Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-08-20

ton. Wefegard it as the most singular OBJ
ject we have ever beheld, and deem it worth.
of visit'from all lovers of the curious in sh'
kingdom of nature At the request of severa
persons we take the liberty Of subjoining th'
following admirable account Of this plant, from
tho pen of the distinguished naturalist, DR.
BacIrnan of Charleston, which was published
at length ir our paper Of the 22nd May last.
Aristolochia fetida.
Class .Gynardria. Order Alexandria.
Natural order AristoochiacH.
Generic character Calix none. Carolia
one petalle3, tubular; fiaments, authers six
fastened at bottom to the stigma-six parted
Seeds several, depressed.
Specific character. Plan climbing, ever green,
stem twinIng branching, leaves large, pe,io'
late cordate, acute, strongly velned dark green
above, lighter beneath. Flower stalk about
foot long.
The great siugulari,y in this species
consists iii the flower which bears gen.
Eeral resemblance TO some waller fowl, and
is supposed to be no, unlike duck, hence
its English name. A full grown flower,
includingSthe tail, is about 8 feet long ;
the curioes appendage, not inaptly called
the lailiis about % inches, body Is inches
in circumference. There is, however. a
considerable variation in the size Of DIFF
ferenl flowers, although in shape they are
remarkably uniform. When several Of
these flowers are hanging on the vine they
presen, the singular appearance Of mum.
Der OF strange birds suspended by their bills
and dangling in the air. On cursory
view it requires no great stretch of imagi.
nation to see in this flower, compound of
various species of fowl; The. large mead
and elevated bill Of the goose, the curved
neck OF the swan, the pouch of the pelican.
and the body Of the muscoyey duck; the
oug pendulous tail has no resemblance TO
tIat Of any Of the fealhered tribe. The
body is tubular, presenting The appearance
of being inaaled-the whole flower is
strongly ribbed to prevea, it from collap-
sing. its color is pale yellowsh green,
veined, and reticulaled with light purple.
If the external appearance Of this flower
is very striking, the internal structure is
still moreTemarkaDle. When ii has arri-
we'd al iis;full growth, seam opens lou
isitndio6sfy IN the anterior position of The
body presenting The internal surface of The
corollo, beautifully spoiled with dark pur-
pie on lighI yellow ground like the mark
ings on the flowers Of some OF the species
of stapeia. Around the opening into the
throat the color is Of rich dark purple,
approaching to black. The. opening nlo
The neck and head is not unlike that Of the
wind. pipe of the feathered tribe. This
narrow orifice is lined with thick hair or
brislles pointing upwards so as to form
kind of funnel similar to the entrance into
a wire mouse trap; above IT. is, aud as it
were in the bill aud head OF the bird is the
etigna, on which the sarnens are inserted.
These stamens, which contain the pollen
or dust that lerlilizes the seed haug down
wards, and we are at loss 10 conceive in
what manner the authers can deposile the
pollen on The stigma inasmucl as they are
situated below it. Here nature seems TO
have made wise provision in calling in
the aid Of an TO effect tits purposes. No
sooner is The coraIlo expanded than slrung
and disagreeable odor issues from the
throat of the flower. This attracts the
insects, and they Immediately and by do
zens enter The orifice whete they are to-
tally unable TO return, in consequence of
the points Of the hair meeting them. Their
confinement senn becomes irksome they
keep moving about. continually, and thus
stimulating the flaments the anlhers now
either eec. the pollen on the stigma or
what seems most probable the pollen is
conveyed lhither by lhe insects. But after
the flower has become fertilized, the hair
shripks becomes aaccid, hangs, down close
to the side of the flower, and the little pris
oners leave their cage.
There are many flowers called person
ate flowers, that resemble the counlenan-
ces Of various kinds of animals. The Gu.
rious and imaginative have seen resem-
blances in the faces Of their domestic cat
tie 10 The human countenances. Indeed,
The Etrick Shepherd came to the concIu-
sion that by a long association with his
taltfltul QOS, lnel. COuuteudnceS 1au graz
ualy put OH similar expression. In all
these cases il is evident that single point
of resemblance when the species differ in
every other characteristic, does not consli.
lu,e an affinity. Il is not in mere re
semblance Of external forms, but in The in.
lernaI structure, and a similarity in many
essential particulars that naIuralists seek
for evidences of near approximation Of
species. Nor should we be msled by the
vulgar name given TO different species.
The so called sea horse sometimes found
in our harbor is pretty nearly allied 10 the
shrimp. aud is generally less in sizs-the
sea lion is large, ugly seal, and The sea
dog is smaller species ofIhe same genus.
Among plants we'have The snail flower,
The snake plant, ,ihe side saddle flower,
the alligator melon, The duck plant, &C.,
agreeable to this absurd theory there would
be connecting link between the horse
and shrimp. the squash and the snake, the
alligator and the melon. and our curious
Saraeenia and the ladies side-satdle.
These vulgar names and real or fancied
resenbances may mislead the uninform-