Volume 7 — PLATE CCCCLXXIX.

FRAGARIA INDICA.

Indian Strawberry.

CLASS XXII. ORDER V.

ICOSANDRIA POLYGYNIA. Twenty Chives. Many Pointals.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx. Perianthium monophyllum, planum, decemfidum: laciniis alternatim exterioribus, angustioribus.

Corolla. Petala quinque, subrotunda, patentia, calyci inserta.

Stamina. Filamenta viginti, subulata, corolla breviora, calyci inserta. Antheræ lunulares.

Pistillum. Germina numerosa, minima, in capitulum collecta. Styli simplices, latere germinis inserti. Stigmata simplicia.

Pericarpium nullum. Bacca fit receptaculum commune seminum, rotundo-ovata, pulposa, mollis, magna, colorata, basi truncata, decidua.

Semina numerosa, minima, per superficiem receptaculi sparsa.

Empalement. Cup one-leafed, flat, ten-cleft: the segments are alternately exterior, and narrowed.

Blossom five-petalled, nearly round, spreading, and inserted into the calyx.

Chives. Threads twenty, awl-shaped, shorter than the blossom, inserted into the calyx. Tips like a half-moon.

Pointal. Seed-buds numerous and small, collected into a head. Shaft simple, inserted into the side of the germ. Summit simple.

Seed-vessel none. The berry becomes the common receptacle for the seeds, is of a round ovate form, pulpy, soft, large, and coloured, cut off at the base, and deciduous.

Seeds numerous, small, on the outside of the receptacle, scattered.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Fragaria foliis tripartitis: foliolis ovatis, acutis, crenatis: petiolis longis: calyce decemfido, inferne piloso: quinque exterioribus rotundatis, crenatis: interioribus ovatis, acutis: pedunculis longis: floribus luteis: fructu rubro, insipido. Rami pilosi, repentes.

Strawberry with three-divided leaves: leaflets ovate, pointed, and scolloped: footstalks long: empalement ten-cleft, and hairy beneath: the five outer ones are rounded and notched: the inner ones are ovate, and pointed: peduncles long: flowers yellow: fruit red and insipid. Branches hairy, and creeping.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

This new species of Fragaria, from the lively yellow flowers and brilliance of its fine red fruit, is desirable as an ornamental plant, but is in no other respect estimable, from the insipidity of its fruit, which is entirely destitute of flavour. It is a native of the north-east parts of Bengal. Our figure was made from the only plant that has as yet flowered in England, in the gardens of the Honourable C. Greville.