The Botanical Magazine/Volume 2/59

by William Curtis

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[59] Mesembryanthemum Bicolorum. Two-Coloured Fig-Marigold.

Class and Order.

Icosandria Pentagynia.

Generic Character.

Cal. 5-fidus. Petala numerosa, linearia. Caps. carnosa, infera, polysperma.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM bicolorum foliis subulatis punctatis lævibus distinctis, caule frutescente, corollis bicoloribus. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 470.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM tenuifolium fruticescens, flore croceo. Dill. Elth. 267. t. 202. f. 258.

N^o59

Contrary to the Mesembryanthemum dolabriforme, lately figured in this work, this species expands its flowers in the day-time, and that only when the sun shines powerfully on them; on such occasions, the blossoms on the top of the branches being very numerous, exhibit a most splendid appearance.

It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, flowers in July, and is most readily propagated by cuttings.

Like most of the Cape plants, it requires the shelter of a green-house during the winter.