Tab. 6928. 

 CLAVIJA Ernstit. 



Native of Garaccas. 



Nat. Ord. Myesineje. — Tribe Theophbastes. 

 Genus Clavija, Ruiz 4" Pav.; (Benth. et Eook.f. Gen. PI. vol. ii. p. 649.) 



Clavija Ernstii ; glaberrima, caule robusto, foliis longe petiolatis coriaceis ellip- 

 tico-oblongis oblongo-lancoolatis v. oblanceolatis integerrimis basi acutis s;upe 

 inaequilateralibus in petiolum decurrentibus, nervis perplurimis tenuissimis 

 horizontalibus, racemis brevibus akillaribus nutantibus multifloris, bracteis 

 minutis, floribus breviter pedicellatis, calycis tubo infundibulari-companulato 

 lobis orbiculatis integerrimis, corollse disco crasso radiato crenulato processubus 

 brevibus corollse lobis alternantibus instructo, antberis late ovatis, ovario 

 minuto. 



Of the South American genus Clavija, some twenty-five 

 species are described, but with none of them does the 

 plant here figured agree. It comes near to a Venezuelan 

 one collected in Ocaiia (New Grenada) by Purdie, which 

 differs in the shorter petioles and strongly serrated reticu- 

 latedly veined leaves; and to the C. Hooheri, Alph. DC. 

 (G. spathulata, Hook. Ic. PI. t. 140, not of R. and P.), of 

 Peru, which is a much more slender plant with very small 

 flowers. From all the three species already figured in this 

 Magazine it differs widely; there are C. ornata, Don (Tab. 

 4922), C. fulgens, Hook. (Tab. 5626), and G. macrophylla, 

 Miquel (C. Biedeliana, Kegel Grartenfl. t. 663) (Tab. 

 5829). 



I have named it after the excellent botanist who sent 

 seeds of it to Kew in 1879, Prof. Ernst, of Caraccas. Plants 

 raised from these flower annually in the Palm House in 

 July, where they have attained a height of sixteen to 

 twenty-four inches. 



Descr. Trunk in native specimen four to five feet high, 

 very robust, as thick as the thumb, covered with brown 

 smooth bark, and with here and there a few short subulate 

 prickles. Leaves clustered at the ends of the branches, long- 

 petioled, coriaceous, twelve to sixteen inches long by four 

 to six inches broad, bright green, paler beneath, elliptic- 



april 1st, 1887. 



