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Show The Hijlory .tJj P L A N T S. S C H E U C H Z E R I A. T HE calyx is a perianthium, divided into fix rude,. permanent, oblong, acute, reflexo-patent leaves: there is no corolla : the fiamma ate fix very lhort, flac~ cid capillary filaments: the anthem: are ereCt, obtufe, very long, and compreffed : the' germina are three, oval and compreffed, and of the fize of the calyx : there are no ftyles; the ftigmata are oblong, obtuf~ . at the top, and .adhere ou.twardly to the germetl: the fruit confifts of three roundt!h, compreffed, mflated? b1valve, refle.xodiil- ant capfules: the feeds are ~ngle and oblong: there are fometlmes fix germma, and as many capfules, but three ts the more n~tural and ufual number. Of this genus there is only one known fpectes. 8 C H E U C H Z B R I A. The root is creeping, flender, jointed, and fibrated ; t~e radical lea yes are five or ~x in number, three inches long, not much more than an e1ghth of an mch ~road, of a pale green colour, and pointed at th-e ends. The fialk is r<>und and fingle; It grows to four or five inches high · near it's bottom there fiand two leaves, almofi: oppofite to one another, and, towa;d the top, others alternately, one at every joipt, with a pedicle for the flower, rifing from the a ire of each; thefe are aU like the radical ones, broadeft at the bafe, where they furround the ftalk, and terminate in a point. The flowers fia~d fingly on pedides, each of an inch long; they are moderately large, and of a greemG1 colour, with an admixture of yellow. It is frequent in the mountainous parts of the nort ern kingdoms ; it loves b~ggy places. Scheuchzer calls it, Juncoidi affinis paluftris; C. Bauhine, J uncus fiondns minor. T R I G L 0 C H I N. T HE calyx is ~ perianthium, compofed of three leaves, which are roundi(h, hollowed, obtufe_, and deciduous; the corolla confifts alfo of three oval, hollow, obtufe petals, and is very like the cup; the ftamina are fix fcarce vifible filaments; the anthera~ are the fame jn number, and are fi1orter than the corolla: the germen is large; there is no ftyle; the fiigmata are three, fometimes fix, reflex and plumofe; the fruit is a capfule of an ovato-oblong figure, and obtufe; the cells it contains are of the fame number with the ftigmata ; the feeds are fingle and oblong. This genus comprehends the Juncago of Tournefort. 1. Triglochin capfulis trilocularibus lineari6us. The 11--iglochin, with trilocular, linear capfurles. ~ttolll::bealltb ·<5~ar.s. The root confifts of a little tuberofity, furnilhed with a multitude of fibres. The ]eaves are very narrow, four or five inches long, ereCt, and of a pale green colour. The fialk is round, fimple, and unjointed ; two or three of the radical leaves ufually furround it a great way : from the middle of the ftalk to the top fiand the flowers, in a loofe fpike; they are of a greeni!h colour, and pendulous. It is common with us in fea-marlhes, where it grows to ten or twelve inches high. C. Bauhine calls it, Gramen junceum fpicatum, five Triglocbin. 2. Triglochin capfulis Jexlocularibus ovatis. The Triglochin, with fexlocular, oval capfules. . ~ta fptltetJ df5~ar.s. The root is compofed of a clufier of yellowi!h fibres. The leaves are numerous, four or -five inches long, extremely narrow, flat on the upper fide, but rounded underneath, and of a. dulky green colour. The fialk is round, green, and {hart. The flowers form a fptke of four inches long, reaching from it's top almoft to the bottom;. they are v:ry fmall, and purpliih. The fruit is a firiated, oval capfule. It 1s common m our falt-mar!hes. Clufius calls it Gramen marinum fpicatum; C. Bauhine, Gramen fpicatum alterum. ' C 0 L CHIC U M, The Hijlary of P L A N T S. 391 C 0 t CHIC U M. T HERE is llo .calyoc, un lefs a few vt gue fpath~ are fo be underfiood as fuch ~ the ,corolla is divided iJHo fix f~ments -; t rye t~be is angular, ~d radicated ; the fegments of the _limb are eM' a lanceolato-oval .figure, concave and ereCt: the ftamina are iix fubulated hlaments, ihort'et tha.n th.a corolla.; the antherm. are oblong, incumbent, alild formed of four valves ; t:Jhe gerrnen .is buried with in the root : the ftyl es are three, filiform. and of the ~ength of ~the fl amina r -the fligmata ate t·eflex, and furrowed ; the fruit is a capfule, formed of .three lobes, connected intirely by a future; the ihape obtufe; the cells in it three in number ; the feeds numerous, of a roundi{h figure, and rugofe ; the piilil is fometimes only trifid at top, fometimes fimple. 1. Colchicum Joliis lanceolatis planis ereElis. The Colchicum, with plane, e'f'efl, lanceoklteJ leaves. .e}BcattollJ ~affron. The root is about an inch and a half long, more than an inch in breadth, famewhat eomprdfed, t urbinated toward the top, but, in the lower part, terminating in a broad end, iike a nail, and fending thence a number of .fib1 es; it is covered with feveral coats, .o'r hulks, of a blacki!h colm1r, and has ufually a ]!}Umber of fmall, lateral bulbs .adhering to it ~ int tHnaUy it ~s white, and f ull of a milky j uice. The flower appears .in autumn : it is extremely beautiful, an inch and a half long, exclufive of the tube, which is fmooth and delicate. The flower is of a purplifh white, and the fegments are each more than an inch broad, narrower at the bafe than in the middle, and terminate in a point. The leaves appear in the fpring, and peri{h before the next flowering feafon ; they are .five or fix inches long, an inch and a half broad, of a deep green colour, and pointed at the ends. It is a native of our meadows, but not common; I found it fame years finte abundantly near Caine in Wilt fhire. C. Bauhine calls it, Colchicum commune ; others, Colchicum Anglicum purpureum et album. Tpe other fpecies of Colchicum are numerous, and the varieties of them from culture almoft innumerable ; thefe have been defcribed as fpecid alfo by fome writers, and have greatly fwelled the lift. The principal really diO:intt ones are, 1. The fpring Colchicum, with a fimple piO:il, trifid at the end. 2. The many-flowered, fmaller, white Colchicum. 3· The broad, white hellebore-leaved Colchicum. 4· The broadleaved Colchicum, with teffelated flowers. 5· The narrower-leaved, variegated, Chinefe Colchicum. 6. The little-flowered, narrow-leaved, mountain Colchicum. 7· T he very narrow-leaved, faffron-flowered, meadow ~olchicum. MELANTHIUM. T HE female flower has no calyx; it is cornpofed of five petals, of an ovato-lanceolate figure, with thin, linear ungues, longer than the whole pefals befid e : the nectarium is a fpot of a cordated form, fituated near the inner bafe of the limb of the petals, and from this rifes a fetaceous filament, of the length of the petal, or nearly fo: the germen is trigonal; the ftyles are three, and crooked; the fiigmata are obtufe ; the fruit is a tapfule, of an ov:Ho-triangular figure ; the angles are compreffed ; it contains three cells, and in each feveral oblong, compreffed, membranaceous feeds. Thefe charaCters fufficiently diftingui!h the Melanthium, without a farther defcription. ME DE 0 LA. T HERE is no calyx, but the corolla is fo like one that it has been mifl:aken for it : the corolla confiO:s of fix petals, of an ovato-oblong figure, equal, patent, and revolute : the fiamina are fix fabulated filaments, of the length of the corolla : the anthera~ are incumbent; the germina are three in number, and corniculated, and they terminate in O:yles : the ftigmata are thick, and bent backward : the fruit is a berry of a roundi!h figure, divided into three parts, containing three cells, and, in ea~h, a lingle cordated feed. Thefe characters fufficiently di(lingoi!h it, without a farther defcription. ME N IS P ERM U M. |