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Show The Hiflory of P LAN T S. C/qfi the Sixth. Order the Firfl. Divijion the Fifth. Hexandria Monogynia, with flowers not divided into three figments, and with cups. to them. A C 0 R U S. T H E common receptacle of the fructifications is of the length and fhape of a finger, and is covered with flofcules. The corolla confifts of fix obtufe, hollow, lax petals, broadeft at top, and, as it were, truncated : the ftamina are fix filaments, confiderably thick, and a little longer than. th~ corolla: the antherre are thick, didymous, terminatory, and adnate : the germen 1S g1bbous, oblong, and of the length of the ftamina; there is no ftyle: the fiigrna is a prominent point: the fruit is a lhort, triangular capfule, obtufely acuminated at each end, and contains three cells: the feeds are of an oblong, oval figure. Of this genus there is only one known fpecies. A c 0 R u s. The root is oblong, thick, and jointed; the leaves are two feet long, narrow, com.: preff'ed, fmooth, of a bright green, and terminate in a point : at the bafe they are fcarce fo much as half an inch broad, and they grow gradually fmaller. Among thefe there rifes a fingle leaf, thicker and more robuft than the re.ft, furrowed on the furface, and of a paler green ; on this grows the fpike of flowers : this is brown, and of a kind of checquered furface. It grows in watery places in many parts of England. It's root is the Calamus aro.: maticos of the lhops, though very falfely and improperly fa called, there being another Calamus aromaticus defcribed by medical writers, which is the ftalk of a plant, and to which the name was originally given. The root of this plant is a fiomachic and carminative, and is in frequent ufe. H ,l£ M A N T H U S. T HE flowers are difpofed in form of a kind of umbel; the involucrum is very large, and compofed of fix oblong, erect, permanent leaves : the corolla confifts of a fingle, erect petal, divided into fix ereet, linear fegments; the tube is very ihort and angular : the fl:amina are fix fubulated filaments, inferted into the tube of the corolla, and longer than the corolla ; the antherre are incumbent and oblong: the germen ftands below the receptacle: the ftyle is fimple, and of the length of the fiamina ; the ftigma is fimple: the fruit is a roundifh berry, containing three ;cells; the feeds are fingle and triqu etrous : the involucrum has fometimes more than fix leaves. H(2manthus foliis /anceolatis. The lanceolated-/eaved H(2manthus. 1!:1Jt d5ttinta .flDrcbt~. The root is a fin gle, moderately large, folid bulb, of a depreff'ed figure, and fur· ni{hed with fibres growing not from it's bafe, -but from · the top. T.he radical leaves are oblong, narrow, and pointed at the end: the ftalk rifes to a foot high; it is green, thick, fucculcnt, and fpotted : the leaves fl:and alternately on it, furroun ding it at their bafes ; they are five inches long, not half an inch broad, and of a fine {hong green: the flowers fiand at the top in a kind of little umbel; they are large, very beaut~ful, an.d of a' ftellated appearance. . It IS a native of Guinea, but we have it in our fioves. C. Bauhine, &c. call 1t, Orchis e Guin a. |
