ijlì
Ijir
m'u
P L A T E CCCLXXXVIII.
MESEMBRYANTHEMUM INCLAUDENS.
IJnclosing-Jìowered Fig-Marygold.
C L A S S XII. ORDER IV.
JCOS^NDRIA PENTAGYNIA. Twenty Chives. Five Pointals.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
P E T A L A valde nuraerosaj linearla^ basi cohéerentia.
P E T A L S very numerous^ linear, cohering at
the base.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C..
M E S E M B R Y A N T H E M U M , foliis triquetris laevi- FI G - M A R Y G O L D , with triquetrous smooth deep
bus pei-v'iridibvis, carina gibbosa, corollis green leaves, with a gibbous keel, unclosinclaudentihus,
petalis interloribus valde ing flowers,, and interior petals extremely
abbreviatis irabricatisque. abbreviated and imbricated.
DESCRirno. M. mutabili nobis affinis, sed species valde distincta : difFert in his, foliis laevioribus, et
longe viridioribas, minusque mucronatis, marginibus SEP-pius plus minusve purpureis : fioribus
speciosis semper apertis ; nec inconspicuis, nocteque clausis ; saturatissime et vivacissime rubicundis,
petalis CLmeato-lmearibus, latis in hoc genere, apicibus erosis ; interioribus (petalis) maxime
abbreviatis, imbricatisque quasi in stellam. Caiyx siibanceps, 5-fidus, membranis rubro punctatis..
Filammta recondita, brevissima omninm (vix linearia), alba, basi purpurea. Anthcrre albidae,
circiter longitudinem filamentorum. Stijli 5, erecti, pergrossi,, virides,, altitudine antlierai-um.
Capsulam non vidi. H.
i
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The empalement, seed-bud, chives and pointals.
2. The same cut perpendicularly, to show the insertion of the chives and pointaL.
OUR figure represents a perfectly new and nondescript, and at the same time very ornamental species
of Mesembryanthem.um : each flower possesses the valuable property of lasting about ten days in beauty,
and never closes after being once expanded : a circumstance of exceeding rare occurrence in this very
extensive genus j no fewer than 214 distinct species of which we have now a knowledge of*.
M. inclaudens rises with a branched, shrubby stem, to the height of 10 or 12 inches, and is cultivated
in the same manner, and propagated widi the same facility, that is common and well known in
tliis tribe : they are all very hardy green-house plants; require in winter as much air as possible, if
frost is but avoided; strike freely from cuttings; are great lovers of hot, sunny and sheltered situations;
when out for tlie summer; and are better not watered over their heads, but at the roots only.
The present species was raised from Cape seeds last season, in the collection of G. Hibbert, esq.
where our drawing was made in July. Mr. Ross, Nurseryman at Stoke Newington, has also raised it
from Cape seeds, and flowered it in July ; and he likewise very fortunately flowered at the same time
several fine specimens of M. rostratum; the fructifications of which have not been produced before in
Europe, that we know of, although the plant has been common in the English gardens ever since the
year 1732, and is one of the very few which Dillenius Uioirght proper to figure witliout flowers, in his
celebrated Hortus Elthamensis.
* 211 are described in my Miscellanea Naturalia, lately published. H.
• . .1,
} -jiii
'! < '
i t'- I-
'111 .