Nectariferous tube about three times shorter than the
calyx, of a brown purple. Petals 5, spreading, or bent
back a little at the points: the two upper ones bright
purple, narrowly wedge-shaped, and jagged at the
ends, marked near the end with a dark patch, below
which are a few dark lines : lower ones ligulate, of a
pale reddish lilac, striated with darker veins, also more
or less jagged at the ends. Filaments 10, connected at
the base, 7 bearing anthers, which in our specimen
were all sterile. Style of a red purple, clothed with
hairs all its length. Stigmas 5, of the same colour,
their points revolute.
The present subject is one of the most singular species
of the genus that we have yet seen; and had we
seen the plant without flowers, and been asked its
name, we should have immediately pronounced it to be Delphinium Staphysagria, the foliage and habit being
so exactly like it, that we believe it would have deceived
the most attentive observer; it was raised from
seed at the Nursery of Messrs. Allen and Rogers, of
the King’s Road and Battersea, but how the seed was
procured, they cannot at present say; we do not believe
that it is of hybrid origin, as we know no plants
that could produce any thing like it; we therefore suppose
it must have been received amongst other seeds
from the Cape, which is frequently the case at Nurseries
; plants are raised from seeds, and before they
come into flower, the country from which they were
imported We sihso quuldi tee xfopregcot ttethn.at all the admirers of this
handsome tribe of plants, would wish to have so singular
a production as the present in their possession,
as it appears to be a strong, free grower, and a, very
abundant flowerer, the flowers being produced in panicles
; and although not so large as some others, their
abundance makes full amends: it will thrive well in a
rich light soil; and young cuttings will doubtless root
readily.