The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 3 | Page 9

laciniæ superiores
2-breviores.

Specific Character and Synonyms.
LATHYRUS tingitanus pedunculis bifloris, cirrhis diphyllis, foliolis
alternis lanceolatis glabris, stipulis lunatis. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p.
663._
LATHYRUS tingitanus, filiquis orobi, flore amplo ruberrimo. _Moris,
hist. 2. p. 55._
[Illustration: No 100]
The Tangier Pea, a native of Morocco, cannot boast the agreeable scent,
or variety of colours of the sweet Pea; nor does it continue so long in
flower; nevertheless there is a richness in the colour of its blossoms,
which entitles it to a place in the gardens of the curious, in which it is
usually sown in the spring, with other hardy annuals.
It flowers in June and July.
The best mode of propagating it, is to, sow the seeds on the borders in
patches, where the plants are to remain; thinning them when they come
up, so as to leave only two or three together.

[101]
ALYSSUM HALIMIFOLIUM. SWEET ALYSSUM.
Class and Order.
TETRADYNAMIA SILICULOSA.
Generic Character.
Filamenta quædam introrsum denticulo notata. Silicula emarginata.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
ALYSSUM halimifolium caulibus suffruticosis, diffusis, foliis

lineari-lanceolatis integerrimis, villosiusculis, staminibus simplicibus,
siliculis subrotundis integris. _Hort. Kew. V. 2. p. 381._
ALYSSUM halimifolium caulibus procumbentibus, perennantibus,
foliis lanceolato-linearibus, acutis, integerrimis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab.
p. 590._
Thlaspi halimi folio sempervirens. Herm. lugd. 594. t. 595.
[Illustration: No 101]
Grows spontaneously in dry situations, in the southernmost parts of
Europe, where it is shrubby; and in similar situations it is so in some
degree with us; but on our flower-borders, where it is usually sown, it
grows so luxuriantly, that the stalks becoming juicy and tender, are
generally destroyed by our frosts; hence it is an annual from peculiarity
of circumstance; as such, it is very generally cultivated; the flowers
exhibit a pretty, innocent appearance, and strongly diffuse an agreeable
honey-like smell. They continue to blow through most of the summer
months.
It is a very proper plant for a wall or piece of rock-work; care must be
taken, however, not to sow too much of the seed in one pot, as it
spreads wide, but it may easily be reduced at any period of its growth,
as it does not creep at the root.
The specific description in the Hortus Kewensis above referred to,
admirably characterizes the plant, but surely at the expence of its
generic character.

[102]
CAMPANULA SPECULUM. VENUS'S LOOKING-GLASS.
Class and Order.
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

Generic Character.
Corolla campanulata, fundo clauso valvis staminiferis. Stigma trifidum.
Capsula infera, poris lateralibus dehiscens.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
CAMPANULA Speculum caule ramosissimo, diffuso; foliis oblongis
subcrenatis, floribus solitariis, capsulis prismaticis. _Linn. Syst.
Vegetab. p. 209._
ONOBRYCHIS arvensis f. Campanula arvensis erecta. Bauh. Pin. 215.
[Illustration: No 102]
Grows wild among the corn in the South of Europe, is an annual, and,
like the Sweet Alyssum, generally cultivated in our gardens, and most
deservedly so indeed, for when a large assemblage of its blossoms are
expanded by the rays of the sun, their brilliancy is such as almost to
dazzle the eyes of the beholder.
Those annuals which bear our winter's frosts without injury, are
advantageously sown in the autumn; for by that means they flower
more early, and their seeds ripen with more certainty; the present plant
is one of those: it usually sows itself, and is therefore raised without
any trouble.
It begins to flower in May and June, and continues to enliven the
garden till August or September.

[103]
PELARGONIUM ACETOSUM. SORREL CRANE'S-BILL.
Class and Order.
MONADELPHIA HEPTANDRIA.

Generic Character.
Calyx 5-partitus: lacinia suprema definente in tubulum capillarem,
nectariferum, secus pedunculum decurrentem. Cor. 5-petala, irregularis.
Filam. 10. in æqualia: quorum 3 (raro 5) castrata. Fructus, 5-coccus,
rostratus: rostra spiralia, introrsum barbata. L'Herit. Geran.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
PELARGONIUM acetosum umbellis paucifloris, foliis obovatis
crenatis glabris carnosis, petalis linearibus. _L'Herit. Monogr de Geran.
n. 97._
GERANIUM acetosum calycibus monophyllis, foliis glabris obovatis
carnosis crenatis, caule fruticoso laxo. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14.
Murr. p. 613. Sp. Pl. p. 947._
GERANIUM Africanum frutescens, folio crasso et glauco acetosæ
sapore. Comm. præl. 51. t. 1.
[Illustration: No 103]
Mons. L'HERITIER, the celebrated French Botanist, who in the
number, elegance, and accuracy of his engravings, appears ambitious of
excelling all his contemporaries, in a work now executing on the family
of Geranium, has thought it necessary to divide that numerous genus
into three, viz. Erodium, Pelargonium, and Geranium.
The Erodium includes those which LINNÆUS (who noticing the great
difference in their appearance, had made three divisions of them)
describes with five fertile stamina, and calls Myrrhina; the
Pelargonium those with seven fertile stamina, his Africana; the
Geranium, those with ten fertile stamina, his Batrachia.
They are continued under the class Monadelphia, in which they now
form three different orders, according to the number of their stamina,
viz. Pentandria, Heptandria, and Decandria. If the principles of the
Linnæan system