TAs. 5135. 
CHEIROSTEMON ptraranorpes. 
Mexican Hand-plant. 
Nat. Ord. StercuLtiacex2.—MoNADELPHIA PENTANDRIA, 
_. Gen. Char. Calyx basi bibracteolatus, subcampanulatus, 5-partitus; Zaciniis de- 
ciduis, crassis, intus coloratis, basi foveolatis, sestivatione quincuncialibus. Co- 
rolla nulla. Tubus stamineus eylindricus, exsertus, apice 5-fidus ; daciniis secun- 
dis, apice mucronatis, diantheriferis ; anthere extrorse, adnate, lineares, recte, 
parallel, bivalves. Ovarium liberum, sessile, quinqueloculare. Ovula in loculis 
plurima, angulo centrali biseriatim inserta, adscendentia, anatropa. Stylus fili- 
formis, apice incurvus; stigma acutum. Capsula oblonga, quinquangularis, quin- 
quelocularis, loculicide quinquevalvis, valvis medio septa villosa, margine utrin- 
que seminifera gerentibus. Semina plurima, ovoidea ; ¢es¢a erustacea, nitida, atra, 
chalaza rosea terminata. Embryo in axi albuminis carnosi, orthotropus, ejusdem 
fere longitudine ; cotyledonibus foliaceis, ovatis, planis, radicula brevi, obtusa, 
umbilico proxima.—Arbor Mewicana ; trunco gracili, elato, coma densa globosa 
terminato ; ligno albo, levissimo ; foliis alternis, petiolatis, subrotundo-ovatis, acute 
5~7-lobis, basi cordatis, supra glauco-virentibus, subtus albo-tomentosis ; stipulis 
ovatis, acuminatis, deciduis ; pedunculis ix ramulis suboppositifoliis, solitaris, unt- 
_ floris; calyce eatus cano-tomentoso, intus purpureo. Endl. 
Currrostemon platanoides. 
CHEIROSTEMON platanoides. Humb. et Bonpl. Pl. Aiquinoct. v. 1. p. $2. t. 24, 
Nov. Gen. Am. v.5. p. 302. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 480. ddr. Juss, 
in Van Houtte, Fl. des Serres, v. 7. p. 7. t. 619. 
MacpaLxocureuavnitL. Hernandez, Hist. Pl. Nov. Hisp. ed. 2. p. 531. 
It was towards the latter part of the last century (about 1787) 
sse and Mocifio, was sent by 
that a scientific expedition, under Se ig y 
the Spanish Government to Mexico, then called New Spain, an 
attracted by a remark- 
Where the attention of the botanists was y. 
able tree, venerated from time immemorial by the Indians on ac- 
count i the large and very conspicuous 
nt of the peculiar structure of g ek ps 00 resell 
flowers, which have their five stamens so arrangé 
ble the human hand, including the arm and wrist. It was io | 
lieved to be a solitary tree, of which no other example existed, 
or could exist, in the world. Nor was it till about 1801 that 
a pupil of Professor Cervantes detected forests of ; the same us 
m Guatemala, and near the city of that name. This tree ha 
SEPTEMBER lst, 1859. ~ 
