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PLATE CCCCXLIII.
E R Y T H R I N A SPECIOSA.
Showy Erythrina.
CLASS XVIL ORDER IV.
BIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Chives in two Sets. Ten Chives.
G E N E R I C CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium tnonophyllum, integrum,
tubulosutn, ore superne emarginatum, interne
poris melliferis instructum.
C O R O L L A papilionacea, penlapetala.
Vexillum lanceolatura, lateribus detiexum, adscendens,
longissimum.
Alce sub-ovatae, calyce vix longiores, extra tubum
vexilli vix eminentes, minimae.
Carina recta, longitudine alarum, dipelala, emarginata.
STAMINA. Filamenta diadelpha, filamenta decern
inferne connata, parum incurva, longitudine
dimidii vexilli, inequalia, sagittata.
PisTiLLUM. Germen p;dicellatum, subulatum,
attenuatum in stylum subulatum, longitudine
staminum. Stigma terminale, simplex.
P E R I C A R P I U M . Legumen longissimum, ac seminibus
nondumtumidis acuminate terminatum,
uniloculare.
S E M I N A reniformia.
Obs. E. Herbacea staminibus decern distinctis.
EMPALEMENT. Cup one-leafed, entire and tubu- •
lar, emarginat'd on the upper part, the part
beneath with little pores containing honey.
BLOSSOM butterfly-shtiped, five-petalled.
¿"it-.na'oriT'lance-shaped, boAfing sideivays, ascending,
and very long.
Wings nearly egg-shaped, and scarcely longer llian
the t'âbe ot the empalement, outside the
standard, and very small.
Keel straight out, the length of (he wings, twopetalled
and emarginated.
CHIVES. Threads in two sets, ten threads joined
together beneatli, slightly turr.ed inwaids,
half tlie length of the standard, unequal, and
arrow-headed.
PoiNTAL. Seed-bud with a footstalk, awl-shaped,
and tapering into the shaft, which is awlshaped,
and of the length of the stamens.
Summit terminating, simple.
S E E D - V E S S E L . A very long pod, and before the
seeds are swelled out terminated with a sharp
point, of one cell.
SEED S kidney-shaped.
Obs. E. Herbacea has ten distinct stamens.
S P E C I F I C CHARACTER.
E R Y T H R I N A speciosa, foliis magnis, ternatis ; foliolis
cordatis, subtus nervis aculeatis. Caulis
tripedalis, erectus, spinosus, viridis.
E R Y T H R I N A with showy flowers; leaves large and
tliree-divided; leaflets heart-shaped, witli
prickly nerves on the under side. Stem three
feet high, upright, thorny, and green.
R E F E R E N C E TO THE PLATE.
1. The empaleraent. 5. The keel.
2. A blossom spread open. 6. The chives spread open,
3. The standard. 7. Seed-bud and pointal.
4. One of the wings.
T H I S superb Erythrina was communicated to the author by A. B. Lambert, esq., with whom it flowered
in the month of November, for the first time in this kingdom. It is a nondescript and very rare plant,
but so easily propagated by cuttings that it will doubtless not long remain so. There are but five
species of this geaus yet known; the present subject will therefore be a valuable addition to the
number. The falling off of the leaves was a defect occasioned by the red spider, a powerful enemy to
plants, and hot-house ones in particular. But Mr. Lambert informs us, that independent of that casualty
it may ±>e regarded as of a hardier character, and less deciduous in its foliage, than the rest of
the genus. Of what country indigenous, is not at present perfectly known; but it is supposed to be a
native of South America.
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