Volume 3 — PLATE CL. GERANIUM PRÆMORSUM. Bitten-leaved Geranium.

CLASS XVI. ORDER IV. of Suppl. Syst. Veg. 1781.

MONADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Threads united. Ten Chives.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Monogyna. Stigmata quinque. Fructus rostratus, penta-coccus.

One Pointal. Five summits. Fruit furnished with long awns, five dry berries.

See Geranium grandiflorum, Pl. XII. Vol. I.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Geranium foliis inciso-lobatis, reniformibus; lobis cuneiformibus, præmorsis; floribus subsolitariis, heptaudris; caule flexuoso, subcarnoso.

Geranium with leaves deeply cut into lobes and kidney-shaped; lobes wedge-shaped, and bitten at the ends; flowers generally solitary, with seven fertile tips; stem grows zig-zag, rather fleshy.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement cut open, to shew its tubular structure.

2. The Chives and Pointal.

3. The Chives spread open.

4. The Pointal and Seed bud.

The Geranium præmorsum offers a most beautiful addition to this already very extensive genus, but is without doubt a true species. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and was introduced to us, from thence, in the year 1798, by Captain Quarrel; brought in seed, and communicated to Mr. J. Colville of the King’s Road, Chelsea; who informs us, that it flowers from March, till November, that he keeps it in rich dungy earth, and that it is raised, pretty freely, by cuttings; requiring the heat of a dry stove in the winter months. Our figure was made at the nursery, Chelsea, about the beginning of March this year.