From all the species of Oenothera with yellow flowers hitherto introduced to this country, the present one is distinguished by the inferiority of its size; in its most luxuriant state it rarely exceeds a foot in height, and as it commonly grows it is far more humble: from a perennial root it sends out many flowering stems, which are productive of blossoms in regular succession from April to July: these are open in the morning as well as in the evening, which renders the plant more ornamental and desirable: for the border of a small garden, or for rock-work, it is extremely suitable, if not so shewy as some others; it is very hardy, of ready growth, not apt to encroach, flowers during most of the summer months, and is readily propagated by seeds, cuttings, or dividing of the roots in autumn. Is a native of North-America, and was cultivated here by Mr. MILLER in 1757. _Ait. Kew._ The stalks cannot be considered as prostrate, though LINNÆUS describes them as such; _adscendentibus_ would be a more appropriate term. [356] ERICA MASSONI. MASSON'S HEATH. _Class and Order._ OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Cal._ 4-phyllus. _Cor._ 4-fida. _Filamenta_ receptaculo inserta. _Antheræ_ bifidæ. _Caps._ 4-locularis. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ ERICA _Massoni_ antheris muticis inclusis, corollis cylindricis grossis, floribus capitatis, foliis octofariis imbricatis pubescentibus. _Linn. Suppl. p. 221. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 23._ ERICA _Massoni_ foliis quaternis oblongis serratis villosis, floribus cylindricis viscosis. _Thunb. Prod. Cap. p. 71._ [Illustration: _N^o. 356_] This very magnificent African Heath is first described in the _Suppl. Pl._ of the younger LINNÆUS, and named in honour of Mr. MASSON, whose exertions at the Cape, where he resided many years as collector of the natural productions of that fertile spot, have so eminently contributed to render the royal collection at Kew, in this tribe of plants especially, rich in the extreme. This Heath grows to a considerable height, and becomes much branched, the branches are long and upright, covered closely with numerous hoary leaves, nearly cylindrical, most of these terminate in a large umbel of flowers, which continue a long while in bloom, and are so extremely viscous that scarcely a winged insect can settle on them and escape with its life; the formidable wasp sometimes becomes its victim, as we once had an opportunity of seeing. When the _Hort. Kew._ was first published, this species had not flowered with Mr. AITON, it has since done so in many collections near town, and no where in greater perfection than at Messrs. LEE and KENNEDY's, Hammersmith, on some one or other of whose plants blossoms may be seen during most of the summer. It is raised from cuttings with extreme difficulty, is not so easily kept as some others, and is more susceptible of injury from moisture. [357] BRIZA MAXIMA. GREAT QUAKING GRASS. _Class and Order._