Tas. 4575. 
WIGANDIA CARACASANA. 
Caraccas Wigandia. 
Nat. Ord. HypRroLEacer#.—PENTANDRIA DIGyNIA. 
Gen. Char. Calyx 5-sepalus, persistens. Corolla infundibuliformis. Stamina 
exserta. Styli 2, stigmatibus depresso-capitatis. Capsula bi- (potius uni-) locu- 
laris, loculicido-bivalvis. Placenta 4 (2), laminzeformes, primum coadunate de- 
mum liberee.—Herbee grandifolie, strigoso-hispidissine. Chois. 
Wieanp1A Caracasana ; hirta, foliis elliptico-cordatis duplicato-crenatis dentibus 
acutiusculis utrinque hirto-tomentosis, spicis apice revolutis secundifloris, ra- 
chide villoso-pubescente, sepalis lineari-lanceolatis incano-tomentosis acutis, 
corolle tubo brevi, staminibus basi ciliato-hirtis, capsula vix incano-pubes- 
cente. 
Wicanpia Caracasana. H.B.K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. Am. v. 3. p.128. Lindl. Bot. 
Reg. t.1966. Roem. et Sch. Syst. Veget.v.6. p.190. Spreng. Syst. Veget. 
v. 1. p.866. Choisy, in De Cand. Prodr. v.10. t. 84. 
Native of the Caraccas, as the name implies. Introduced - 
from Berlin to the English gardens. With us, it flowers in the 
stove in February, and makes a handsome appearance with its 
large pale violet flowers. Our plant is clearly the same as Dr. 
Lindley’s, and Dr. Lindley’s excellent figure is quoted under the 
W. Caracasana of Choisy, who had the opportunity of inspecting 
Humboldt’s original specimens. But Dr. Lindley observes, 
“ Planta culta in caldario orgyalis, a spontanea, quam coram habeo, 
diversa est foliis viridioribus, contextu laxiore, et aliquando costa 
venisque primariis hispidis, necnon floribus triplo majoribus. 
We find the same differences (save in the size of the flowers) 
between our cultivated plant and native specimens of what we 
believe to be specifically identical, from New Granada and from 
Trinidad. But it must be confessed that other species of //7- 
gandia present great variations and intermediate gradations 
which render their claims to specific identity extremely doubtful. 
Descr. Stem herbaceous, hirsute, every part, even when dry 
(save the flowers), green. Leaves alternate, five or six inches 
long, on rather long, hairy pedioles, elliptical cordate, acute, 
sinuate and dentate at the margin, the teeth rather sharp, 
APRIL Ist, 1851. 
