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[Page 3]
I have lately been again in the Isle of Wight, and found a purple plant which I make out to be an Orobanche, though it differs very much from the Linnean Generic description, by the following as may be seen by the following observations.
Cal.Cup 3 leaves, coloured, covering the under part of the blossoms; lateral ones deeply divided.
Bloss. 1 petal, gaping, longer than the calyx, crooked, large, [indecipherable] Border expanded, Upper lip concave slightly toothed, Lower lip with 3 clefts, unequal at the edge. Segments nearly equal, with minute teeth, middle one concave. Nectory a circular gland at the base of the germen.
Stam. Filaments 4, 2 long and 2 short, fixed near the bottom of the tube, and nearly as long as the blossoms, awl shaped, crooked, concealed under the upper lip. Anthers double, upright united at the upper end, blunt, diverging at the lower and pointed.
Pist. Germen oblong. Style awl shaped, agreeing in length and situation with the stamens. Summit blunt, with 2 lobes, perforated in the center
S. Vess. Capsule egg - oblong, tapering to a point, with 1 cell, and 2 valves.
Seeds numerous, very small. Receptacles 4, strap shaped, lateral, connected.
Plant from 4 inches to a foot or more in height. Root, bulb large, fleshy, scaly, fixed horizontal to the substance it grows upon. Stem, leaves fruit Stem fleshy, hollow within, with prominent sutures, lower part, with tawny coloured solid scales; the upper back part of the blossom and calyx purple, thickly set with short white hairs. Flowers scattered, sitting on the lower part of the stem, distantly crowded at the top. Floral leaves none, unless the middle leaf of the calyx is considered as such.
I found it on the rocks at Steephill, on the back part of the Island. It seemed as far as I could trace it to grow upon the roots of ivy, but several of the shrubs grew mobbed together, which made it difficult to determine. I saw about 40 plants, but was only able to collect 5 specimens in flower; the other having done flowering.
I shall send you some specimens of it the first time that I visit you some other specimens
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Right Honourable
Sir Joseph Banks Baronet
Soho Square
London