Tas. 4362. 
CUPHEA sILENorpEs. 
Catchfly Cuphea. 
Nat. Ord, LytHrartna.—Doprcanpria Monoaynia. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4208.) 
Cupnea silenoides ; caule ramoso adscendente una cum calycibus setis patentibus 
fuscis hispido glutinosoque, foliis oppositis oblongo-lanceolatis obtusis basi 
acutis hirtis supra viscosissimis, floribus ad axillas in ramulo brevi subspi- 
catis secundis, calyce tubuloso elongato, petalis rotundatis stipitatis binis 
duplomajoribus, ‘capsula octosperma. Nees. 
Cupuea silenoides. Nees in Linnea, v.10. Literbl. p.71. Walp. Repert. Bot. 
v. 2. p. 107. 
A rather showy, hardy annual; if one may use the expression 
of showy for a copiously flowering plant, whose blossoms are 
conspicuous but not brilliant; much more conspicuous, indeed, 
than that species of Si/ene, from which its specific name may be 
supposed to be derived, S. guinguevulnera. It was introduced 
some years ago to the Botanic Garden of Breslau, from Mexico, 
by Dr. Nees Von Esenbeck, through Mr. De Berghes, and has 
since become common in our gardens. It is well suited for a 
flower border, and an entire bed filled with it has a very pretty 
effect. The seeds are best raised in a hot-bed. 
Drscr. A much branching p/ant, about a foot high, in almost 
every part clothed with spreading hairs (most copious on the 
_ calyces), tipped with a viscid gland. Leaves opposite, lanceolate, 
entire, obtuse, scarcely an inch long. Peduncles short, solitary, 
single-flowered, from the axils of the upper leaves, and there 
forming a leafy raceme, each with two reflexed bracteas. Calyz- 
tube ved, elongated, cylindrical, furrowed, the mouth very hairy, 
with a blunt spur-like projection at the base above; the imé 
of six spreading segments, of which five are short and acute, the 
sixth (superior one) elongated and bifid: in the sinuses of the 
six segments is a small scale, with spreading, stellated, viscid 
hairs. Petals five, spreading, rotundate, stipitate ; four (lower 
ones) smaller, deep blood-purple colour : two upper ones much 
MARCH Ist, 1848. : 
