Volume 6 — PLATE CCCLXXII.

MIMOSA PURPUREA.

Soldier Bush Mimosa.

CLASS XXIII. ORDER I.

POLYGAMIA MONOECIA. Various Dispositions. Upon one Plant.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Hermaph. Calyx 5-dentatus. Cor. 5-fida. Stam. 5 seu plura. Pist. 1. Legumen.

Mascul. Calyx 5-dentatus, Cor. 5-fida. Stam. 5-1O, plura.

Hermaph. Cup 5-toothed. Blos. 5-cleft. Chives 5 or more. Pointal one. A Pod.

Male. Cup 5-toothed. Blos. 5-cleft. Chives, 5, 10, or more.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.

Mimosa, inermis, foliis conjugatis pinnatis, foliolis intimis minoribus. Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. 3. p. 1500.

M. foliis tergeminis. Plum. Ic. t. 10. f. 2.

Mimosa, unarmed, with leaves conjugate prinnate, and the inner leaflets smaller.

M. with leaves three times twinned.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

The Mimosa purpurea is a native of the West Indies, and is there known by the expressive appellation of Soldier Bush; from the plants being sometimes almost covered with their bright red-purple flowers, in which state it is said they are visible, and even cognizable, on the sides of hills, at the distance of a mile.

The Soldier Bush in this country must be treated as a tender hot-house shrub, and kept constantly in the tan-bed, planted in rich earth. It is a plant of handsome growth and foliage; but its charming flowers are so very rare, that we do not recollect seeing any of them except those which are here represented, from a plant which flowered in March last, in the collection of Mrs. Wright at Bayswater. It is propagated by cuttings in the usual way.