GESNERIACE/ZE. XV. ArrorLECTUS. 
provinces. Corolla 
yellow. 
Scattered-flowered Alloplectus. Shrub climbing. 
2 A.cinciNA'rUsS (Mart. l. c. p. 56. t. 223. f. 2.) leaves ob- 
long or broad-oblong, attenuated at the base, acuminated, finely 
strigillose; racemes axillary; peduncles nodulose ; bracteas 
larger than the oblong, calycine segments, and are, as well as 
them, deep purple, and almost quite entire; limb of corolla 
villous, shortly 5-lobed, revolute. h. VU. S. Native almost 
throughout Brazil, in moist parts of woods, climbing upon trees. 
Leaves 3-7 inches long, reddish beneath. 
Besléria hirtélla, Schott. in cestr. med. jahrb. 42. p. 8.? Co- 
rollas yellow. 
Circinate Alloplectus. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1824. Shrub 
climbing. 
9 A. mi'sPerpus (Mart. l. c. p. 57.) leaves oblong-elliptic, 
acute, serrately crenated, hispid ; peduncles axillary, solitary, 
1-flowered ; calycine segments ovate-lanceolate, sharply ser- 
rated, hispid ; bracteas unknown. b. S. Native of New 
Granada, in humid places on the Andes of Popayan, and in the 
valley of the river Mayo, between Mamendoy and the town of 
Pasto, at the altitude of 1040 hexapods.  Besléria híspida, H. 
B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 2. p. 399. Branches warted, his- 
pid, while young. Leaves 2 inches long, and 1 broad. Corolla 
yellow, hispid from pili; limb oblique, 5-cleft, reflexed. Said 
to be nearly allied to Besléria cristata. 
Hispid Alloplectus. Shrub climbing. 
4 A. Ku’nruit; leaves ovate-oblong, subacuminated, denticu- 
lated, pilose above, and pilosely pubescent beneath, and pur- 
plish; peduncles axillary, few together, 1-flowered ; calycine 
segments ovate, acuminated, denticulated, pilose, purplish ; 
bracteas unknown. k. |. S. Native of New Granada, in 
shady places on the Andes, about Quindiu, and near the Villa 
La Erre; and in the plains of Sacandonoy, between the town of 
Almaguer and Pasto, at the altitude of 1000 to 1200 hexapods. 
Besléria bicolor, H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 2. p. 398. 
Branches hispid, subtetragonal. Corolla hairy, yellow, purple 
on the back, and somewhat gibbous at the base ; limb somewhat 
5-cleft, and sub-bilabiate. 
Kunth's Alloplectus. Shrub climbing. 
5 A.? carcaRa'rus ; leaves oblong, subacuminated, crenately 
serrated at apex, pilose; peduncles axillary, 2-4-flowered ; calyx 
hairy, with oblong, acuminated, denticulated, coloured segments ; 
limb of corolla 5-lobed ; bracteas unknown. h.S. Native of 
the Andes of Quindiu, near La Pamilla, at the altitude of 1130 
hexapods. Besléria calcarata, H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 
2. p. 399. Branches fuscous, pilose, hispid while young. Co- 
rola orange-yellow, glabrous, tubularly calceolate, spurred 
above at the base, and saccately inflated under the lower lip; 
spur short, straight, obtuse; throat constricted ; lobes of limb 
rounded: 2 superior ones larger. 
Spurred-flowered Alloplectus. Shrub 2 to 3 feet. 
6 A. sancur NEUS (Mart. l. c.) leaves obovate-oblong, acumi- 
nated, toothed, furnished with a few adpressed hairs, marked 
with purple spots beneath; flowers axillary, sessile ; calycine 
segments deeply serrated, very hairy, coloured. h.S. Native 
of St. Domingo, and the Antilles; of New Granada, on Mount 
Quindiu, near El Passo del Machin, at the altitude of 1030 hex- 
apods. Besléria sanguínea, Pers. syn. 2. p. 165. Dalbergaria 
phoenícea, T'ussac. ant. 1. p. 141. t. 30. Calyxes more jagged 
than serrated. Corolla tubular, villous, gibbous, sub-bilabiate, 
ex Pers.; rudiment of a fifth stamen wanting. 
Bloody-calyxed Alloplectus. Shrub climbing. ? 
7 A. cmisTA TUs (Mart. l. c.) leaves ovate, serrated; pedun- 
cles axillary, solitary, 1-flowered; bracteas cordate, toothed, 
sessile, scarlet, as well as the calycine segments, which are ser- 
rated ; corolla hairy outside ; lobes rounded, entire. R. S. 
XVI. Episcra. 655 
Native of Guiana and Martinico, in humid woods.  Besléria 
cristata, Lin. syst. p. 468. Aubl. guian. 2. p. 637. Swartz, 
obs. 232. Jacq. amer. p. 188. t. 119. Mill. dict. no. 3.— 
Plum. gen. 29, with a figure. Corolla yellowish. 
Crested-calyxed Alloplectus. Fl. June, Aug. 
Shrub climbing. 
8 A. coccrNEUs (Mart. }. c.) leaves ovate, glabrous, stiff, a 
little toothed ; peduncles axillary, bearing 3-6 flowers in an um- 
bel at top; bracteas 2, at the division of the common peduncle, 
orbicularly cordate, toothed, scarlet, like the calycine segments, 
which are serrated. h. S. Native of Guiana, in marshy 
parts of woods. Besléria coccinea, Aubl. guian. 2. p. 632. t. 
255. Corolla and fruit yellow. 
Scarlet-calyxed Alloplectus. 
climbing. 
9 A. Scnérrn; leaves ovate-lanceolate, quite entire, pubes- 
cent; flowers axillary, crowded, nearly sessile; calyxes red, 
denticulated, roundish ; limb of corolla, which is clavate, erect- 
ish. hk. VU. S. Native of Brazil. Besléria bicolor, Schott. 
in cestr. med. jahrh. 4. 2. p. 8. Besléria díchrous, Spreng. 
syst. 2. p. 840. 
Schott’s Alloplectus. Shrub climbing. 
Cult. For culture and propagation see Rytidophyllum, p. 650. 
Cit. 1789. 
EL? Cle. 1819: Shrub 
XVI. EPISCIA (from em, epi, upon; aud oxi, scia, a 
shadow ; so named because the species delight in shady places.) 
Mart. nov. gen. bras. 3. p. 39. — Besléria species of authors. 
Lin. syst.  Didynàmia, Angiospérmia. Calyx free, 5-cleft 
or 5-parted. Corolla inferior, funnel-shaped ; tube straightish, 
gibbous behind at the base; limb 5-lobed. Stamens 4, didy- 
namous, furnished with the rudiment of a fifth behind, which 
rises from the base of the tube. Hypogynous ring swelling 
into a gland behind. Capsule nearly globose, membranous, 2- 
valved; placentas 2, parietal, bilamellate. Seeds numerous, 
oblong.—Soft, juicy, glabrous, or villous, decumbent herbs, 
rooting upon the earth or decayed trees. Leaves opposite, peti- 
olate; the middle nerve prominent beneath, and with the veins 
thick, anastomosing, and juicy. Flowers axillary, solitary, or 
in little cymes, and bracteate, of various colours. 
1 E. pecu’mBens (Mart. l. c. p. 40. t. 216.) plant smooth- 
ish ; stems decumbent and creeping ; leaves oblong, subcordate 
at the base, acute, crenated ; cymes axillary and terminal ; calyx 
about half as long as the corolla, with lanceolate, acuminated 
subserrated segments; lobes of corolla quite entire. 2%. S. 
Native of Brazil, in the province of Rio Negro, in marshy parts 
of dense woods, along the river Japura, &c., creeping on the 
trunks of decayed trees. Leaves 3-5 inches long, reddish be- 
neath. Corolla white, 13 inch long. í 
Decumbent Episcia. Pl. 1 to 3 feet. 
2 E. re’ptans (Mart. l. c. p. 
41. t. 217.) plant pilosely hairy ; 
stemsarmentose,radicant ; leaves 
ovate, obtuse, crenated ; pedun- 
cles solitary, axillary, 1-flower- 
ed; calycine segments linear- 
subspatulate, obtuse; lobes of 
corolla toothed. ?t. S. Native 
of Brazil, in thickets along the 
river Japura and elsewhere. 
Leaves whitish beneath. Corolla 
scarlet, hairy outside. (fig. 70.) 
Creeping Episcia. Pl. creep- 
ing. 
3 E. mevirtironia (Mart. |. 
c. p. 42.) pilose; stem erect ; 
leaves ovate, acutish at both 
