It begins to flower in March and continues in bloom three weeks or a month, rarely produces any seed, so that it is to be propagated only by dividing its roots; it is a hardy herbaceous plant, a native of Germany, and will grow in almost any soil provided it be planted in a shady situation. [233] CHIRONIA BACCIFERA. BERRY-BEARING CHIRONIA. _Class and Order._ PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Cor._ rotata. _Pistillum_ declinatum. _Stamina_ tubo corollae infidentia. _Antherae_ demum spirales. _Peric._ 2-loculare. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ CHIRONIA _baccifera_ frutescens baccifera. _Linn. Syst. Veget. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 229._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 258._ CENTAURIUM minus arborescens pulpiferum. _Comm. rar. 9. t. 9._ CENTAURIUM minus africanum arborescens angustifolium. _Old. afr. 26._ The _Chironia baccifera_, a native of Africa, is a plant not unfrequent in our greenhouses; its flowers are curious in their structure, of a lively hue, and suceeded by round seed-vessels, which, when ripe, have the appearance of red berries, whence its name of _baccata_; if we carefully examine these seed-vessels, we shall find that they are not properly berries, for on cutting them transversly, they are found to be hollow and to be divided into two cells (_vid. Pl._) in which are contained small black seeds, whose surface is beautifully reticulated with impressed dots; the sides of the seed-vessel are fleshy, and do not appear to divide or split in any regular manner for the discharge of the seed; they must however be regarded rather as capsules than berries: in the genus _Hypericum_, the seed-vessels are found to vary in a somewhat similar manner; in this part of the fructification there is not, therefore, that deviation which has been supposed, but there is a very great one in the antherae, which do not ultimately become spiral. This plant, which grows to the height of a foot and a half or two feet, becomes very bushy, rather too much so in point of ornament, and produces both flowers, and fruit, during most of the summer. Though regarded as a greenhouse plant, it does not ripen its seeds well unless kept in the stove; is with difficulty raised from cuttings, from seeds readily, by which it requires to be frequently renovated. Was cultivated by Mr. MILLER in 1759. _Ait. Kew._ [Illustration: _No 233_] [Illustration: _No 234_] [234] LINUM ARBOREUM. TREE FLAX. _Class and Order._ PENTANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Cal._ 5-phyllus. _Petala_ 5. _Caps._ 5-valvis, 10-locularis. _Sem._ solitaria. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ LINUM _arboreum_ foliis cuneiformibus, caulibus arborescentibus. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 303._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 388._ LINUM _arboreum_. _Alp. Exot. 19. t. 13._