1. The Blossom, with the three petals detached from the upper part of the Honey-cup, which is
shewn in front with the smaller leaf inclosed within the larger.
2. The Chives, with the lower part of the Honey-cup, to shew their insertion at its base, and
the smaller leaf of the Honey-cup in its place.
3. The smaller leaf of the Honey-cup, magnified.
4. The Shaft and Summit, the Summit detached magnified.
5. The Seed-bud, natural size.
6. The Seed-bud cut transversely, magnified.
The Parrot-billed Heliconia, a native of the continent of South America,
as well as most of the West India Islands, was first received, in
plants, from the island of St. Vincents, in the year 1797, by Thomas
Evans, Esq. of Stepney; in whose collection it first flowered, in
September 1798, when our drawing was taken. This plant requires a
considerable degree of moisture and heat, as well as much root room and
rich earth, to make it flower in perfection; as it seldom opens its
blossoms freely without such treatment, and even with such assistance,
they are to be seen but for a few hours in that state. It propagates
from the roots, throwing up a number of suckers from the joints, which
are formed at a considerable distance from the plant. The younger
Linnæus in his Sup. Plant. of 1781, p. 158, has described this plant
under our specific title, but different in some few points; which appear
to arise more from his ideas of the various parts, than from any real
difference in the plant itself. Swartz in his Obs. 98, gives sheaths to
his plant, which Linnæus, we presume, denominates flower stem leaves,
&c. yet we have no doubt, but they have both described the same plant;
and perfectly agree with Willdenow and Martyn, that the H. psittacorum
of both authors is the same, and have as little of this being the
plant.
[Illustration]
PLATE CXXV.
VACCINIUM PARVIFLORUM.
_Small flowered Whortle-berry._
CLASS VIII. ORDER I.
_OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Eight Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX superus. Corolla monopetala.
FILAMENTA receptacula inserta. Bacca quadrilocularis, polysperma.
CUP superior. Blossom one petal.
THREADS fixed to the receptacle. A berry with four cells, and many
seeds.
See VACCINIUM ARCTOSTAPHYLLOS, Pl. XXX. Vol. I.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Vaccinium foliis lanceolatis, undulatis, venosis; floribus
racemosis; pedunculis longissimis, bracteatis; corolla conica,
striata. Stamina decem.
Whortle-berry, with lance-shaped, waved, and veined leaves; flowers
grow in long bunches; foot stalks of the flowers very long, having
floral leaves; blossom cone-shaped, and streaked. Ten Chives.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Blossom.
2. The Chives magnified.
3. The Seed-bud, Cup, and Pointal, the Summit detached, magnified.
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