Nectariferous pit small, in some scarcely any. Petals
5, equal, roundly ovate, white, reticulately veined,
rugose. Filaments 10, slightly united at the base, in
some flowers 5, in others 6, bearing anthers; fertile
ones spreading, but bent inwards at the points; sterile
ones subulate, unequal, and bent inwards. Anthers
roundly cordate, 2-lobed, bursting in front to discharge
the pollen, which is white and granular. Ger-
men and aristae hairy. Style quite smooth, green.
Stigmas 5j reflexed.
Our drawing was taken from a fine flowering plant,
kindly communicated to us from the collection of the
Hon. Mrs. Seymour, of Woburn, Bedfordshire. It
seems to be rather shy of flowering, or otherwise to
require particular management to flower it well. The
present plant had been stunted, and had lost a great
part of its leaves, which we believe to be the reason of
its flowering so freely, as in Mr. Colvill’s collection
there is a very large plant, and other smaller ones,
which are growing very luxuriantly, but show, no
signs of flowering. We suspect that they should be
kept quite dry through the winter, which would make
them lose their leaves and set for bloom. In spring,
as soon as the blossom-bud appears, they should be
regularly supplied with water, or they may be apt to
blight. The best soil to make it thrive is a mixture of
turfy loam, peat, and sand, the same as recommended
for the other succulent kinds. Cuttings root freely
planted in the same kind of soil and set on a shelf in
the greenhouse.
In our enumeration of the genera belonging to
Geraniacese, we mentioned it as our opinion that the
present plant would form a distinct genus. In that
we are now satisfied, and think it as nearly related to
Erodium as to Pelargonium, but quite distinct from
both. It is a native of St. Helena, and has been introduced
into this country ever since the year 1765.