BLOSSOM 5 petals, gaping: petals approaching together. The lip of the honey-cup growing from the spur: the lip bending downwards. The chives the length of the style, and attached to it. SPECIFIC CHARACTER. SERAPIAS foliis lanceolatis glaucis, ad basin maculatis. Nectarium tripartitum, ferrugineum: laciniis lateralibus obtusis, erectis, conniventibus: divisio media ovata, acuminata, pilosa, dependens: corollis implicatis, apice involutis, extus pallentibus, intus fusco purpurascentibus. SERAPIAS with lance-shaped glaucous leaves spotted at the base. Honey-cup three-divided, and of a rusty colour: the side segments obtuse, upright, and approaching: the middle division is ovate, sharp-pointed, hairy, and hanging down. Blossom folded together, and turned inwards at the point, pale-coloured on the outside, and of a purply brown on the inside. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 1. The flower spread open. 2. The lip of the honey-cup. 3. The chives and pointal, with the spur of the honey-cup, magnified. For this luxuriant specimen of the Serapias cordigera we are indebted to the Right Hon. the Marquis of Blandford. It is a rare plant, of a curious structure but very sombre aspect. It is one of those numerous divisions of the class Gynandria approaching the genus Ophrys on the one side, and Neottia on the other. From the Ophrys it is not easily distinguished; but from Neottia it is separated by the difference of its habit. This plant is well known by the title of cordigera, a specific derived from the resemblance the lip of the nectarium is supposed to bear to the shape of a heart: but the analogy is certainly not very powerful. The flowers remain a considerable time in perfection. It is indigenous to Spain, Barbary, Italy, &c. [Illustration] PLATE CCCCLXXVI. MELALEUCA DIOSMÆFOLIA. _Diosma-leaved Melaleuca._ CLASS XVIII. ORDER IV. _POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA._ Threads in many Sets. Many Chives. ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. CALYX quinquefidus, semisuperus. Petala quinque. Filamenta multa, longissima, in quinque corpora connata. Pistillum unum. Capsula 3-locularis. CUP five-cleft, half above. Petals five. Threads numerous, very long, united into five bodies. Pointal one. Capsule 3-celled. See Melaleuca Ericæfolia, Pl. 175. Vol. III. SPECIFIC CHARACTER. MELALEUCA foliis alternatis, ovatis, reflexis, subtus punctatis, odoratis: floribus sessilibus in medio ramorum, viridibus, confertis: ramis verticillatis, patentibus. MELALEUCA with alternate leaves, ovate, and reflexed, punctured beneath, and sweet-scented. Flowers sessile about the middle of the branches, are of a green colour, and crowded together. The branches are whorled, and spreading. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.