HOAREA atrosanguinea.
Dark Crimson-coloured Hoarea.
H. atrosanguinea, acaulis, umbella composita, foliis
inferioribus simplicibus ovatis ; superioribus pinna-
tifidis pinnatisque utrinque hirsutis: foliolis oppo-
sitis alternisque oblongo-ovatis obtusis integerrimis,
petalis patentibus.
Root tuberous. Stem none. Leaves crowning the
root in a radiate form, very hairy on each side; lower
ones simple, roundly ovate, obtuse, rarely toothed;
upper ones pinnatifid or pinnate and thickly clothed
with hairs on both sides: leaflets opposite or alternate,
oblongly ovate, obtuse, entire. Petioles a little flattened
on the upper side and convex on the lower,
widened at the base, thickly clothed with long white
hairs, as are the peduncles, calyx, and nectariferous
tube. Stipulestubulate, fringed, joined to the base of
the petioles. Scape branching, leafy at the base of the
cylindrical peduncles. Umbels many-flowered. Involucre
of numerous subulately linear fringed bractes.
Calyx 5-cleft, segments lanceolate, acute, fringed;
the upper one erect, the others reflexed. Nectariferous
tube sessile, slightly flattened on each side, about twice
the length of the calyx. Petals 5, of a brilliant dark
crimson; the two upper ones largest, ligulate, flat,
and distinct at the base, lower ones narrowly spatu-
late, spreading. Filaments 10, united into a tube, five
only bearing anthers, the upper one twice as short as
the lower ones; sterile ones subulate and curved inwards.
Pollen of a bright golden colour. Style
purple, the lower part covered with short stiff hairs.
Stigmas 5, purple, reflexed.