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Show The Hi.ftory of P L A N T S. Ludwigia capfulis cubicis apice perforatis. The Ludwigia, with cubic capjules perforated at the bafe. 1ttrgtnian Ptl:; lolb ®liUOllJ:; JJetb. This plant grows to a foot high : the fialk is ereCt, firm, and branched : the leaves ftand alternately, and are of a lanceolated figure, and undivided at their edges: the flowers ftand fingly down the fides of the upper part of the fialks ; they are large, and of a beautiful yellow : the root is compofed of a multitude of fibres : the capfule is ihorter than the cup, fmootb, of a cubic figure, and perforated at the extremity. It is a native of Virginia, but fiands very well in our gardens. Plukenet calls it Lyfimachia non pappofa, flore luteo majore, filiqua caryophylloide min ore ex Virginia.' 0 L D E. N L A N D I A. THE calyx of the Oldenlandia is a permanent perianthium, placed upon the germen, and formed of a fingle leaf, divided into four fubulated fegments. The corolla confifis of four oval petals, patent, and twice as long as the fegments of the cup: the !lamina are four fimple filaments: the antherre are {mall : the germen is roundi{h, and placed under the cup : the fiyle is fimple, and of the length of the fiamina : the ftigma is emarginated. The fruit is a coriaceous globular capfule, containing two cells: the feeds are numerous, ~nd very fmall. There is but one known fpecies of this genus. It is an American, defcribed by Plumier. AMMAN I A. . { T HE calyx of the Ammania is a permanent perianthium, of a campanulated figure, oblong, ereCt, quadrangular, marked with eight firire and plicre, and divided into eight denticular fegments, at the extremity the alternate ones. The corolla, when not wanti~g, confifis of four petals inferted into the calyx, placed vertically and patent =. the ~amma are four fetaceous filaments, of the length of the calyx, and inferted mto 1t: the an~herre are didymous: the germen is large, and of a fomewhat oval fig~re: the fiyle 1s fimple, and very !hort ; the fiigma is capitated. The fruit is a roundtili capfule, furrounded by the cup, and containing four cells: the feeds are numerous and fmall. Houfton figures the four petals from his American plants · they are wanting in thofe which flower with us. ' Ammania fo!iis Jemiamplexicaulibus. The Ammania, with leaves almojl furrounding the jlalks. This is a fhrubby plant : it grows to a foot, or two, in height; it's fiem is woody, the bark bro~n and fmooth: the leaves ftand two at a joint, oppofite one to another. They are an mch and a half long, and not more than an eighth of an inch broad at the bafe, where they are broad~ft, and fur~ound part of the fialk ; from thence they grow narrower all the way, tlll they termmate in a point; they are hollowed, fmooth, and even at the edges. Th~ flowers ftand in the alre of the leaves : the fruit in the cup, when full grown, is of the fize of a pea: the root is formed of a number of woody fibres. This i~ a nativ~ of Ba:badoes, and t.he ~eighbouring i~a~ds. Sir Hans Sloane, Ray, &c. call1t, A pannes foho vafculo femmah rotunda, femm1bus minutiffimis. T R A P A. T H.~ cal~x of the Trapa is a permanent perianthium, formed of one leaf, and d1v1ded mto four acute fegments. The corolla confifis of four petals vertically ovat:d, and larger than the cup: the ftam~na are four filaments, of the len'gth of the cup · the antherre .are fi~ple : the germen 1s oval; the fiyle is fimple, and of the length of the cup; the !hgma 1s capnated and emarginated. The fruit is a hard offeous capfule, of an oblong, oval figure, containing only one cell, and armed with four l11arp, thicl' 7De Hi.ftory of P L A N T S. thick fpines, placed oppofitely in the middle of the fides, and patent; thefe were before the leaves of the calyx : the feed is a fingle, covered nucleus, of an oval figure. There feem to be four other fieril fiamina, befide the four which have antherre on them. There is only one known fpecies of this genus, which is defcribed by authors under the name of Tribulus Aquaticus, and Tribuloides. T R A p A. -®attt ctalttop. The root of this fingular plant is compofed of a great number of oblong, £lender bodies, partly fwimming in the water, partly immerfed in the mud at the bottom, and from different parts of thefe there grow feveral tufts of fibres, !hort and Gender. From this there rife a number of leaves, in fome degree refembling thofe of the poplar, an inch and half long, fmooth on the upper fide, rugofe underneath, and fianding on pedicles four or five inches long, hollow or fungous, and having a tuberofity a little above their infection. The flowers grow on feparate pedicles ; they are fmall and white; the fruit is of the bignefs of a [mall walnut; the kernel efculent. It is frequent in many parts of Europe in !landing waters, with muddy bottoms; but it is not a native of England. C. Bauhine calls it, Tribulus aquaticus. Tourne-fort, Tribuloides vulgaris aquis innatans. Clafs the Fourth. Order the Firjl. Divijion the Fifth. Tetrandria Monogynia, with tetrapetalous, incompleat flowers. D 0 R STENIA. T HE calyx of the Dorfienia is double; the common involucrum is very large, plane, angulated,. and covered with a common receptacle, which grows to it, and with very numerous and very fmall flowers growing on it's diik. The proper perianthium is quadrangular and hollow; it is immerfed in the receptacle, and grows to it. There is no corolla : the framina are four very fmall, filiform filaments; the antherre are roundi!h: the germen is roundifh; the ftyle is fimple, and the ftigma obtufe. There is no fruit ; but the common receptacle becomes thick and fle!hy : the feeds are fingle, roundilh, and acuminated. Of this genus there is only one known fpecies ; but, that from the variation of the leaves and receptacle in their different periods of growth, has been defcribed under two names, as if two fpecies. D 0 R s T E N I A. The root of the Dorfienia is oblong, of the thicknefs of a man's little finger, of an irregularly protuberant fur face, and of a reddi!h-brown colour on the outfide, and white within. It's texture is fibrous; it's tafte extreamly acrid; it defcends obliquely ·into the ground, and is furnifhed with a great number of large fibres. From this rife five or fix leaves, each on it's feparate pedicle : the pedicles are five inches long, round, and reddi!h ; the leaves at firfi are of a kind of triangular figure, and only undulated at the edges; but afterwards they become more and more deeply finuated, till at length they refemble thofe of the common Sphondylium : they are four or five inches long, and nearly as much in breadth. Among thefe rife feveral pedicles, fix or feven inches high, fuppor ting each one common involucrum, with it's receptacle, and a multitude of flowers. The !hape of this common involucrum varies allo, as it is more or lefs mature ; and is at fome periods roundilh, at others angular. It is very thick and fteiliy, w h_en mature, and the feeds are white. This plant is a native of South America. Houflon defcribes it twice, under it's two fiates of maturity, under the names of Dodlenia dentarire radice, fphondylii folio, placenta ovali, and Dorfienia dentarire radice, folio minus laciniato, placenta guadrangulari et undulata. It's root is the Radix Contrayervre of the ihops. It is a noble fudori fic and alexipharmic. It firengthens the fiomach, diffipates flatulencies, and is excellent, in the form of the lapis contrayerva of the !hops, in fevers ; and as a fiomachic, in-fufed in wine, in fmall quantities. Q_ q q I S N A R D A. |