Curtis's Botanical Magazine/Volume 73/4289
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Tab. 4289.
PHARBITIS cathartica.
Purging Pharbitis.
Nat. Ord. Convolvulaceæ. Pentandria Monogynia.
Gen. Char. Calyx 5-sepalus. Cor. campanulata aut campanulato-infundibuli- formis. Stylus 1. Stigma capitato-granulatum. Ovarium 3- rarius 4-loculare, loculis dispermis.–Herbæ volubiles elongatæ speciosæ, perplurimæ ornamenti gratia in hortis cultæ; pleræque Americanæ, retrorsum pilosæ. Chois. in DC.
Pharbitis cathartica ; caule glabro contorto, foliis glabris cordatis aut sæpius cordato-trilobis, lobo intermedio ovato-acuminato basi sæpius dilatato, lateralibus brevioribus acutis, petiolo longo, pedunculis 1-2-floris petiolis superantibus, bracteis 6-8 lineas longis bilineari-lanceolatis apice (fructis) acuminato reflexis hirsutulis, corolla speciosa purpurea.
Pharbitis cathartica. Chois. in De Cand. Prodr. v. 9. p. 342.
Ipomæa cathartica. Poir. Encycl. Suppl. v. 4. p. 633.
Convolvulus Portoricensis. Spr. Syst. Veget. v. 1. p. 595. Var. floribus roseis.
Convolvulus pudibundus. Lindl. Bot. Reg. t. 999.
Ipomæa . Don, in Mill. Dict. v. 4. p. 276.
A native of St. Domingo, Porto Rico, and Mexico, according to Choisy: we may further add Sta. Martha,in New Grenada; whence Mr. Purdie sent seeds in 1845, which flowered at Syon Gardens, in November of the same year, and made a very lovely appearance. The colour of the corolla is particularly vivid, varying from deep reddish-purple to rich violet-blue. The Convolvulus pudibundus of Dr. Lindley, above quoted, is doubtless the same species, with rose-coloured flowers. The ' Flore Medicale des Antilles' states that M. Bauduit, a rich proprietor of St. Do mingo, discovered in this milky plant a resinous juice, which coagulates and proves to be profusely purgative. He formed of it a much approved syrup, which, in the French colonies, bears his name. This syrup is very active, and requires, on account of its drastic properties, to be used with great caution.
Descr. Stem apparently annual, terete, glabrous, twining, slender, branched. Leaves alternate, remote, broadly cordate, sometimes entire, but more usually (altogether so in our specimen) three-lobed, glabrous; the lobes broad, rounded, suddenly acute, or rather acuminated, especially the middle lobe. Petiole as long as the leaf, slender. From the axil of the leaf or petiole, a solitary peduncle appears, about as long as, or longer than, the petiole, in our plant bearing one flower, with an articulation, and two small bracts, not unfrequently two or even three flowers : the upper joint or pedicel slightly incrassated upwards, about three quarters of an inch long. Calyx of five lanceolate, acuminated sepals, slightly hairy at the back, the apices more or less spreading. Corolla with the tube funnel-shaped, white below, rose-purple above; limb spreading, slightly five-lobed, the lobes rounded, with a small point in the sinus, the colour varying from reddish to deep blue-purple. Stamens five, unequal, included. Filaments hairy below. Style filiform, included. Stigma large, capitate, granulated. In fruit, the pedicel is bent at the joint or geniculated, and is much dilated below the persistent calyx.
Fig. 1. Portion of the corolla, with stamens. 2. Pistil:–magnifed.