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 IX.

APHYLLANTHES JUNCEA.

Rush-like Aphyllanthes.

ORDO NATURALIS.

Junci. Juss. Gen. p. 43.

Bracteæ glumaceæ; ultima calycis instar receptaculum corollamque amplectens, 5-fida laciniis imbricatis. Corolla receptaculo turbinato insidens, regularis, 6-partita laciniis interioribus parum latioribus, in cunabulis convoluta, marcescens. Filamenta 6, infra medium laciniis adnata stylumque stipantia, inde erecto-patentia. Antheræ versatiles. Pericarpium 3-loculare, loculis 5-spermis. ''Planta dodrantalis habitu Junci. Radix perennis fibris rigidis. Caules tenues, e gemmis numerosis cæspitosi, simplicissimi, basi folio unico rariusve altero mox arido cincti, apice alio consimili sed longe minore terminati, cylindrici, læves. Folia ipsa teretiuscula margine in stipulam intrafoliaceam glumaceam producto, obtusa. Flores solitarii vel duo, sessiles, ephemeri.''

A. monspeliensis. ''Poiret in Encycl Bot. v.'' 4. p. 499. A. monspeliensis. ''Lam. Illustr. f.'' 252. pessima. A. monspeliensis. ''Linn. Sp. Pl. ed.'' 2. p. 422. A. monspeliensium. ''J. Bauh. Hist. Pl. v.'' 3. p. 336. Caryophyllus cæruleus Monspeliensium. ''C. Bauh. Pin. p.'' 209. A monspelliensium. ''Lob. Adv. p.'' 190. Bragalou. Occitanis.

Sponte nascitur in Provence, Languedoc, Algiers, collibus sterilibus.

Floret Aprili, Maio.

This genus has no real affinity to Juncus, however similar in general appearance. It comes nearer Asphodelus than any other I have yet examined, having its few leaves obtusely mucronated, with their margin dilated into a chaffy stipule, the receptacle articulated, and one sessile seed near the centre of each cell. The name, as we learn from Lobel, was given before his time by some of the Montpellier Botanists; not that they supposed the plant totally destitute of leaves, but from their being few and soon withered. It grows plentifully near Castelnau, where I gathered it in the year 1786, and will thrive with us under any dry wall. Nothing can be more faulty than Poiret's description, though it appears he had the living plant before him; he says, "Chaque fleur offre plusieurs Bales univalves, six Petales, Filamens "attachés a l'oriface de la corolle, Fruit contenant un grand nombre de semences." Then, by way of corollary to the above, he adds, "Ce genre est si voisin des Juncus qu'il n'y a guères que la corolle que les distingue."

REFERENCES TO THE PLATE.


 * 1) A leaf spread open.
 * 2) A Lacinia of the Corolla, shewing its monopetalous base and the insertion of the Filament.
 * 3) The Calyx.
 * 4) The Germen magnified.
 * 5) Transverse section of the Seed Vessel.
 * 6) The young Seed more magnified.