Tas. 4387. . 
NAPOLEONA imperriauts. 
Imperial Napoleona. 
Nat. Ord. Batvistex, Br.—NapoLEone®, Endl.—MonabDELPutA 
DECANDRIA, 
Gen. Char. Calyx adhzerens, coriaceus, 5-fidus, wstivatione valvatus. Corolla 
e verticillis tribus monopetalis constans, quorum exterior maximus, concavo- 
subhemisphericus multiplicatus multidentatus, intermedius corona (ut in Passi- 
flora) profunde usque ad basin in lacinias filiformes patentes fissus, ixtimus 
erectus, cyathiformis, margine multifido inflexo. Stamina 10 (20, Lindl.) corolle 
interioris basi inserta, serie simplici basi monadelpha; filamentis membranaceis, 
latis, inflexis ; antheris adnatis bilocularibus. Discus annularis subcyathiformis. 
Ovarium adherens, carnosum, loculis 5 ; ovulis 20, campylotropis, superpositis, 
per paria apici placente axillis semilibere affixis. Stylus pentagonus, angulis 
subalatis ; stigma disciforme pentagonum 5-radiatum, intra angulos glandulam 
verruciformem (an verum stigma) gerens. Frutices Mali Punici magnitudine, 
“cortice (in N. Vogelii) extus rubescente punctulis albis crebre consperso ; 
septis pulposis in speciminibus nostris exsiccatis et semicollapsis et cum integu- 
mento seminum conglutinatis.” Semina fabee magnitudine, reniformia, exalbu- 
minosa ; cotyledonibus plano-convexis, radicula immersa. Lindl._—paucis mutatis. 
NapoLeona imperialis ; foliis subcoriaceis late oblongis acuminatis. 
NapoLgona imperialis. Pad.de Beauv. Fl. d Oware et de Bénin, v. 2. p. 29. t. 78 
(figura mala). Lindl. in Gard. Chron. 1844, p. 780, 1. cum Ic. and Bot. Reg. 
1844, Suppl. p. 77. 
Napotrona Heudelotii. Ady. de Juss. in Ann. des Sc. Nat. N. 8. v. 2. p. 227. 
A more than ordinary interest has attached to this plant, 
arising partly from the circumstances under which the species 
was discovered, and partly from its name, given in honour of one 
of the most remarkable men that ever lived, and, still more, 
perhaps, from the singular structure and colour of the flower, as 
exhibited in the figure of the Baron Palisot de Beauvois ;—so 
remarkable, indeed, that doubts have been expressed of the very 
existence of the plant. . 
“ Dans lan 1786 le fils d’un roi négre (writes M. de J ussieu) 
des cdtes d'Afrique, avoit été amené en France, par un capitaime 
de vaisseau, qui, aprés quelques mois de séjour, fut chargé de le 
AUGUST Ist, 1848. : 
