CUP 5-leaved with two honey-bearing pores on the outside at the
base. Petals five, nearly round with claws. Threads cohering at the
base. Berry fleshy of one cell with three large bony seeds.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
MALPIGHIA foliis lanceolato-ovatis integerrimis glabris nitidis,
subtus prope basin biglandulosis; racemis axillaribus et
terminalibus; pedicellis uniglandulosis; floribus monogynis;
stigmate capitato.
MALPIGHIA with lance-ovate, entire smooth shining leaves, with two
glands on their underside near the base; bunches both from the
sides and tops of the branches; flowerstalks with one gland; style
one; stigma headed.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The empalement.
3. The chives spread open.
3. Seed-bud and pointals.
* * * * *
This splendid Malpighia is one of that fine collection of West Indian
and American plants (we have before mentioned) made by Lord Seaforth
when Governor of Barbadoes, and brought home with him on his return to
England. From the catalogue of the collection we learn that the plant is
a native of Trinidad, and his Lordship informs us that it was sent to
him from that island by Mr. Thompson.
The species ought to be arranged between the M. nitida of Linnæus and M.
glandulosa of Cavanilles, from both of which the glands on the leaf and
solitary gland on the pedicel easily distinguish it. In the last
circumstance, however, it agrees with the M. glandulosa of Jacquin, (see
his Icones, tab. 469.) but is totally different both in the flowers and
foliage. A. B. Lambert, esq., from whose stove at Boyton we were
favoured with the specimen, informs us that it is a shrub of very free
growth, throwing out long slender twigs on all sides, and requiring the
frequent use of the knife to keep it in due bounds. The bunches of
flowers first appeared in November, but did not open until the beginning
of April. The leaf-stalks are thinly covered with silky bristles, some
of which also appear towards the base of the younger leaves.
[Illustration]
PLATE DCV.
PELIOSANTHES TETA.
_Bengal Peliosanthes, or Teta._
CLASS VI. ORDER I.
_HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Six Chives. One Pointal.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX nullus. Corolla 6-partita, subrotata, laciniis lato-ovatis
obtusis. Nectarium corollâ triplò breviore incumbente, ore
angustato integro. Stamina sub ore nectarii affixa. Filamenta
subnulla. Stylus crassus, brevis, obtusè trigonus, trisulcatus.
Stigma sulculus tripartitus in apice styli. Germen inferum,
3-loculare loculis dispermis. Semina (immatura) obovata, erecta,
fundo loculamenti affixa. Fructus bacca? subovata, carnosa.
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