Priestleya
(named after Dr. Joseph Priestley, 1733-1804, the famous chemist). Including Achyronia. ORD. Leguminosae. A genus comprising fifteen species of greenhouse, often silky-villous shrubs, natives of South Africa. Flowers yellow, in terminal, crowded heads or racemes, or rarely axillary; standard sub-orbiculate; wings falcate-obovate; keel incurved, beaked or slightly obtuse. Pods oblong or broadly linear, oblique, compressed, two-valved. Leaves simple, entire; stipules none. The species thrive in sandy peat. Water must be carefully administered; if too much is given, the plants will die. Propagation may be effected by cuttings of very young wood, inserted in sand, under a glass, and kept free from damp.
P. ericaefolia (Heath-leaved). fl. capitate, terminal, or in fascicles in the upper axils of the leaves; keel fuscous-purple at apex. June and July. l. linear-lanceolate, rather acute, 1/4in. long, with somewhat revolute margins, hairy beneath, but at length glabrous above. Branches and calyces silky. h. 1ft. to 3ft. 1812.
P. sericca (silky). fl. disposed in a short, terminal spike, and, as well as the leaves and branchlets, clothed with adpressed pubescence. June and July. Pods hairy. l. ovate, acute, flat, onenerved. h. 2ft. to 3ft. 1794. P. Thunbergii (Thunberg's). fl. axillary, pedicellate. July and August. l. lanceolate, acute, smooth, the margins beset with silky hairs. Branches hairy. h. 2ft. to 3ft. 1819.
P. vestita (clothed). fl. capitate. May and June. l. ovate, concave, obtuse, nerveless, glabrous above, but, as well as the calyces and branches, clothed with hairy wool beneath. h. 2ft. to 4ft. 1800. (A. B. R. 382, under name of Liparia villosa; B. M. 2223, under name of L. vestila.) P. villosa (villous). fl. capitate. June and July. l. ovate-elliptic, acute, one-nerved, flat, and, as well as the branchlets, calyces, and pods, hairy on both surfaces. h. 2ft. to 4ft. 1774. (B. M. 3216.)