P L A T E CCXXV.
G N I D I A O P P O S I T I F O L I A.
Qppofite-leaved Gnidia.
CLASS VIII. ORDER I.
OCTJNDRIA MONOGYNIJ. Eight Chives. One Pointai.
E S S E N T I A L G E N E R I C CHARACTER.
C A L Y X i n f u n d i b u l i f o r m i s , q u a d r i f i d u s . Petala
q u a t u o r , calyci inferta. Semen o n i c u m,
f u b b a c c a t u m .
E M P A L E M E N T fimnel-fhaped, four-cleft. Petals
f o u r i n f e r t e d into t h e e m p a l e m e n t . One
feed, b e r r y - l i k e.
See G N I D I A P I N I F O L I A , P1.L1I. V o l . 1.
S P E C I F I C C H A R A C T E R.
G n i d i a foliis o v a t i s , oppofitis, concavis, toment
o i i s ; floribus t e r m i u a l i b u s , tomentofis.
G n i d i a with cgg-fhaped, oppofite, concave,
d o w n y l e a v e s ; flowers t e r m i n a t e t h e b r a n c h c s ,
a n d are d o w n y.
R E F E R E N C E TO T H E P L A T E,
j . A F l o w e r c o m p l e t e.
2 . T h e BloiTbm fpread o p e n , w i t h t h e Chives i n t h e i r place.
3 . T h e fame, magnified.
4. T h e S e e d - b u d , Shaft a n d S u m m i t.
T H E O p p o f i t e - l e a v e d Gnidia is from the Cape of Good H o p e , and m u l l b e t r e a t e d as a t e n d e r g r e e n -
houfe or dry-ftc-ve p l a n t ; as, but a l i t t l e excefs of wet, in the w i n t e r , is f u r e to deflroy i t ; even in
f n m m e r much rain, if i t is expofed to it for a few days, will o v e r w h e lm it. The h e w C a t a l o g ue
m e n t i o n s t h i s fpecies to h a v e b e e n i n t r o d u c e d i n t h e y e a r 1788, by M r . F. Maffon • T h e p l a n t grows
to the h e i g h t of t h r e e feet, w i t h a very flender ftem, and, often, lofes moft of i t s leaves t o a c o n h d e r -
a b l e h e i g h t from t h e e a r t h , w h i c h gives it r a t h e r a d i f a g r e e a b l e a p p e a r a n c e t o w a r d s t h e l o w e r p a r t . A
m i x t u r e of t w o - t h i r d s loam, a n d o n e of f a n d y p e a t , is a foil it molt a p p r o v e s . It is i n c r e a f e d by c u t t
i n g s , made i n t h e m o n t h of April,, f r om the tender fhoots. Our figure was t a k e n in J u l y , from a
p l a n t i n t h e H i b b e r t i a n C o l l e c t i o n.