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TRUTHIOLAERECTA. SMOOTH STRUTHIOL A.
Clafs and Order.
TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
Generic CharaSer.
r. nulla. Cal. t ubulofus, ore glandulis 8. Bacca exfucca,
polyfperma. Linn. Mant. p. 4. Syft. Vegetal, ed. 14. Murr.
p. 1 65.
Specific CharaRer and Synonyms.
STRUTHIOLA ere£ta glabra. Linn. Syft. Vegetal, ed. 14.
Murr. p. 1 64. Ait. Kew. V.. i . p. 1 65.
PASSERINA dodecandra. Linn. Sp. PL ed. 3 . />. 513.
Acad. V. 4. p. 2 71.
PASSERINA filiformis. Mill. Ditt. ed. 6. 4to.
PASSERINA. Bunn. Afric. /. 47. /. i.
The plant here reprefented appears to have been firft de-
fcribed and figured by BURMAN, in his PL Afric. under the
name of Pafferina: L INNAEUS introduced it in the 3d edition
of his Sp. PL by the title of Pafferina dodecandra ; difcovering
afterwards that it had in reality only four ftamina, and that
the other eight fubftances, miftaken for fuch, were fo many
glandular neftaria, he made in his Mantiff. Plant, a new genus
of it, by the name of Struthiola, and affigned it the trivial name
of'ereffa,- i n the abbreviated generic defcription given of it
by Prof. MURRAY, an alteration is made in this generic cha
racter, and what before was confidered as Corolla, is here re
garded as Calyx; no reafon is affigned for this alteration, and
we are at a lofs to account for the propriety of it.
Mr. MILLER, who cultivated this plant in 1758, defcribes
it in his dictionary, and obferves very juftly, that though its
branches when young are ereft, when loaded with bloflbms
they incline to a horizontal pofition; hence the term ereEta
becomes an improper one, and fhould be changed for one
more expreffive.
This fpecies of Struthiola is a very common fhrub in our
greenhoufes, will grow to the height of five or fix feet,
and, though not fo ornamental as fome other pjants, has the
merit of flowering during moft of the year, and often in the
depth of winter.
Is readily increafed by cuttings.