ey are said to be
very numerous; this is, we believe, the only one that as yet has
flowered in this country: our drawing was made from a plant which
blossomed toward the close of last summer at Lord CREMORNES, the root of
which had been sent from Botany-Bay; previous to this period we have
been informed, that the same species flowered both at Kew and
Sion-House: as it is without difficulty raised both from seeds and
cuttings, young plants of it are to be seen in most of the Nurseries
near town; it would seem that they do not flower till they are at least
five or six years old.

_Metrosideros_ is a name given originally by RUMPHIUS in _Herb. Amboin_
to some plants of this genus, the term applies to the hardness of their
wood, which by the Dutch is called Yzerhout (Ironwood): FORSTER in his
_Gen. Pl._ figures this and another genus on the same plate, under the
name of _Leptospermum_; SCHREBER in his edition of the _Gen. Pl._ of
LINNAEUS, unites _Metrosideros_, _Melaleuca_, _Leptospermum_, and
_Fabricia_, under the genus _Melaleuca_; GAERTNER in his elaborate work
on the seeds of plants, makes separate genera of these, agreeably to the
ideas of Sir JOSEPH BANKS and Mr. DRYANDER, who on this subject can
certainly boast the best information.

We cannot, without transgressing the allotted limits of our
letter-press, give a minute description of the plant figured; suffice it
to say, that it is an ever-green shrub, growing to the height of from
four to six or more feet, that its leaves on the old wood feel very
harsh or rigid to the touch, and when bruised give forth an agreeable
fragrance, the flowers grow in spikes on the tops of the branches, and
owe their beauty wholly to the brilliant colour of the filaments.

[Illustration: No 260]

[Illustration: No 261]

[261]

ERODIUM INCARNATUM. FLESH-COLOURED CRANE'S-BILL.

_Class and Order._

MONADELPHIA PENTANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-phyllus. _Cor._ 5-petala. _Nect. Squamulae_ 5 cum
filamentis alternantes; et glandulae melliferae, basi staminum
insidentes. _Fructus_ 5-coccus, rostratus; rostra spiralia,
introrsum barbata. _L'Herit. Geran._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ERODIUM _incarnatum_ pedunculis paucifloris, foliis tripartitis
ternatisve trifidis scabris, caule fruticuloso. _L'Herit. n. 21.
tab. 5._ _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 415._

GERANIUM incarnatum pedunculis bifloris, foliis tripartitis
tri