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Show 216 The Hi.ftory of P L A N T S. three in number, {hart and capillary : the fiig~ata are fimple •. T_here is no pericar~ pium. The calyx remains unaltered, a~d contams the feed, wh1ch lS fingle. Of this there is only one known fpectes. E R I 0 c A u L 0 N . - The root is fibrous ; the radical l~aves are t~o or three inches long, very narrow and graffy of a pale green colour, and fpread ~trcularly . on the ground. The ~alks fl nder round naked fix or eight mches h1gh, and are covered With a are very e , , ' 1 1 fi f h' 'lh blacki!h, gloffy hairinefs : on their tops fiand fmall, round, or ova , c u ers o w 1t1 or reddith flowers. . . It is a native of North America, and grows pnnc1pally about the fea-fide. Petiver calls it, Planta marina capitulis albis conglobatis. MON T I A. T HE calyx of the Montia is a perianthium compofed of two leave~, ~oncave, of an oval, obtufe figure, ereCt and permanent. The corolla confifis of a fingle petal and is divided a the extremity into five parts ; three of the fegments are fmaller th~n the others, and produce fiamina ; ' hefe fiand alternately with ~he tw~ larger. The ftamina are three capillary filaments,, of the length of the ~oyo~la, mt? wh1ch they are inferted. The antherre are fmall : the germen of the plfitlis turbmated. ~h.e ftyles are three in number, villofe and patent : ~he ftigmata are fimple. The frmt 1s a turbinated, obtufe capfule, covered by the cup, compofed. of three.valves, and hav~ ing three cells. The feeds are three in number, ~nd roundt~. Thts genus comprehends the Cameraria of Dillenius, and the Alfinmdes of Va1llant. The calyx often varies, and is compofed of three leaves ; an~ in this . cafe. the flower has five fiamina. Of this genus there is only one known fpec1es. M1cheh makes two, but erroneoufiy, from a variety of this. M 0 NT. I A. The root of this plant confifts of a gre~t number of fine, c;apillary, white fibr~s; from this rife feveral ftalks, round, of a reddiili colour, procumbent, and often fen.ding forth new roots at the joints, as they lie on the ground. They are often not a~ mch long, feldom much more than two, knotty, and often much branched. The leaves ftand two at each joint; they are fmall, like thofe of the ferpyllum, but narrower, of a pale green, and fqmewhat fattiili. The flowers grow from the alre of the leaves principally about the top of the plant, (ometimes all the way along it : they fiand on peduncles half an inch in length, though fometimes . fingly, fometimes two or three together. They are extreamly fmall, and fel.dom quite open ; they are white. The tafte of the whole plant is bitter. , · It is frequent with us in datnp places ; fometimes, .~n raihy fea fonsp in corn-fields. C. Bauhine calls it, Portulaca arvenfis. Dillenius, Camer~ria arvenfis mirl6r.· Vaillant, Alfinoides annua verna; and Ray, Alfine parva paluftris, tricoccos, portulacre aquaticre fimilis. . . ' PROSERPJN~CA. l [ T H E calyx , is a perianthium., comppfed of" a fin,&le le,af, divided at the extremities into three narrow, pointed fegments. T.nere 'is ho corolla.' The fiamina ar.e three flender filaments : the antherre are moderately large, and oblong ; the gennen 1s oval, and ftands beneath the cup; the ftyles ~are -three;~ and flender ; the fiigmata are (mall ; the feed is fingle. There is but bne known fpecies of this genus, ·and that fo fufficiently diftinguiilied by thefe charaCters, that it needs no farther defcription . 1 I I. The Hijlory of P L A N T s. T I L L 1E A. T H.E c~lyx of the Tillrea is a plain perianthium, confifiing of a fingle leaf, divided mto three large, oval fegments. The corolla confifis of three oval, acute, plane petals, fomewhat fmaller than the fegments of the cup. The ftamina are three fi~ple filament~, iliorter than the corolla : the antherre are fmall. The germina of the pilhl are three m number : th.e fty les are fimple; the fiigmata are obtufe. The fruit confifis of thr.ee oblong, acummated capfules, reflex, ·and of the length of the flower which, when ripe, fplit open longitudinally upwards. The feeds are of an oval fi~ gure,. and. are con.ta!ned. two in. each capfule. Mtcheh firft dtftmgm{hed this plant to be a diftintl: genus. There is only one fpecies of it, and that Vaillant calls a· fpecies of Sedum. T I L L 1E A. ~he root is fmal1, white, woody, and divaricated into two or three parts. The ra?tcal leaves are of an oval figure, and. about a tenth of an inch long, fomewhat thtck, and of a d.ulky gr~en: the fialk IS about an inch and half in length, round, flender~ and furmthed Wtth a number of leaves, ftanding in pairs, of the !hape of the ra?tcal ones, but fmaller, and without any pedicles. Sometimes the fialk is fimple; fomettmes there grow branches from the alee of all the leaves. The flowers are very minute ; the feeds oval. It grow~ out of ~he cracks of rocks in Italy and Spain. Bocconi calls it, Sempervivum, ommum mmim~~' repens, mufcofum polygoni facie; and, in another place, Polygonum mufcofum mmtmum. M 0 L LUG 0. T HE calyx of the Mollugo is a perianthium, compofed of five leavesj which are permanent, oblong, coloured on the infide, and eretto-patulous in their fituation. There is no corolla, except the calyx be called by that name. The ftamina are three fetaceous filaments, lhorter than the. fl?v:er, and plac~d very near the piftil : the an.therre are fimple. The germen of t~e p1ihlts oval and tnf~lcated : the ftyles are three m number, and very iliort : the ftigmata are obtufe. The fruit is a capfule of a fomewhat oval figure, formed of three valves, and containing three cells in each of which th~re are a number of kidney-iliaped feeds. ' There IS on1~ one known plant of this genus, and that is called, in the Hort. Lugd. Batavus, a fpectes of Alfine. M 0 L L u Go. The root of this plant confifts of a number of white, moderately thick and long ?bres. T~e fialk is flender a~d rou?d; it lies clofe upon the ground, and is divided mto a multitude of branches, m a dichotomous order. It is jointed and between the joints fo~eyvhat firiated ; and at the joints is larger than elfewhere, a~d of a red colour . At every JOl.nt of th.e ftalk ~here ftands a clufier ofleaves, ufually five, fometimes feven . T hey are d1fpofed m a radiated manner, and are of a lanceolate figure fomewhat crucifer~, a~d pointed at the extremities, and are fmooth and hollowed. The flowers fiand 111 ctrcles round the fialk, each on it's own pedicle, which are fhorter than thofe of the leaves, and very flender. The calyx is oblong, green on the outfide and within. The feeds are firiated, and of a reddiili-brown colour. ' ~his plant is a native of Virginia, and fome other ·parts of North America. Gron ov~u s ca~ls .it, ~ollu~o foliis frepius f~ptenis lanceolatis. Plukenet, Alfine fpergula manna !atiOn foho, flunbus ad nodos pedtculis curtis circa caulem infidentibus, calycibus puntlat1s. Kkk Clafs |
