Volume 6 — PLATE CCCLXXX.

ACHYRANTHES PORRIGENS.

Divaricating Achyranthes.

CLASS V. ORDER I.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Flores incompleti, inferi. Calyx 5-phyllus. Corolla 0. Stigma 2-fidum. Semina solitaria.

Flowers incomplete, beneath. Empalement 5-leaved. Corolla none. Summit 2-cleft. Seeds solitary.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.

Achyranthes, foliis oppositis, lanceolatis, spicis ovatis, acutis. Jacq. Hort. Schœnb. 3. 349. t. 350.

Achyranthes, with leaves opposite, spear-shaped, and egg-shaped sharp-pointed spikes.

Descriptio. Suffrutex ramulis distantibus, filiformibus, canescentibus. Folia opposita, elliptico-ovata, breviter petiolata, obsolete venosa, supra pallide viridia lente pubescentia; subtus pallidiora magisque pubescentia. Flores dichotome-paniculati, divaricati, capitulis ovalibus, persistentibus, ante et post exsiccationem læte purpureis pulchellisque, ut in Gomphrenâ perenni.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

Achyranthes porrigens was introduced into this country from Paris, in the year 1802, by Mr. Woodford of Vauxhall; but its native country we have not ascertained. Our figure was taken from a fine plant in the collection of J. Vere, esq. at Kensington Gore; where it is considered and treated as a hot-house plant of the more hardy kind; and rises to the height of 2 or 3 feet. Thrives well in rich earth, and flowers freely in spring, making an elegant but not showy appearance. Its flowers resemble those of Gomphrena perennis, and like them preserve their colours after death, if gathered before they are fully blown; and are capable of becoming both a novel and a graceful addition to our dried bouquets. Is propagated by cuttings, and promises fair to ripen seeds; but is at present extremely rare.