PARKINSONIA, so called in honour of the
English botanist Parkinson: A genus of the monogyn-
ia order, belonging to the decandria class of plants;
and in the natural method it ranks under the 33d
order, Lomentacea. The calyx is quinquelid; there are
five petals, all of them oval except the lowest, which
is reniform; there is no style; the legumen moniliform,
or like string beads. We know but one species of
this plant, which is very common in the Spanish West
Indies, but has of late years been introduced into the
English settlements, for the beauty and sweetness of
its flowers. In the countries where it grows naturally,
it rises to be a tree of 20 or more feet high, and bears
long slender bunches of yellow flowers; which have a
most agreeable sweet scent.