448 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
A REVISION OF THE GENUS COBAEA. 
The genus Cobaea of the Polemoniaceae as published by Cavanilles 
consisted of a single species, C’. scandens, described from plants grown 
in the Royal Botanical Garden at Madrid from seeds received from 
Mexico. The only other generic name that has been given to a mem- 
ber of the group here discussed is Rosenbergia-Orst., published in 
1856, based upon Rosenbergia gracilis, which came from Costa Rica. 
Orsted believed that his plant belonged to a genus distinct from 
Cobaea, because of the elongated linear corolla lobes. A second 
species of Rosenbergia was published by Karsten in 1858. If no 
other members of the group treated here had been discovered it 
might naturally be divided into two genera; but later explorations 
have revealed intermediate forms, Cobaea aschersoniana Brand, es- 
pecially, standing almost exactly midway between the types of 
Cobaea and Rosenbergia. 
In 1908 Mr. H. D. House transferred all the species of Cobaea to 
Rosenbergia,’ claiming that Cavanilles’s generic name was invali- 
dated by Cobaea Necker, published in 1790. Necker’s name was ap- 
plied to a group of Linnean species of Lonicera sometimes known 
as Xylosteum; but it appears to be a hyponym, since it is not asso- 
ciable by citation with a previously published species. Consequently 
the name Cobaea is to be retained for the genus with which it has 
always been associated. 
Cobaea is unique among the Polemoniaceae in having the leaves 
terminated by tendrils. Some authors have placed it in the Big- 
noniaceae, while others have considered it the type of a distinct 
family, the Cobaeaceae. 
The species are all inhabitants of humid mountain forests of trop- 
ical and subtropical North and South America, ranging from the State 
of Nuevo Leén in Mexico south through Central America to northern 
Chile, Venezuela, and northwestern Brazil. So far as now known 
the species are of local distribution. Cobaea scandens, the most gen- 
erally known species, has been found only within a small area in 
southern Mexico. Although a wide geographical range has been 
ascribed to certain species, it is probable that this is the result of 
hasty or careless determinations. Several have been introduced into 
cultivation in Europe and @. scandens is often seen in North 
America. 
There are only three accounts of the genus that attempt to be 
complete. The first was published by Hemsley in The Garden in 
1880.2, This is a popular discussion of the group, although there are 
*Mulenbergia 4: 22-25. 1908. 
717: 352-358. 
