A specimen of the botany of New Holland/Embothrium silaifolium

124008A specimen of the botany of New Holland — Embothrium silaifoliumJames Edward Smith


EMBOTHRIUM silaifolium.

Cut-leaved Embothrium.


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TETRANDRIA Monogynia.

Gen. Char. See Tab. 7. Spec. Char. E. foliis tripinnatifidis: laciniis decurrentibus acutis, floribus spicatis germinatis pedicellatis.

Leaves tripinnatifid; segments decurrent, acute. Flowers spiked, standing in pairs, on footstalks.





OF this new and very singular species of Embothrium a plant brought from New Holland flowered last summer, for the first time, at Messrs. Grimwood's at Kensington, from which our figure was drawn; the fruit only was taken from native specimens.

The root is perennial, and prefers a light sandy soil. Stems somewhat shrubby, 3 or 4 feet high, erect, but little and alternately branched, round, slightly striated, leafy. Leaves alternate, on longish footstalks, spreading, smooth, thrice divided into narrow, decurrent, sharp, entire segments, sometimes three-cleft, of a dark green colour, and firm rigid substance, much resembling the leaves of Peucedanum Silaus. The upper and lowermost are more simple. Flowers inodorous, in a long, loose, terminal, simple spike; standing in pairs, back to back, each on its proper footstalk, with one lanceolate sharp bractea in common to the two. Petals white, much spreading, and revolute at the tip. Antheræ two-lobed. Germen with three remarkable glands at the base of its footstalk in front. Style much incurved. Follicle oval, slightly carinated. The seeds we have not seen, but they should seem to be very few.


EXPLANATION of TAB. VIII.

1. Corolla, the natural size.
2. Anthera.
3. Glands.
4. Germen.
5. Stigma.
6. Follicle after its seeds are discharged.