Volume 4 — PLATE CCLXXVIII. MELALEUCA CORONATA. Flax-leaved Melaleuca.

CLASS XVIII. ORDER IV.

POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. Threads in many Sets. Many Chives.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx quinquefidus, semisuperus. Petala quinque. Filamenta multa longissima, connata in quinque corpora. Pistillum unum. Capsula 3-locularis.

Cup five-cleft, half above. Petals five. Threads numerous, very long, united into five bodies. Pointal 1. Capsule 3-celled.

See Melaleuca ericæfolia, Pl. 175. Vol. III.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Melaleuca foliis oppositis, lanceolatis, enerviis, glaberrimis; floribus sessilibus, ad basin ramulorum confertis; filamentis pinnatis, incurvatis, purpureis.

Melaleuca with opposite, lance-shaped leaves, without nerves and very smooth; flowers grow close to the branches, and crowded together at their base; threads winged, turned inward, and purple.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement and Seed-bud.

2. The same, shewn in a front view.

3. A Petal.

4. One of the five bundles of Chives, magnified.

5. The Seed-bud with the shaft remaining, the cup cut off.

This singularly delicate little plant, a native of Botany Bay, was first raised from seeds in this country by Mr. I. Fairbairne of the Physic Gardens, Chelsea, in the year 1792. It is rather more tender than most of the plants we have, as yet, received from thence; requires to be kept in a dry and airy part of the green-house and watered but seldom, in the winter. It grows to the height of about two feet, perfects its seeds, and may be increased by cuttings; should be planted in very sandy peat earth, and kept in a small pot proportionally to its size. Our figure was taken from the branch of a plant, in the conservatory, at the Hammersmith Nursery, in the month of August, 1800.