Volume 3 — PLATE CCXIII. IXIA COLUMNARIS. Var. latifolia. Columnar-chived Ixia. Broad-leaved var.

CLASS III. ORDER I.

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Corolla 6-petala, patens, equalis. Stigmata tria, erectiusculo-patula.

Blossom 6-petals, spreading, equal. Summits three, upright-spreading.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Ixia filamentis basi cohærentibus; floribus sub-capitatis; corollis pallide cæruleis; foliis latioribus, falcatis.

Ixia with threads cohering at the base; flowers grow nearly in heads; blossoms pale-blue; leaves broader, scymitar-shaped.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement.

2. A Blossom cut open, with the chives remaining attached.

3. The Tube of a blossom, with the chives, the petals cut off.

4. The same, cut open and magnified.

5. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summits; the summits detached and magnified.

The variety here given, was introduced to England, with the changeable-flowered variety, in 1799, from Holland. It is the strongest marked variety of the six we possess; it flowers in May. The petals of this variety are remarkably thick at the insertion into the tube, and have a soft, beautiful brown on the outside, when the flower is closed, which still is never so fully so, but a small margin of the blue appears; which gives them a most beautiful appearance in that state. No particular regime is necessary to this plant, more than what is necessary to all the common species.