Volume 3 — PLATE CCII. SAMYDA SERRULATA. Sawed-leaved Samyda.

CLASS X. ORDER I.

DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Ten Chives. One Pointal.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx. Perianthium monophyllum, interne coloratum; tubus campanulatus, decemstriatus; limbus quinquefidus, laciniis ovatis planis, patentissimis, obtusis, duabus acumine auctis.

Corolla nulla.

Nectarium monophyllum, conicum, truncatum, decemstriatum, longitudine fere calycis, ejusque limbo ad bann insertum, ore obtuse 10 ad 18-dentato.

Stamina. Filamenta nulla. Antheræ decem ad octo-decem, oblongæ, erectæ, parvæ, dentibus nectarii insidentes.

Pistillum. Germen ovatum. Stylus subulatus, erectus, longitudine nectarii. Stigma capitatum, obtusum.

Pericarpium. Capsula subrotunda, quadrisulcata, coriacea, crassa, unilocularis, quadrivalvis.

Semina plurima, subovata, obtusa, basi foraminulo notata, valvulis affixa, obvoluta pellicula pulposa.

Empalement. Cup one leaf, coloured within; tube bell-shaped, ten-striped; border five-cleft, segments egg-shaped, smooth, very much spread, obtuse, two lengthened by a pointed end.

Blossom none.

Honey-cup, one leaf, conical, appearing cut off, ten-striped, nearly the length of the cup and fixed to it at the base of the border, obtusely from 10 to 18-toothed at the mouth.

Chives. Threads none. Tips from 10 to 18, oblong, upright, small, fixed to the teeth of honey-cup.

Pointal. Seed-bud egg-shaped. Shaft awl-shaped, upright, the length of the honey-cup. Summit headed, blunt.

Seed-vessel. Capsule roundish, four-furrowed, leathery, thick, one-celled, four valves.

Seeds many, nearly egg-shaped, blunt, marked with a small hole at the base, fixed to the valves, surrounded with a slight pulpy skin.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Samyda floribus roseis, dodecandris; foliis ovato-oblongis, serrulatis.

Samyda with rosy coloured flowers having twelve chives; leaves between egg-shaped and oblong, slightly sawed.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement, with its honey-cup, and the tips, cut and spread open.

2. The Pointal and seed-bud natural size, the summit detached and magnified.

3. The Seed-bud cut transversely and magnified, to shew the number of valves and situation of the seeds.

The Sawed-leaved Samyda is an inhabitant of most of the West India Islands, but was received in England, about the year 1795, from the Island of St. Vincent; transmitted from thence, by Mr. Anderson, curator of the Botanic garden, originally established there, under the sanction of our government, by Dr. Young. It is a very tender plant, grows to about three feet in height, making but few small branches, and rather weak in the stem. Our drawing was taken in July this year at the garden of T. Evans, Esq. Stepney, who we believe first had it to flower in this kingdom. It is propagated by cuttings; must be kept in the bark-bed of the hot-house, and should be planted in very rich mould.