Page:A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland.djvu/60

 however novel and singular, are deficient in beauty. We do not think the censure by any means just in general; and if it were so, the shrub here delineated might atone for a multitude of unattractive ones, by its own transcendent elegance, as well as by its resemblance to the favourite Erica tubiflora. We hope it will one day be introduced into our gardens, and remain a perpetual assertor of the botanical honour of its country.

Our figure is taken from a drawing, obligingly communicated by the late Major Ross, and assisted by very magnificent specimens from Mr. White. This species escaped the observation of Sir Joseph Banks and Dr. Solander, though several others of the same genus, which is an extensive one, were brought to Europe by them, as well as by Dr. Forster. The latter confounded the genus with his Epacris, as did the younger Linnæus after him; a mistake which Gærtner corrected, and called our Styphelia by the name of Ardisia; but that denomination have been previously given to Dr. Swartz and Mr. Aiton to another plant, we adopt Dr. Solander's original name, Styphelia, derived from ςυφελος harsh, hard or firm, expressive of the habit of the whole genus, and indeed of the whole natural order.

This shrub forms a thick bush, two or three feet in height, variously branched, firm and rigid in all its parts; the branches round, downy when young. Leaves scattered, sessile, spreading, of a narrow obovate figure, entire, tipped with a spine, smooth, marked with many