1204 



HOSTA* cacriilea. 



Blue-flowered Hosta. 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA, 



Nat. ord. VEUBENACEiE. 



HOSTA Jacq, — Calyx obsolete bilabiatus, 4-dentatus. Corolla sub- 

 ringens ; laclnia intennediei labii inferioris ampla, emarginatih JDrupa nuce 

 4-loculari, 4-sperma. Pers. synops. 2. 143. 



Hosta caerulea. Jacq. kort. Sclwnhr. \. p, 60. t. 114. LiJik, enum, 2. 127, 



Hostana caevulea. Pers. syn. 2. 143. 



Cornutia punctata. Willd. sp, pL 3, 322. enum, 2. 654. 



Cornutia pyramidata. Linn. sp. pL 876. sec. Ait, Kew. ed. 2. 4. 45. non 



Hort. Cliff nee Plumieri. 



Frutex quadripedaliSy ramis tetragonis. Fo]iB.oppositaj petiolata, ovata, 

 acuminata, basi attenuata, subdentataj glabriusctda. Corymbi axillareSy 

 foliis hrevioreSy trichotomi. Flores ccBrulei, sub lente pnnctis alhis glandu- 

 losis conspersi. Drupa globosa, nuce quadriloculari. Willd. 



A native of South America and the West Indies, whence 

 it is recorded in the Hortiis Kewensis to have been intro- 

 duced before 1733, by Dr. Iloustoun. Our drawing was 

 made from a small plant in the collection at Syoh, where 

 it is found by Mr. Forrest to require a much more con- 

 siderable degree of heat than is usual with stove plants. 



Willdenow proposes to unite Hosta with Cornutia, 

 because he thinks the fruit of the true Cornutia has been 

 carelessly described by Plumier; and that it is in fact 

 the same as that of Hosta. But surely the arguments of 

 the skilful Botanist by whom this opinion is held, depend 

 too much upon mere conjecture to deserve attention ; 



* So called by Baron Jacquin, in compliment to his celebrated country- 

 man Dr. Nicholas Thomas Host, a distinguished Botanist, and pow chief 

 physician at the court of Vienna. 



