the rose of Jericho; a genus of the filiculosa order, belonging to the tetradynamia class of plants.—Of this genus there are two Species. 1. The fyriaca, a native of Syria, is not cultiva- cultivated or known in Britain. 2. The hierochun- tica is a native of the sandy parts of Palestine and the Red sea. It is a low annual plant, dividing into many irregular woody branches near the root. At each joint is placed a single, oblong, hairy leaf; and at the same places come out small single flowers, of a whitish green colour, composed of four leaves placed in the form of a cross. These are succeeded by short wrinkled pods, having four small horns; these open into four cells, in each of which is lodged a single brown seed.—When the seeds of this plant are ripe, the branches will draw up and contract; so that the whole plant forms a kind of ball or globular body, which will expand on laying it a short time in warm water. This property it retains for many years, on which account it is preserved as a curiosity by some people. From this property the monks have given it the name of Rosa Mariae, pretend- ing that the flowers open on the night in which our Saviour was born.

Culture. This plant is propagated by seeds, which should be sown in the beginning of March, in a mode- rate hot-bed in pots, in which the plants are designed to remain. When they come up, the plants should be thinned, leaving them about six inches apart, and observing to keep them clear of weeds, which is all the care they require. If the season proves favourable, they will flower in August; but unless the autumn proves warm and dry, they will not perfect their seeds in Britain.