Class and Order.

Icosandria Polygynia.

Generic Character.

Petala 5. Cal. urceolatus, 5-fidus, carnosus, collo coarctatus. Sem. plurima, hispida, calycis interiori lateri affixa.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

ROSA muscosa caule petiolisque aculeatis, pedunculis calycibusque pilosissimis. Miller’s Dict.

[Illustration:  69]

If there be any one genus of plants more universally admired than the others, it is that of the Rose—­where is the Poet that has not celebrated it? where the Painter that has not made it an object of his imitative art?

In the opinion of MILLER, the Moss Rose, or Moss Province, as it is frequently called, is a perfectly distinct species; LINNAEUS considers it as a variety only of the centifolia:  as it is found in our Nurseries in a double state only, and as we are ignorant of what country it is the produce, the decision of this matter must be left to future observation and inquiry.

Though it may not increase so fast by suckers, nor be increased so readily by layers, as the centifolia, there is no difficulty in propagating it either way; the latter mode is usually adopted.

[70]

Mesembryanthemum barbatum.  Bearded Fig-Marigold.

Class and Order.

Icosandria Pentagynia.

Generic Character.

Cal. 5-fidus.  Petala numerosa, linearia. Caps. carnosa, infera, polysperma.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM barbatum, foliis subovatis papulosis distinctis, apice barbatis. Lin.  Syst.  Vegetab. p. 469.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM radiatum, ramulis prolixis recumbentibus. Dillen. 
Hort.  Elth. 245. t. 190. f. 234.

[Illustration:  70]

The leaves of this species have small hairs, issuing like rays from their points, whence its name of barbatum; there are two others figured by DILLENIUS, whose leaves have a great similarity of structure, and which are considered by LINNAEUS as varieties of this species; our plant is the Stellatum of MILLER’s Dict. ed. 6. 4_to_.

Like most of this tribe it inhabits the Cape, flowers in July, and is readily propagated by cuttings.

[71]

Statice sinuata.  Purple-cup’t Statice, or Thrift.

Class and Order.

Pentandria Pentagynia.

Generic Character.

Cal. 1-phyllus, integer, plicatus, scariosus. Petala 5. Sem. 1. superum.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

STATICE sinuata caule herbaceo, foliis radicalibus alternatim pinnato sinuatis:  caulinis ternis triquetris subulatis decurrentibus. Lin.  Syst.  Vegetab. p. 301.

LIMONIUM peregrinum foliis asplenii. Bauh.  Pin. 192.