BASTARD ORPINE: A genus of the gynandria order, belonging to the monoeia clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 38th order, Tricocce. The characters are: The male calyx consists of five leaves; the corolla has five petals; and the stamina, which are also five in number, are inserted into the stylus; The female calyx is divided into five leaves; there is no corolla; the styli are three; and the capsule is trilocular, containing three seeds.

Species. 1. The telephoides, or herbaceous trailing andrachne, is a low plant, whose branches trail upon the ground. The leaves are small, of an oval shape, smooth, and of a sea-green colour. It is found wild in some parts of Italy and the Archipelago; but is a plant of no great beauty, and therefore seldom cultivated.

2. The fruticosa, or shrubby bastard orpine, is a native of China and some places of America, where it rises 12 or 14 feet high. The leaves are spear-shaped, pointed, and smooth; and under them are produced the footstalks of the flowers, which are small, and of a herbaceous white colour.

3. The arborea, with a tree-like stalk. This species was discovered by the late Dr William Houston, growing naturally at Campeachy. It has a strong woody stem, which rises more than 20 feet high, and sends out many branches on every side. This has not yet flowered in Britain. A fourth sort is also mentioned by Mr Millar as raised by him from seeds sent from Jamaica. It agrees in general with the third sort; but the leaves are somewhat like the laurel, only much larger.

Culture. The first species may be raised, by sowing the seeds in March, on a moderate hot-bed. The plants may be removed into small pots, and plunged into another very moderate hot-bed, to bring them forward; but in mild weather they should have plenty of air admitted to them, and be frequently refreshed with water. In June they will produce flowers, and the seeds will ripen in August and September.—The other species are very tender, and therefore must be kept constantly in the bark-stove. It is very difficult to procure good seeds of these sorts; the covers often containing nothing, though they appear very fair outwardly. Of all the seeds sent over by Dr Houston, only one was found to contain a kernel, so that only one plant was produced.