Tas. 5104, 
SONERILA MARGARITACEA. 
Pearl-spotted Sonerila. 
Nat. Ord. MELASTOMACE®.—TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4978.) 
SoNERILA margaritacea ; herbacea perennis glaberrima, caulibus subdecnmben- 
tibus pubescenti-glandulosis ramis pedunculisque intense rubris, foliis ovato- 
lanceolatis sublonge petiolatis acutissime serratis supra nitidis intense viri- 
dibus maculatis maculis ovalibus albis unipilosis oblique lineatim dispositis, 
subtus pallidis venis purpurascentibus, terminalibus subsessilibus verticillatis 
minoribus, corymbis terminalibus solitariis, calyce oblongo triquetro, limbo 
trilobo erecto; petalis obovatis acutis, antheris longirostratis.; 
SONERILA margaritacea. Lindl. in Gard. Chron. Nov. 1854, . 127. Planchon, 
ix Fl. des Serres, t. 1126. : 
- 
This very lovely little plant, a great acquisition to our stoves, 
was imported ‘by Messrs. Veitch and Sons, of the Nurseries, 
Exeter and Chelsea, through their collector, Mr. Thomas Lobb, 
“ from some part of India.” It is assuredly among the prettiest 
of a very pretty genus, and when first exhibited at a meeting of | 
the Horticultural Society, in 1854, “ excited the admiration of 
everybody present.” It seems by no means difficult of cultiva- 
tion, but it is said that the pinching off the young peduncles 
of flowers increases the vigour of the plant, and the brightness 
of the foliage. We are indebted to Mr. Veitch for our living 
plants. 
Descr. Herbaceous, but perennial. Stems rather weak and 
subprocumbent, about eight to ten inches long, slender, quad- 
rangular, rich scarlet, pubescenti-glandulose, as 1s more oF less 
almost every part of the plant. Leaves opposite, petiolate ( petiole 
red, from half an inch to an inch and more long), oblong- or 
ovato-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, sharply but not very closely 
serrated, penniveined ; the veins oblique, parallel, very dark and 
MARCH Ist, 1859. 
