n g ditTerent
ways; flowers t e r m i n a l ; the t h r e e outer petals
egg ihaped, concave, hanging down,
t h e three inner ones nearly erect, broke
b a c k about the middle, and rolled back
at t h e ends.
R E F E R E N C E TO T H E P L A T E.
1 . T h e whole plant in miniature.
2. T h e outer valve of t h e flieath.
3. T h e inner valve of t h e .heath.
4. T h e Seed-bud, Chives, and Pointal, as they ftand in t h e flower.
5 . T h e Pointal only, the Chives being removed.
ABOUT the year \ J8Q this very fine fpecies of Morsea was introduced to o u r gardeus b y t h e late, eleg
a n t l v tailed Mrs. N o r t h , lady to t h e Right Hon. the Lord Biihop of Winchefter; to whofe fervor and
liberality in botanical purfuits we owe much of the prefent prevailing tafte for t h e fcience. The plant
was brought to England by t h e Hon. Mr. F . N o r t h , on his return from P o r t u g a l ; the only remnant of
a number, which he had procured from the gardens of the late Queen of P o r t u g a l ; immediately on its
arrival it was configned, in a very fickly ftate, to the care of Mcflrs. Lee and Kennedy, Hammerfmith
who had the good fortune to recover it.
I t is a n a t i v e o f the Brazils, flowers about J u l y or Augutt, propagates itfelf by fuckers, which it
makes from the root, fliould be planted in l i g h t rich earth, and fhould be treated as a tender hot-houfe
p l a n t . The leaves g r ow frequently to t h e l e n g t h of two feet, or m o r e ; forming the appearance of a
l a r g e f a n ; the flower-ftem proceeding from nearly the centre. The flowers furpafs, indelicacy and
beauty of pencilling, any of this very handfome tribe, and are as traniitory as beautiful, their duration
being but of fix hours, at moil. It feldom happens that more t h a n one flower is open at a t i m e ;
b u t the plant from which our drawing was made, in 1 " 9 7 1 at t h e Right Hon. the Marquis of Blandford'
s , t h e n refident at Bill H i l l , Berks, was in t h e highefl perfection we have ever h i t h e r t o feen i t.