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Show The Hi.ftory of P LA N T S. IS N A R D A. The cal x of the Ifnarda is a campanulated periant~ium, lightly divided int~ f~UL' · y ~ Th · s no corolla · the fiamma are four filaments, gt owmg acute, patent.deglmenfts.l e~etihe anthera~ a~e fimple. The germen is lodged within out of the mt de o t Je cup' h 1 .11 • h ft" the fubll:ance of the cup; the :fiyle is fimple, and longer t an t ;eh an;ma; t 11 e tg~ · h' k ma IS t tc : t h e fir ut' t I· s fiormed of the iiquare bafe of the cup; It as 10ur ce s, an4 in them a few feeds of an oblong figure. . This enus comprehends the Dantia of ~eti.t, and the glaucts, fpecies 84. of Boccone. g The characters render a farther defcnptwn unneceifary. EL.l£AGNUS. T HE calyx of the Elceagnus is a perianthium, fconfi.ll:ing of a fingle leaf, very li htly divided into four fegments, frrait, campanulated, ~cabrous on the outfide, c' o loudre g WI' th'm , a nd deci'duous ·• there is no corolla. The ilahm ma are bfol ur very di h·o rt filaments, inferted below the divifures of the calyx : , the ant erre are o ong, a~ m .. b t. the germen is roundifh, and placed below the receptacle: t~e. fiyle 1s firnc~; n a~nd ~ little ihorter than the cup: the fiigma is fimp~e. ~he frmt IS a drupe of fn ~val figure, obtufe, fmooth, and punctated at the top, 111 whtch lS an oblong, ob~ tufe kernel. EltBagnus foliis lanceolatis. The lanceolated-leaved Elceagnus. The root of this tree fpreads a great way under the furfuce, and is . formed of long , and thick ramifications. The tree grows to fifteen or twenty _feet ~~~h, and fpreads it's branches every way to a confiderable extent; the bark IS whttifh, rough , and cracked on the trunk; fmooth, and often downy, on the young ihoots. ~he leave~ are an inch and half long, three quarters of an inch broad, a~d all over whtte, efpectally on the under fide ; they adhere to ihort pedicles, and fiand Irregularly on ~he branches i they are pointed at the ends, and _{oft to the ~o~ch: The ~owers fiand m th~ ~he of the leaves ; they are fmall and whtte; the frmt 1s hke an ohve, only fmaller; 1t s pul .. py part fungous, but well tafi.ed. . This tree is common in Syna and Cappadocia, as alfo in Bohemia and Spain. C, Bauhine calls it, Olea fylvell:ris folio molli incano. Dodonreus, Zizyphus Cappadocica, BRA B E J U M. T H E Brabejum has no calyx. The co:olla c~nfifis of four. linear, obtufe petals in their lower part erect, and formmg a kmd of tube; 111 the upper tu rned backward. The fiamina are four capillary filaments, inferted in the ungues of the petals, and fcarce fo long as t~e corolla ~ th~ a~therre are fmall, and fplit fidewa~s : the germen is very fmall and hairy; the .fiyle JS ~hforB?, of the length of .th~ fiamma, and fomewhat thicker above than below ; the fhgma IS fimple. The fru1t 1s a drupe of the drier kind, of an oval figure, and hairy ; the kernel is oval. There is but one known fpecies of this genus. It is figured by Breynius in his Cent. f. 1, The characters are fufficient, without any farther dill:inction. CAMP f{O R 0 SMA. T H E calyx of the Camphorofma is formed of a lingle leaf, and is of a hollowed, bellied, and urceolar figure, with two oppofite and alternate, very fmall teeth, The corolla is incompleat; the ftamina are four flender filaments ; the antherre are roundifh; the germen is oval; the ll:yle is a1ort, and the fiigma capitated. The fru it is a fmall capfule, containing only a fingle feed, The ihape of the calyx in this plant, and the capfule containing but one feed, fuf .. ficiently diftinguifh it from all the others of this clafs, R I .V I N A. T HE calyx of the Rivina is a permanent perianthium, coloured and divided into four parts : the fegments are of an oblong, oval figure, and obtufe : there is no corolla. The ftamina are four filaments, ihorter than the cup, and permanent ; th anthen:J. Tbe 1-lijlory of ~ L A N T S. 243 anthera is fmall : the germen is large and roundilh; the fiyle is very fhort : the fl:igma is fimple and obtufe. The fruit is a globofe berry, containing only one cel1, and ftanding on a green, reflex cup : the feed is fingle, roundi!11, compreifed, and fcabrous. This genus comprehends the Rivina of Plumier, the Solanoides of Tournefort, and the Phytolacce fpecies of Boerhaave. Pll.lmi~r very erroneoufly figures eight fiamina in the flower. There is only one known fpecies of it. R I v IN A. The Rivina is a very luxuriant tree, pufhing out a vall: number of long branches : it's root is formed of a number of long .ramifications. It's fiem covered with a pale, brown bark; it's fmaller branches with a green one. It's leave$ remain frefh all the winter; they are oblong, broad, and pointed at the end, two inches, or more, in length, and near an inch and half in diameter, hoary and foft to the touch. The flowers are coloured, though there is no corolla : the berries, when ripe, afford a rich purple juice, that fiains every thing it touches. The tree is a native of Barbadoes, Jamaica, and many <;>ther of the iflands thereabout. Tournefort calls it, Solanoides Americana circrere foliis canefcentibus. Commelin, Amaranthus baccifer circ~re foliis. SALVADERA. T HE calyx is a perianthium, formed of a fingle leaf, divided into four revolute fegme.nts; there is no corolla. The fiamina are fo~r fil~ments, of the length of the cup: the antherre are roundilh, and furrowed, refemblmg, 111 fome degree, a purfe. The germen is round ; the fiyle is fimple and fhort; the fiigma is obtufe and umbilicated: the fruit is a round berry, con taining only one cell, in which is inclofed a fingle, :round feed, inclofed in a fpo tted, callous fkin. · There is but one known fpecies of this genus. 8 A L VA DE R A. The root is divaricated and fpreading, the trunk woody; the bark is of a greyi.lh brown and full of cracks. It fometimes grows to the fize of a moderately large tree, but m~re ufually it is a fhrub of eight or ten feet high : the leaves fiand ufually in pairs; they are oblong and lanceolated, two inches in ~ength, and about an inch in b~eadth; they are of a bright green, and often fpotted With black. The flowers fiand m cluf-ters, and are of a pale, ye1lowia1 colour. . • It is a native of the Eafl:. The fhores of the Perfic gulph abound w1th It. The natives ufe it's leaves, as a remedy, for the bite of the fcorpion. A L C H E M I L L A. HE calyx of the Alchemilla is a permanent perianthium, formed of one leaf, fubulated and divided at the extremity into eight fegments, alternately larger and fmaller : there is no corolla. The framina are four very fmaJJ, erect, fubulated .filaments, inferted in the rim of the cup : the antherce are roundifh; the germen is oval: the fiyle is filiform, and of the length of the ftamina; it is inferted at the bafe of the germen : the .fiigma is globofe. There is no fruit: but the neck of the calyx fhuts, and it contains a fingle feed of an elliptic figu re, and fomewhat comprefied. ' 1. Alchemilla foliis palmatis. <lontnton JLabitS 7he palmated-leaved Alchemilla. !1l9antle. The root of this fpecies is oblong, of the thicknefs of one's little finger, and furnifhed with a number of fibres ; of an afiringent and acerb tafie. The radical leaves ftand on pedicles of two or three inches long ; they are of a fomewhat roundi{h figure, but finuated, deeply plicated, and of a pale yellowifh-green colour, ~nd an iqch and half in diameter. The fralks are eight or ten inches long, round, thtck, but not erect: the leaves on thefe are like the radical ones, but· finaller, and with very ihort pedicles. The flowers are fmall, and ftand in a kind of umbels; they are of a greeniil1- yellow. This is a native of England ; I found it this fummer in fome low grounds in Lincolnihire. C. Bauhine calls it, Alchemilla major vulgaris. Linnreus, Alchemilla foliis fimplicibus. · As it grows in more wet, or more dry, places, it's leaves are more or lefs hairy. 2 • .AI- |