Volume 5 — PLATE CCCVIII.

CROTOLARIA VERRUCOSA.

Blue-flowered Crotolaria.

CLASS XVII. ORDER IV.

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Threads in two sets. Ten Chives.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx. Perianthium tripartitum, magnum, corolla paulo brevius; laciniis duabus superioribus lanceolatis, vexillo incumbentibus; tertia lanceolata, concava, carinam fulciente, trifida.

Corolla papillionacea.

Vexillum cordatum, acutum, magnum, lateribus depressum.

Alæ ovatæ, vexillo dimidio breviores.

Carina acuminata, longitudine alarum.

Stamina. Filamenta decem, connata, assurgentia, linea dorsali fissa basique hiante. Antheræ simplices.

Pistillum. Germen oblongum, reflexum, hirsutum. Stylus simplex, infractus, assurgens. Stigma obtusum.

Pericarpium. Legumen breve, turgidum, uniloculare, bivalve, pedicillatum.

Semen aliquot, globosa-reniformia.

Empalement. Cup three-parted, large, rather shorter than the blossom; the two superior segments lance-shaped, laying on the standard; the third lance-shaped, concave, supporting the keel, three-cleft.

Blossom butterfly-shaped.

Standard heart-shaped, acute, large, depressed on the sides.

Wings egg-shaped, half the length of the standard.

Keel tapered, the length of the wings.

Chives. Ten threads, united, turned upwards, with a split line on the back, and gaping at the base. Tips simple.

Pointal. Seed-bud oblong, reflexed, hairy. Shaft simple, bent inwards at an angle, turned upwards. Summit obtuse.

Seed-vessel. Pod short, turgid, one-celled, two valved, with a fruit-stalk.

Seeds a few of a rounded kidney-shape.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Crotolaria foliis simplicibus, ovatis, retusis; stipulis lunatis, declinatis; racemo terminali; ramis tetragonis.

Crotolaria with simple leaves, egg-shaped, dented at the ends; leaf-props half-moon-shaped, turned downwards; bunch of flowers terminal; branches four-sided.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

This handsome annual is an old inhabitant of our hot-houses, for it has been cultivated so long ago as the year 1731, by Mr. Miller; but from its character as an annual, our summers not proving always congenial to the perfecting its seeds, it has at intervals been lost to us. It is a native of the East Indies, and, in general, good seed may be procured by keeping the plants constantly in a hot-bed or hot-house; but the best method is to raise them on a strong hot-bed, keeping them there till in flower, and then transferring them to the hot-house or dry-stove, to perfect their seeds. Our drawing was taken from a fine specimen, communicated by the Hon. W. H. Irby, from his select collection at the Parsonage, Farnham Royal, Bucks. Flowers in May or June, and ripens its seeds in August or September.