One of the splendid plants introduced by the Horticul- 

 tural Society of London from Mexico, and now, from its 

 dispersion by that useful body, among the greatest orna- 

 ments of our stoves during the autumnal and early winter 

 months. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the foliage, 

 whether we consider the velvety and orange hue of the 

 pubescence, or the rich deep green of the groundwork, 

 as contrasted with the milk-like spots and reticulations. 

 Nor are the flowers wanting in charms; they are copious, 

 though solitary, from the axils of all of the upper leaves, 

 yellow, gorgeously tinged and spotted with red. Its treat- 

 ment is the same as that of other species of Achimenes 

 and Gesneria : and, indeed, appears to me rather referable 

 to the latter Genus, than to Achimenes. In habit it is 

 surely closely allied to Gesneria zebrina. 



Descr. Root consisting of numerous, elongated, scaly, 

 caterpillar-like-tubers. Stems erect, but little branched, a 

 foot to two feet high, hairy, as is every part of the plant, 

 even to the outside of the corolla, with rather long, patent 

 hairs, herbaceous, succulent. Leaves opposite and ternately 

 verticillate, petiolate, ovato-cordate, serrate, of a rich velvety 

 green, mottled and reticulated with white or pale green, 

 always whitest in the middle. Peduncles one or two from 

 the axils of the upper leaves, and much longer than they, 

 single-flowered. Flowers drooping, moderately large. Ca- 

 lyx almost entirely free; the tube obconical, or turbinate; 

 the segments oblong-ovate, spreading. Corolla full yellow, 

 with rich red above, within streaked and dotted with red : 

 the tube funnel-shaped, gibbous above : the limb spreading, 

 of five nearly equal lobes : the two upper, however, the 

 smallest. Ovary ovate, hairy, with five oblong, fleshy 

 glands at the base. Style thick, and (as well as the sta- 

 mens) included : Stigma bifid. 



