longis, floribus solitariis
terminalibus. _Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. 3. p. 287._ _Syst. Vegetab. ed.
14._ _Murr. p. 239._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 276._

CISTUS humilis aethiopicus, inferioribus foliis rosmarini sylvestris
punctatis, caeteris autem serpylli subrotundis, flore carneo. _Pluk.
mant. 49. t. 342. f. 5._

The _Diosma uniflora_ another native of the Cape, that never failing
source of vegetable riches, was introduced to the Royal Garden at Kew by
Mr. MASSON in the year 1775, it flowers in our Green-Houses from April
to June, and is usually propagated by cuttings.

This plant forms a small bushy shrub, the leaves are thickly and
irregularly set on the branches, quite up to the flowers, which stand
singly on their summits, and are larger than those of any other known
species of Diosma, expanding as we have found on trial beyond the size
of half-a-crown, which the blossom does in our figure, though it will
not appear to do so to the eye of most observers; they are without
scent, the calyx is large and continuing, composed of five
ovato-lanceolate leaves, reddish on the upper side, and if viewed from
above visible between the petals; the petals are five in number, much
larger than the calyx, and deciduous, of a white colour with a streak of
red running down the middle of each, surface highly glazed, the stamina
are composed of five short filaments, white and slightly hairy, broad at
their base and tapering gradually to a fine point, by which they are
inserted into the hind part of the antherae, near the bottom; the
antherae are as long as the filaments, of a brown purple colour, bending
over the stigma, and opening inwardly, each carrying on the upper part
of its back a gland-like substance, of a pale brown colour: besides
these parts there are five filamentous bodies alternating with, and of
the same length as the stamina, of a white colour, and hairy, each
dilating at its extremity where it is of a reddish hue, and presenting
towards the antherae an oval somewhat concave surface, which secretes a
viscous liquid; in some flowers that we have examined, and we regret
seeing but few, we have observed these nectaries (for such they may be
strictly called) closely adhering by their viscous summits to the
glandular substances at the back of the antherae[2]; the germen is
studded with a constellation of little glands, which pour forth, and
almost deluge it with nectar; the stigma is composed of five little