in botany: A genus of the pentandria order, belonging to the monodelphia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 37th order, Columnifera. The capsule is quinquilocular; the petals at the base are fimbriated and oblique.

Species. 1. The lavandulifolia, hath a shrubby stalk and slender branches, very bushy, about a foot and an half high, small, spear-shaped, obtuse and hairy leaves, with clusters of small yellow flowers along the sides of the branches, continuing from June to Autumn. 2. The althaeifolia hath a shrubby stalk, and soft woolly branches, growing two feet high, with numerous yellow flowers in loose spikes growing at the end of the branches. branches, and making their appearance in July. 3. The grossularia folia hath a shrubby stalk and spreading branches, growing three or four feet high, with bright yellow flowers coming out in great numbers at the ends of all the shoots and branches in April or May. 4. The alnifolia hath a shrubby stalk and branches growing irregularly four or five feet high, with pale yellow flowers in short spikes from the sides and ends of the branches, appearing in April or May. 3. The hysso-pifolia hath a shrubby upright stalk, branching out laterally six or seven feet high, with pale yellow flowers in clusters from the sides of the branches, appearing in May and June. There are 14 other species.

Culture. All these plants are natives of Africa, and therefore must be kept in a greenhouse during the winter in this country. They are propagated by cuttings of their young shoots, which may be planted in pots of rich earth any time from April to July.