Tab. 5642. 



GOMPHIA Theophrasta. 



Thcophrasta-like Gomphia. 



Nat. Ord. Ochnace2e. — Decandbia Mono&ynia. 



Gen. Char. Sepala 5, docidua. Fetala 5, calyce paulo longiora, obovata, 

 uuguiculata, itubricata. Torus crassus, lobatus, in gynophorum elevatus. 

 Stamina 10, basi tori inserta, erecta, conniventia ; antherte sessiles, poris 

 dehiscentes. Ovarium profimde 5-G-partitum ; styli arete connati, stigmate 

 simplici ; ovula in loculis solitaria, a basi adsceudentia. Drupes 5 v. 

 abortu pauciores, toro ampliato sessiles. Semen erectum; testa membra- 

 nacea; cotyledones carnosse, plano-convexae ; radicula brevissima, ad bilum 

 deseendens. — Arbores v. frutices (/laberrimce. Folia alterna, persistentia, 

 simplicia, coriacea, nitida, argute serrata, nervis creberrimis. Stipula? libera 

 v. connatte. Panicula? v. racemi terminates v. terminates et axillares, brae- 

 teatce. Flores lutei, pedieellis basi articulatis. 



Gomphia Theophrasta ; foliis pedalibua brevissime petiolatis elongato- 

 ovato-lanceolatis accuminatis serrulatis supra basin obtusum integerri- 

 mis, paniculis ramosis ramis suberectis basi bracteis 2 subulatis sti- 

 puhrlbrmibus auctis, fasciculis 2-5-floris, floribus ^un. diam., pedieellis 

 gracilibus curvis ebracteolatia, sepalis oblongo-lanceolatis subacutia 

 pallide viridibus, petalis oblongo-ovatis obtusis. 



Gomphia Theophrasta. Lind. Hort. Cat. 1859. 



Wolkensteinia Theophrasta. Beqel in GartenpZ. v. 14 (1865). p. 131. t. 

 171. 



Of the large and handsome genus Gomphia, containing 

 upwards of eighty species, almost all of them American, and 

 distinguished for their glossy foliage, and many for their 

 beautiful flowers, not half-a-dozen have been introduced into 

 Europe, and only one, G. olivceformis (Tab. 52G2), has 

 hitherto been figured from living specimens in this country ; 

 yet no plants can be more suited for stove decoration, 

 whether for the persistence of their bright, shining, ever- 

 green foliage, or the golden colour of their inflorescence. 



67. Theophrasta was introduced by Mr. Linden's collectors 



from South America, but of its exact native country I have 



no information. It is allied to the Brazilian 67. casfaneafolia, 



DC, but differs conspicuously in the very much longer leaves. 



may 1st, 1S67. 



