Mahernia.

The present species flowers very early in the spring, from February to May, producing a great profusion of bloom during that period; is a native of the Cape, and was cultivated by Mr. Miller, in 1728.

It rarely ripens its seeds with us, but is readily increased by cuttings.

The nurserymen near town regard this plant as the grossularifolia of Linnæus, calling another, equally common species, with longer and narrower leaves, alnifolia, and which does not appear to be described by Linnæus or mentioned by Mr. Aiton; our plant accords exactly with the Linnæan description of alnifolia, and there is we think no doubt of its being the alnifolia of the Hortus Kewensis, and Mr. Miller's Dictionary.

[300]

Gnaphalium Eximium. Giant Cudweed.

Class and Order.

Syngenesia Polygamia Superflua.

Generic Character.

Recept. nudum. Pappus plumosus vel capillaris. Cal. imbricatus, squamis marginalibus rotundatis, scariosis, coloratis.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

GNAPHALIUM eximium foliis sessilibus ovatis confertis erectis tomentosis, corymbo sessili. Linn. Mant. Pl. p. 573. Syst. Nat. ed. 13. Gmel.

ELYCHRYSUM africanum foliis lanceolatis integris tomentosis decurrentibus, capitulus congestis ex rubello aureis. Edw. Av. t. 183.

In the summer of 1794, towards the end of July, the Gnaphalium here figured, the most magnificent and shewy of all the species hitherto introduced to this country, flowered in great perfection at Messrs. Lee and Kennedy's, Hammersmith: Mr. Lee informs me, that he raised it from seeds given him by Capt. William Paterson, author of a Narrative of four journeys into the country of the Hottentots, and Caffraria, and who has most laudably exerted himself in introducing many new and interesting plants to this country; this gentleman assured Mr. Lee, that the plant was found in a wild state, five hundred miles from the Cape, on the borders of the Caffre country, from whence the natives bring bundles of the dried plant to the Cape as presents; in the state the plant has long since been imported from that fertile coast: if we mistake not, a specimen of this sort is figured in Petiver's works, and a coloured representation is given of it in Edwards's History of Birds, taken from a dried plant, brought from the Cape, by Capt. Isaac Worth, in 1749.

The plants we saw were about a foot and a half high, the stalks shrubby, and but little branched; the foliage and flowers as represented on the plate.

Several of the Gnaphaliums it is well known are liable to be killed by moisture, especially in the winter season; during that time, this plant in particular, should be kept as dry as possible, and, if convenient, on a shelf, separate from the other plants of the greenhouse; when it is necessary to give it water, it should never come in contact with the foliage or flowers: with these precautions it may be kept very well in a good greenhouse, in which it should remain, even during summer.

It may be raised from seeds, and also from cuttings.

[301]

Melianthus Minor. Small Melianthus, or Honey-Flower.

Class and Order.

Didynamia Angiospermia.

Generic Character.

Cal. 5-phyllus: folio inferiore gibbo. Petala 4: nectario infra infima. Caps. 4-locularis.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

MELIANTHUS minor stipulis geminis distinctis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 581. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 368.

MELIANTHUS africanus minor fœtidus. Comm. rar. 4. t. 4.

There are few flowers that do not secrete from some kind of a glandular substance, honey, or nectar, to a greater or smaller amount; in those of the present genus, this liquid is particularly abundant, even dropping from the flowers of the major, in considerable quantity; in the present species it flows not so copiously, but is retained in the lower part of the blossom, and is of a dark brown colour, an unusual phenomenon.

There are only two species of this genus described, the major and the minor, both of which are cultivated in our nurseries; the major is by far the most common, the most hardy, and the most ornamental plant; its foliage indeed is peculiarly elegant: this species will succeed in the open border, especially if placed at the foot of a wall with a south or south-west aspect, taking care to cover the root to a considerable depth with rotten tan in severe frosts: the minor is always kept in the greenhouse, in which, when it has acquired a certain age, it flowers regularly in the spring, and constantly so, as far as we have observed of the plants in Chelsea Garden; Mr. Aiton says in August, and Commelin the summer through.

The Melianthus minor grows to the height of three, four, or five feet; its stem, which is shrubby, during the flowering season is apt to exhibit a naked appearance, having fewer leaves on it at that period, and those not of their full size; but this, perhaps, may in some degree be owing to the plant's being placed at the back of others.

The foliage when bruised has an unpleasant smell.

It is a native of the Cape, and, according to Mr. Aiton, was cultivated by the Duchess of Beaufort, in 1708; is propagated readily by cuttings.

[302]

Mimosa Myrtifolia. Myrtle-Leaved Mimosa.

Class and Order.

Polyandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Flores mere masculi reliquis intersiti. Cal. 5-dentatus. Cor. 5-fida aut 0. Stamina 4-locularis. Legumen. Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 13. Gmel.

Specific Character.

MIMOSA myrtifolia foliis ovato-lanceolatis obliquis undulatis acuminatis margine cartilagineis: primordialibus pinnatis. Smith Trans. Linn. Soc. v. 1. p. 252.

The seeds of this species of Mimosa having been sent over in plenty, with some of the first vegetable productions of New South-Wales, and growing readily, the plant has been raised by many cultivators