INDIGO.

_Class and Order._

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ patens. _Cor._ carina utrinque calcari subulato patulo.
_Legumen_ lineare.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

INDIGOFERA _candicans_ foliis ternatis lanceolato-linearibus subtus
sericeis, spicis pedunculatis paucifloris, leguminibus cylindraceis
rectis. _Ait. Hort. Kew. V. 3, p. 67._

Of the genus _Indigofera_, twenty-three species are enumerated in Prof.
MURRAY'S edition of the _Syst. Vegetab._ of LINNAEUS; ten in the _Hortus
Kewensis_ of Mr. AITON; in which last work only, the present plant,
distinguished by the whiteness of its stalks and of the underside of its
leaves, is described, and in which we are informed, that it is a native
of the Cape, from whence it was introduced by Mr. MASSON in 1774.

Its principal period of flowering is from about the beginning of May to
the middle of June, at which time it is highly ornamental in the
green-house: strong healthy plants produce from five to eight blossoms
in a spike: on a plant growing with Mr. COLVILL, Nurseryman,
King's-Road, Chelsea, we once counted nine: a few of these usually
produce seed-vessels containing perfect seeds, by which the plant is
mostly propagated; it may also be raised by cuttings, but not very
readily.

[199]

ASTER ALPINUS. ALPINE ASTER.

_Class and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA.

_Generic Character._

_Recept._ nudum. _Pappus_ simplex. _Cor._ radii plures 10. _Cal._
imbricati squamae inferiores patulae.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ASTER _alpinus_ foliis subspathulatis hirtis integerrimis, caulibus
simplicibus unifloris. _Ait. Hort. Kew. p. 198._

ASTER _alpinus_ foliis spatulatis hirtis: radicalibus obtusis,
caule simplicissimo unifloro. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 761._ _Jacq.
Fl. Austr. V. 1. t. 88._

ASTER montanus caeruleus, magno flore, foliis oblongis. _Bauh. Pin.
p. 267._

CLUSIUS and JACQUIN, by both of whom this species of Aster is figured
and described, inform us, that it grows spontaneously on the Austrian
Alps: of the many hardy herbaceous species cultivated in our garden,
this is by far the most humble in is growth; in its wild state acquiring
the height of about four inches, and when cultivated, rarely exceeding
eight or nine: its blossoms for its size are large and shewy, making
their appearance much earlier than any of the other