11 f f
i Í lii'
I r h
Ì
S P '
I ki;
i ft
ILI.
P L A T E CCCLIII.
A S P A L A T H U S C R A S S I F O L I U S.
Thick-leaved Afpalathus.
C L A S S XVIL
DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.
O R D E R IV.
T h r e a d s in two sets. T e n . Chives.
GENERIC CHARACTEK.
CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, femiquinquefidum;
laciniis acuminatis, asqiialibus,
fuperiore longiore.
COROLLA papillionacea.
Vexillum coruprelTum, adfcendens, obovatum,
exteriie faepius hirfutum, obtufura
cum acuraiiie.
AICB lunulatae, obtufse, patulee, vexillo breviores.
Carina bifidaj alls conformis.
STAMINA. Filamenta decern, connata in vaginara,
fnperne dehifcenten:i longitudinaliter,
adfcendentia. Anthera; oblongae.
PisTiLLUM. Gerraen ovatum. Stylus fimplex,
adfcendens. Stigma acutum.
PERICABPIUM. Legumen ovatum, muticum.
SEMINA fiepius duo, rcniformia.
OES. Singulare huic sunt folla ex eadem gemma
plura in pianta frutescente.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one leaf, lialf-fîve-cleft;
(egmeuts tapered, equal, the upper one
longer.
BLOSSOM butterfly-fliape.
Standard comprelled, afcending, inverfely
egg-fhaped, often hairy on the outfide, obtule
wUh a point.
Wings half-moon-ihaped, obtufe, fpreading,
lliorter than the llandard.
Keel two-cleft, like the wing.
CHIVES. Ten threads, united into a flieath,
gaping longitudinally at top, afcending.
Tips oblong.
PoiNTAL, Seed-bud egg-fliaped. Shaft firaple,
afcending. Summit pointed.
SEED-VESSEL. Pod egg-fliaped, beardlefs.
SEEDS frequently two, kidney-ihaped.
OBS. This genus is singular in having several
leaves from the same bud, on a shrully
plant.
SPECIFIC CHAEACTER.
Afpalathns foliis fafciculatis, carnofis, teretibus,
glabris, apicibus fetaceis; floribus capitalist
terminalibus; calycibus braâeatis.
Afpalathus with leaves bundled, flefliy, cylindrical,
fmooth and briftled at the point;
flowers grow in heads at the end of the
branches; cups with floral leaves.
EEFEKENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Cup.
2. The Standard.
3. One of the Wings.
4- The Keel.
5. The Chives and Pointal.
6. The Chives, fpread open and magnified.
7. The Pointal.
FROM the number of fpecimens in the herbarium of G. Hibbert, Efq. which we fliould refer to this
genus; it ftands fair to rival, in number of fpecies, every other, natives of the Cape of Good Hope; with
the exception of Erica, Geranium, and Protea. This fpecies has many varieties, and we are in doubt
whether this is not one from the A. carnofa, or A. pingiiis of Thunbcrg; foralthougli, the cup, in the
one, may differ, in having the fegments defcribed as pointed; and in the other, die leaves may be
rather three-fided; yet, may our plant be no more than a flight variation from either of them: but
this we cannot decide without living plants of each, for dried fpecimens would not determine the faft .
This plant was introduced to the Hibbertian Colleftion, in 1800, by Mr. Niven, from the Cape.
It is a tender green-houfe plant, grows to the height of eighteen inches, very bufliy, and covers itfelf
with flowers about July; in which month, 1803, our drawing was taken. It has hitherto put the
ability of Mr."Allen, which is not often the cafe, to a ftand for a method to propagate it; but we
have hopes, as mofl of the fpecies do, that it will ripen its feeds in tliis country,