The Genus Struthiola, from the few species yet known, has been but
slightly considered. Linnæus, at the end of his Generic Character,
affines it to Passerina; it is true, the habits of S. virgata, and S.
erecta, which are undoubtedly only varieties of the same stock, and the
only two he had seen, might lead to such a comment; but, from the seven
species of which we have drawings, all taken from living plants, and
which will be brought forward in due course, we consider them, as
perfectly distinct, in more essential characters than merely the number
of chives. The acute and diligent Willdenow, in his new edition of Sp.
Plant. enumerates five species from Thunberg, &c.; but from his notes of
observation, prefixed to each, he had not seen either living or dried
specimens of any, but the two above named. The characters in which we
observe this genus to differ from Gnidia and Passerina, are, first, a
cup of two leaves, constant in every species we have examined, for they
cannot be considered as floral leaves, being attached to the base of the
blossom, and joined together at the bottom; secondly, the honeycup
forming a complete cincture to the mouth of the flower, and upon which
are seated, four, or eight, upright glands. This species of Struthiola
was first raised in England, at the nursery, Hammersmith, from the Cape
of Good Hope, in the year 1794. It is a tender green-house plant, and
very subject to be destroyed by wet; therefore, should be protected from
too much rain in summer, and kept in an airy part of the house in
winter. It is propagated by cuttings made in the month of May, or June,
and should be planted in light, sandy peat, mixt with about one sixth
part of loam. The flowers of this, as well as all the species we have
seen, are extremely fragrant in the evening, beginning to smell with the
setting sun, and continuing their flavour till morning. An agreeable
peculiarity attendant on most plants of this natural order, and on every
species of this genus, in particular, is, that they flower twice in the
year, about the month of March, and again in September; in which month,
last year, our drawing was made, from the Hibbertian collection, Clapham
Common.
[Illustration]
PLATE CXIV.
GERANIUM QUINQUEVULNERUM.
_Variegated flowered Geranium._
CLASS XVI. ORDER IV. _Of Suppl. System. Veget. 1781._
_MONODELPHIA DECANDRIA._ Threads united. Ten Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
MONOGYNA. Stigmata quinque.
FRUCTUS rostratus, penta-coccus.
ONE POINTAL. Five summits.
FRUIT furnished with long awns, five dry berries.
See GERANIUM GRANDIFLORUM, Pl. XII. Vol. I.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Geranium foliis hispidis, multifidis; floribus heptandris;
pedunculis multifloris; petala atropurpurea, margine pallido; caule
suffruticoso, spithamæo.
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