5 



* NIPH^EA obl8n 



ga 



Oblong Snow-wort. 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. 



Nat. ord. Gesnerace^e. 



• - 



NIPHJSA. (Supra 1841. misc. 172.) Calyx semisuperus, sequalis, 

 5-partitus. Corolla rotata, subsequalis ; laciniis superioribus paulo minoribus 

 et magis connatis. Stamina inclusa, libera, conniventia ; 4 fertilia, subse- 

 qualia, antheris glabris ovatis ; quintum sterile, carnosum, corollse dorso suo 

 adnatum, deforme. Glandulce perigynse o. Ovarium 1-loculare, placentis 



didymis polyspermis ; stigma simplex. Herba Ramondce cujusdam caules- 



centis facie ; foliis rugosis in verticillum approximate, floribus axillaribus ter- 

 minalibusque aggregatis candidis. 



N. oblonga. Bot. Reg. 1841. misc. 172. 



Folia rugosa, oblonga, cordata, hirsuta, petiolata, grossb serrata, circa 

 caulem brevem quasi verticillata. Pedunculi rubescentes, aggregate axillaris 

 et terminates, uniflori, l±-2-pollicares. Corollee vix diametro sesquipollicans 

 laciniai rotundatce, concaves, demum revolutce. 



Although not to be compared for beauty with the charm- 

 ing Achimenes rosea, or the still more striking Achimenes 

 longiflora, introduced by the Horticultural Society from 



Guatemala, yet our Niphaea is itself a great acquisition from 

 the same country, where these and many more species of a 

 similar nature were found by Mr. Hartweg. It is the more 

 acceptable because it is one of the few instances of a pure 

 white flower among the Gesneraceous order. 



In its appearance it is much like Ramonda pyrenaica, 

 but both the form and colour of the flowers are different. In 

 habit it approaches some of the stemless Gesneras. In 

 structure it is very distinct from all the genera of its order 

 yet upon record ; from Rytidophyllum, Gesnera, Gloxinia, and 

 Achimenes in the want of a disk ; and from Mitraria and Con- 



* From vi<f>oQ snow ; in allusion to its spotless flowers 

 January, 1842. c 



