Tas. 5132, 
MONOCHATUM eEnsirervuo. 
Sword-bearing Monochetum. 
Nat. Ord. Metastomace#®.—Octanprta Monoayntia. 
Gen. Char, Flos 4-merus. Calycis oblongo-campanulati dentes tubo suba- 
quales aut breviores, acuti, caduci aut persistentes. Petala obovata. Stamina 
8, alternatim ineequalia ; filamentis complanatis ; antheris longe subulatis, acutis, 
1-porosis ; connectivo infra loculos. non producto, sed postice in caudam varie 
conflatam, anthera ipsa sepius breviorem, porrecto. Ovarium basi tantum costis 
8 subevanidis adherens, subtetragonum, apice villosum, 4-loculare. Stylus fili- 
formis, magis minusve sigmoideus, stigmate punctiformi.  Capsula 4-valvis. 
Semina cochleata.—Frutices suffruticesgue utplurimum monticoli, in Republica 
Mexicana necnon in Columbia et Peruvia hucusque cogniti, ramosi 3 foliis plerum- 
que tripli-septuplinerviis ; nervis convergentibus, pagina superiore impressis, unde 
Solia suicata videntur ; floribus purpureis aut violaceis ; antherarum minorum et 
Sortassis sterilium filamentis quam fertilium utplurimum longioribus. Naudin. 
a 
Monocuaxtum ensiferum ; “ramis subdivaricatis, foliis petfolatis lineari-lanceo- 
latis obtusiusculis integerrimis supra glabellis vel sparse setulosis a 
villosis parum conspicue.triplinerviis, floribus majusculis ad apices ramulo- 
rum terminalibus solitariis roseis.” Naud. 
Monocn#£tum ensiferum. Naudin, Ann. des Sc. Nat. 1845, p. 49. Monograph, 
Deserv. Melastom. p. 255. 
. 
The beautiful Melastomaceous plant here figured I give Hips 
the name by which we received it from Mr. Linden, a pct te 
M. Naudin; too briefly described by him, of a genus establis 
also by that author on certain kinds of A/elastomacee, ered f 
four in number, chiefly referable to Rhewia of Bonplan i Ge 
Arthrostemma of De Candolle, of which M. Naudin says, “ Ge- 
nus flore 4-mero, habitu specierum, et preesertim singulart eal 
Melastomeas hujus tribus stamina fabrica facile oncaeey ea 
et omnino naturale.” Unfortunately the pentamerous site’ 
are not to be depended upon, for on the specimens now Delore 
us there are as many pentamerous as tetramerous blossoms. 
Thus, in regard to the present species, although there is reason 
to believe it has come to us authentically named, it does not 
AUGUST Ist, 1859. 
