GESNERIACE^E. " 459 



CXVI. GESNEMACE^). 



Stamens inserted into the sympetalous, imbricative, usually irregular corolla, didynanious 

 (or 2-5) : anthers mostly cohering. Ovary paracarpous : placentae 2, bilamellate, usually 

 many-ovulate. Embryo cylindrical (rarely with broad cotyledons) : albumen thin or none. 

 — Herbs or shrubs, often epiphytical ; leaves simple, exstipidate, usually opposite (but al- 

 ternate in several West Indian genera ) ; inflorescence centripetal. 



Tribe I. GESNERIEJE. — Embryo cylindrical, enclosed by albumen. Calyx adnate to 



the ovary. 



1. GESNERIA, Mart. 



Calyx-limb 5-partite. Corolla campanulate or tubular : limb shortly 2-lipped. Stigma 

 eutire. Capsule half-superior, medianicide at the summit. — Leaves opposite ; flowers in 

 corymbs or racemes. 



1. G. corymbosa, Sw.l Shrubby, scabrous; leaves ovate, pointed, obsoletely serrate, 

 shortly petioled ; corymbs axillary, long-peduncled : peduncles exceeding the leaves ; calyx- 

 lobes subulate, as long as their tube ; corolla tubular, slightly incurved, gradually enlarged 

 from the middle, scabrous-pubescent, nearly devoid of basilar gibbosities ; hemiepigynic 

 glands connected into a ring. — 1' high ; leaves 2", crimson corolla 8'", ellipsoidal capsule 

 3'" long. — Hab. Jamaica !, Sw., on limestone rocks of the southern districts. 



2. ISOLOMA, Decs. 



Calyx-limb 5-partite. Corolla-tube clavate : limb short, subequal. Stigma 2-fid. Ovary 

 half-superior. — Stoloniferous herbs ; leaves opposite ; flowers axillary or racemose. 



Hanstein has changed the name of this genus into Brachyloma, on account of the priority 

 of Isoloma, J. Sm., which however is a synonym or section of Lindscsa (Hook, sp. fil.). 



2. I. hirsutum, Beg. Erect, villous ; leaves ovate, pointed, coarsely serrate, long- 

 petioled ; pedicels long, axillary ; calyx-lobes lanceolate-linear, much longer than their tube, 

 nearly half as long as the straight, villous, crimson corolla. — Kth. JV. Gen. 2. A 189. — Ges- 

 nera, Kth.~ 2'-4' high; leaves 3"-4" (-6"), pedicels 2", calyx 6'", corolla 12'" long.— Hab. 

 Trinidad !, Cr., Waterfall at Maraccas ; [Venezuela]. 



3. ACHIMENES, P. Br. 



Calyx-limb 5-partite. Corolla obliquely salver-shaped : limb subequal. Stigma emar- 

 ginate. Ovary inferior. — Slender, stoloniferous herbs ; leaves opposite for whorled), serrate ; 

 peduncles axillary, 1 -flowered. 



3. A. coccinea, Pers. Pubescent; leaves ovate-oblong, pointed, cuneate at the base ; 

 peduncles much longer than the calyx : corolla crimson : tube subequal at the base. — Br. 

 Jam. t. 30./. 1.— Cyrilla pulchella, Ait., Sw.— 6"-12" high; leaves l"-2", corolla-tube 

 6"'-8'" long ; epigynous disk annular. — Hab. Jamaica !, Mac/., M'Nab, Bancr., Pd., in 

 moist rocks of the south-eastern hills; [Mexico 1 to Panama]. 



4. RYTIDOPHYLLUM, Mart. 



Calyx-limb 5-fid : tube ecostate. Corolla obliquely campanulate, dilated below the limb. 

 Stamens inserted into the middle of the corolla : anther-cells oblong. Ovary inferior. 

 Capsule medianicide at the produced, free summit. — Scabrons shrubs or half-shrubs ; leaves 

 scattered; flowers corymbose: peduncles long, opposite to a leaf. 



4. R. prande, Mart. Shrubby,, simply scabrous; leaves long, lanceolate-oblong, 

 tapering into a short petiole, obsoletely denticulate or subentire, pale.beneath ; peduncles 

 equalling the leaves ; calyx-tube obconical, as long as the deltoid lobes ; corolla greenish- 

 yellow, °purple at the throat : limb oblique ; stamens included ; summit of the capsule 

 bluntly conical.— Gesnera, Sw. — 6'-15' high : leaves l'-l-J', calyx-lobes H'", corolla 6'" long. 



