MIRABILIS _viscosa_ floribus racemosis; foliis cordatis
orbiculato-acutis tomentosis. _Cav. Icon. I. n. 17. t. 19._
The present is one of those plants which is entitled to our admiration,
for its curious and singular structure, rather than for any
extraordinary figure it makes in a collection; not that its flowers are
without a certain share of beauty.
It is an annual, growing to about the height of two feet; the whole
plant is viscous, and, if bruised, smells somewhat disagreeably; the
flowers do not open at any particular time as those of the _Mirabilis_
do, and each contains only three stamina; when they fall off, which they
do soon after expanding, the calyx closes on the germen, enlarges,
droops, and becomes deeply plaited; on the ripening of the seed it turns
brown, expands, and is suspended like a little umbrella over the seed,
which when perfectly ripe drops out on the ground; the expanded calyx in
this state appears somewhat like the flower of a Physalis.
This plant flowers from June to October, and ripens its seeds in the
open air; it is not difficult of culture, requires the same treatment as
other tender annuals from Peru.
Our figure was drawn from a plant which flowered 1796, in the collection
of the Marchioness of Bute, and was raised from Peruvian seeds, sent her
by Prof. Ortega of Madrid, under the name of _Mirabilis triandra_; Mons.
Cavanille has figured and described it as the _Mirabilis viscosa_; Mons.
L'Heritier, from a consideration of all its characters, has been induced
to make a new genus of it, which he has called _Oxybaphus_.
[435]
[Illustration: Nº. 435]
Gnaphalium Ericoides. Heath-Leaved Gnaphalium, or Everlasting.
_Class and Order._
Syngenesia Polygamia Superflua.
_Generic Character._
_Recept._ nudum. _Pappus_ plumosus. _Cal._ imbricatus: squamis
marginalibus rotundatis scariosis coloratis.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
GNAPHALIUM _ericoides_ fruticosum foliis sessilibus linearibus,
calycibus exterioribus rudibus, interioribus incarnatis. _Linn. Am.
Acad. v. 6. p. 99._ _Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 746._ _Ait.
Hort. Kew. p. 174._
In the 6th vol. of the _Amoenitates Academicæ_, Linnæus describes this
species of _Gnaphalium_, most probably from dried specimens collected at
the Cape, where it is a native; so insignificant did the plant appear to
him, that in his description, he calls it _misera_; compared with the
more magnificent species, such a term might not perhaps be inapplicable:
but, though small, the plant possesses much beauty when cultivated, and
hence is generally kept in our green-houses.
It flowers from March to August.
Its branches, naturally weak and trailing, require to be carefully tied
up; if this business be executed with taste and judgment, the natural
beauty of the plant may be considerably heightened.
It is readily increased by cuttings.
Was introduced to the royal garden at Kew, by Mr. Masson, in 1774.
[436]
[Illustration: Nº. 436]
Hibiscus Præmorsus. Bitten-Leaved Hibiscus.
_Class and Order._
Monadelphia Polyandria.
_Generic Character._
_Cal._ duplex: exterior polyphyllus. _Caps._ 5-locularis,
polysperma.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
HIBISCUS _præmorsus_ foliis subrotundis, dentato-serratis retusis
pubescentibus. _Ait. Kew. v. 2. 454._
HIBISCUS _præmorsus_ hirsutus, foliis ovatis basi
angustato-cordatis apice præmorsis crenatis, calycibus tomentosis,
seminibus tuberculatis. _Linn. Suppl. Pl. p. 309._