Tab. 4321. 
MEDINILLA SPECIOSA. 
SJiowi/ Medinilla. , 
Nat. Ord. MELASTOMACEiE.— OCTANDRIA MoNOGYNIA. 
Gm. Char. Calycis tubus obovatus ecostatus, limbus cylindricus tube con- 
tinuus exacte truucatus persistens. Petala 4 ovata obtusa subcoriacea. Stamina 
8 aequalia, antheris elongatis acutis uniporosis basi obtuse biauriculatis. Ova¬ 
rium superne truncatum. Stylus bliibrmis. Stigma punctum pruinosum. 
Capsula baccata lageiiaria nempe globosa calycis tubo coronata 4-locularis. 
Semina ovoidea Isevia.—Frutex glaher. Hamuli tetragoni. Folia 3-4 verticillata ! 
petiolata ovalia mucronata triplinervia integerrima. Cymse axillares, 
pedunculo petiolum vix super ante. Flores albo-rosei. DC. 
Medinilla speciosa ; ramulis alato-tetrahedris, foliis subsessilibus verticillato- 
-(ternis)-quaternisque raro oppositis ovali-oblongis utrinsecus attenuatis 
basive obtusis 7-9-nerviis (raro quintuplinerviis), paniculis terminalibus 
axillaribusque nutantibus, floribus 6-10-andiis. Bl. 
Medinilla speciosa. Bl. in Flora, oder Bot. Zeit. v.l4:.p.515. Walpers, 
Repert. v. 2. p. 142. 
Melastoma eximium. Bl. Bijdr. p.\^l%. {non Jack). ' 
M. speciosa. Reimc. in Bl. 
The genus Medinilla, remarkable for the beauty of the 
foliage, and the delicacy of the flowers, was established by 
Gaudichaud, in the Botany of Freycinet’s Voyage, in honour of 
Bon Jose de INIedinilla y Pineda, Governor of the Marianne 
Islands, in which group the first species {M. rosed) was disco¬ 
vered. Blume has since increased the number of species very 
considerably, and no less than twenty five stand recorded by 
Walpers. M. speciosa, as its name would imply, is among the 
most beautiful, and perhaps exceeds them all in the fine panicle 
of delicate rose-coloured flowers, gracefully drooping from among 
the rich green and ample foliage. It is an inhabitant of Java, 
and is among the treasures of that island sent home to Messrs. 
Veitch and Son by Mr. Thos. Lobb. The noble flowering 
specimen from which our drawing is made, was exhibited at the 
Chiswick Horticultural fHe in July, 1847. The species is also 
n. 836 of Mr. Cuming’s specimens from the Philippine Islands. 
SEPTEMBER IST, 1847. ^ 
