Volume 3 — PLATE CLIV. ECHIUM ARGENTEUM. Silvery-leaved Viper’s-Bugloss.

CLASS V. ORDER I.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Corolla irregularis, fauce nudâ.

Blossom irregular, mouth naked.

See Echium grandiflorum, Pl. XX. Vol. I.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Echium foliis lanceolatis, acutis, sericeo-villosis; spicis terminalibus; corolla violacea, subæqualia.

Viper’s-bugloss with lance-shaped leaves, sharp-pointed and silkily-hairy; spikes terminate the branches; blossom violet colour, nearly equal.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Empalement.

2. A Flower cut open, with the Chives remaining attached.

3. The Seed-buds, Shaft, and Summit.

This fine species of Echium, was raised from seeds received from the Cape of Good Hope in the year 1789, at the nursery, Hammersmith; where our drawing was made, last year, from a plant which had been planted in the open ground, for the summer months; and where it had grown to the height of four feet. It is a hardy green-house plant, and grows best in light earth, either peat, or leaf mould; and flowers about July. It is as difficult to propagate as either, the E. grandiflorum, or E. ferocissimum; but only to be increased, like them, by cuttings.