Volume 6 — PLATE CCCXC.

AMARYLLIS SPECTABILIS.

Waved-leaved Amaryllis.

CLASS VI. ORDER I.

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Six Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Corolla hexapetaloidea irregularis. Filamenta fauci tubi inserta declinata inæqualia proportione vel directione.

Corolla 6-petal-like irregular. Chives inserted into the throat of the tube, bent downward, and unequal in proportion or direction.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C.

Amaryllis, spatha multiflora, tubo corollæ laciniis sesquilongiore, foliis lato-subulatis serrulatisque scapo longioribus.

Amaryllis, with a many-flowered sheath, the tube of the corolla longer than its segments, the leaves broad-awl-shaped serrulated and longer than the stalk.

Descriptio. Radix bulbus mediocris tunicatus, et rotundatus, pallidusque. Folia multifaria, lato-subulata, sesquipedalia, subcanaliculata, lævia, viridia, carinâ pallidâ, striisque parallelis ad lucem utrinque etiam pallidis; basin versus undulata, et aliquo attenuata; margine cartilagineo, serrulis minutissimis, expansis, albis, remotisque, aspero. Scapus foliis duplo brevior, rubens, grossus, obtuse compressus, obsolete at irregulariter sulcato-striatulus, æquali crassitie. Spatha diphylla, subquadriflora, valida, foliolis lineatis, apicibus obtusissimis, et minute emarginatis, intus albis, extus virentibus, tinctura rubedinis. Flores sessiles, hexapetaloidei, tubulosi: tubus curvatus, angulatus, sulcatus, 5-uncialis et ultra, at gracilis, laciniis sesquilongior. Petala late lanceolata, undulata, acuta, alba, vittâ purpureâ. Filamenta alba, declinata, laciniis longe breviora. Antheræ versatiles, arcuatæ, magnæ, demum atræ. Germen sessile, compressum, viride. Stylus albus, superne purpureus, antheras superans. Stigma minutum. Infra germina, filamenta perpauca, staminiformia, sæpius adsunt.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

The magnificent species of Amaryllis here represented is a native of Sierra Leona; and was introduced from thence to this country, by Professor Afzelius, several years ago; but has not yet been described by any author whose works have reached us: although it will unquestionably be inserted in the Flora of that part of Africa, which the abovementioned learned Botanist is said to be preparing for publication.

Although a very tender hot-house species, it flowers freely in the tan-bed, in rich earth; but its elegant flowers, like those of Amaryllis ornata, which it also resembles in foliage, are of very short duration, and do not individually last in full beauty longer than a day; unless they are taken out of the hot-house as soon as expanded, and placed in some cool apartment; which indeed they well deserve. Our figure was taken from plants in very great perfection, at J. Vere’s, esq. Kensington Gore, in the month of July.