introduced into this country by Sir GEORGE WHELER, Bart. in
1676.

It is a hardy perennial, increasing much by its roots, which are of the
creeping kind, and by parting of which in the autumn it is most readily
propagated; like the periwinkle, it is a plant well adapted to cover a
bank, or bare, spots under trees, where other plants will not thrive.

It flowers from July to September.

[147]

DAIS COTINIFOLIA. COTINUS-LEAV'D DAIS.

_Class and Order._

DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

Involucrum 4-phyllum. _Cor._ 4 s. 5-fida. Bacca 1-sperma.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

DAIS _cotinifolia_ floribus quinquefidis decandris. _Linn. Syst.
Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 403._ _Spec. Pl. p. 556._

DAIS _laurifolia_. _Jacq. ic. collect. 1. p. 46._

[Illustration: No 147]

The _Dais cotinifolia_ is an ornamental Green-house Shrub, of the
deciduous kind, and though it appears from the _Hortus Kewensis_ to have
been introduced by Mr. JAMES GORDON, of Mile-End, in 1776, is
yet a great rarity with us, and only to be found in some of the first
collections.

Its scarcity, and consequent very high price, is attributed to the
Nursery-men's not having yet discovered the means of propagating it
freely.

Messrs. GRIMWOOD and Co. of Kensington, have some very fine
plants of it, which flower every year in the months of June and July,
but as yet have produced no perfect seeds, which they may be expected to
do when grown older; such having been known to ripen them in Holland.

It is a native of the Cape, and appears to have been long possessed by
the Dutch, as its Generic Character taken from D. V. ROYEN, is
printed in the Genera Plantarum of LINNAEUS in 1764.

There are only two known species, and they vary in the number of their
Stamina, and divisions of the Corolla.

[148]

PELARGONIUM BETULINUM. BIRCH-LEAV'D CRANE'S-BILL.

_Class and Order._

MONADELPHIA HEPTANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-partitus: lacinia suprema definente in tubulum capillarem
nectariferum, secus pedunculum decurrentem. _Cor._ 5-petala,
irregularis. _Filamenta_ 10, inaequalia: quorum 3 (raro 5) castrata.
_Fructus_ 5-coccus, rostratus: rostra spiralia, introrsum barbata.
_L'Herit. Geran._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

PELARGONIUM _betulinum_ umbellis paucifloris, foliis ovatis inaequaliter
serratis laevigatis. _L'Herit. n. 84._

GERANIUM _betulinum_ calycibus monoph