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P L A T E CCCCXLiX.
L I N U M TRI G Y N U M.
Thrre-styhd Golden Flax.
C L A S S V. O R D E R V.
PENTJNDRIA TENTylGYNIA. Five Chlvis. Five Pointals.
G E N E R I C CHARACTER.
CALYX. Perianthium pentaphyllum, lanceolatum,
erectum, persistens.
COROLLA. Pétala infundibuliformia quinqué,
oblonga, superne sensim latiora, obtusa,
patentia.
STAMINA. Fikmenta quinqué subulata, erecta,
longitudine calycis (rudimenta fiiorum insuper
5, alternantia). Antherae simplioes,
sagittatae.
PisTiLLUM. Germen ovatum. Styli 5, filiformes,
erecti, longitudine staminum.
Stigmata Simplicia, reflexa.
PEKICARPIUM. Capsula globosa, pentagona,
decemlocularis, quinquevalvis.
SEMINA solitaria, ovato-planiuscula, acuminata,
glabra.
EMPALEMENT. Cup five-leaved, lance-shaped,,
upright, and remaining.
BLOSSOM. Funnel-shaped petals five, oblong,
widening upwards by degrees, obtuse, and
spreading.
CHIVES. Five filaments, awl-shaped, upright,
the length of the calyx (there are fiveallernate
slight rudiments of threads). Anthers
simple, and arrow-shaped.
PoiNTAL. Seed-bud ovate. Shafts 5, threadshaped,
and upright, the length of tlie
stamens. Summits simple, and reflexed.
SEED-VESSEL. Capsule globular, five-sided, tencelled,
five-valved.
SEEDS solitary, of a flattish oval form, sharppointed,
and smooth.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
LINUM trigynum, foliis alternis, ovatis, glabris,
apice acuminatis : floribus in ramis simpliciter
terminalibus : corolla aurea, magna :
ramulis alternis, nunierosis, viridibus.
FLAX wi th three pointals; leaves alternate, ovate,
and smooth, pointed at the end: flowers
terminate the branches singly: blossoms
gold colour, and large : the smaller branches
alternate, numerous, and green.
REFERENCE
1. The empalement.
TO- THE PLATE.
2. One of the petals.
3 . Chives and pointals.
4 . A chive magnified.
5. Seed-bud and pointals, a summit magnified.
(J, The seed-bud cut transversely, magnified.
T h i s perfectly new Linum is by far the most showy of the genus, and illumines all the gloomy months
of winter witli its fine large flowers, whose brilliance is not often surpassed even in the height of summer,
when Flora reigns with undiminished lustre. It has been hitherto regarded as a hot-house plant,
but is now found to succeed much better with the careful treatment of the greeu-house. It is published
by Capt. Hardvvicke in his enumeration of the plants of Sireenagur in the Asiatic Annual Register
of 1800, and was found by that gentleman on the sides of the mountains in fine bloom in the
month of December, and from whom it received the specific title of trigynum. Its provincial name
is said to be Gul Ashorfee ; from Gul a flower and Ashorfee gold, a coin current in India of the value
of 2/. sterling. There is a figure of this Linum in the Exotic Botany of Dr. Smith, copied from a
drawing, and represented wi t h deeply serrated leaves; a character very dilfei'ent from any of the living
plants we have as yet seen in bloom, not one of them exhibiting the slightest vestige of a .serrature on
llieir foliage. Our figure was made from a plant in luxuriant bloom at tlie nursery ol' Messrs. Whitlev
and Brames.
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