Tas. 5228. 
CENTRADENIA GranpIFo.Lia. 
Large-leaved Centradenia. 
Nat. Ord. MELASTOMACE®.—OCTANDRIA Monoeynia. 
Gen. Char. CENTRADENIA, Don. Flos 4-merus. Calyx subtetragonus, cam- 
panulatus, dentibus brevibus. Petala obovata, apice rotundata aut acuta. Sta- 
mina 8, alternatim inequalia ; antheris oblongo-ovoideis ovoideisve apice obtusis 
aut brevissime rostellatis, 1-porosis ; Joculis undulatis, 4 majorum connectivo infra 
loculos longe producto arcuato et ultra filamenti insertionem in appendicem 
bilobam, antice porrecto, 4 minorum multo minus producto et antice appendi- 
cula subglobosa subbilobave terminato. Ovarium 4-loculare, apice setulis styli 
basim cingentibus coronatum. Stylus filiformis, sigmoideus, stigmate puncti- 
formi interdumque nonnihil capitellato. Capsula calyce persistente, loculicide 
4-valvis. Semina minuta, ovoidea.—Suffrutices fruticulive Mexicani et Guatema- 
lenses, monticole, erecti, ramosi; foliis petiolatis, lanceolatis, in eodem jugo ut- 
plurimum maxime disparibus, uno alterum nonnunquam decies et amplius superante ; 
floribus ad apices ramulorum plerumque ternis quinisve, interdum corymbos men- 
tientibus, roseis aut albis. Naudin. 
CENTRADENIA grandifolia ; frutex, ramis junioribus tetragonis angulis profunde 
alatis, foliis 6-uncialibus brevi-petiolatis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis 3-5- 
nerviis integerrimis glaberrimis minute ciliatis subtus purpureis, calycis 
segmentis membranaceis appressis. 
CENTRADENIA grandifolia. Endl. Naud. in Hort. Linden. v. 1. p. 1. t. 4. Mo- 
nog. Melast. p. 77. 
PLAGIOPHYLLUM grandifolium. Schlecht. in Linnea, v. 13. p. 429. 
We owe the possession of this pretty Mexican Melastomaceous 
plant to Mr. Linden, of Brussels ; but we scarcely think it worthy, 
handsome as it is, to “rank as an ornamental plant with the 
Cyanophyllum and Medinilla.” It is probably rare in collections. 
Mr. Linden speaks of it as gathered at Chiconquiaco, in 1836, | 
by Dr. Schiede. Our only native specimen, and that a very in- 
different one, is from the same source, Dr. Schiede. ‘This, in- 
deed, differs slightly from our growing one, but by no means 
specifically. ‘The calyx-tube is pubescent in the native sample, 
not glabrous as in ours, while'the peduncles are more pubescent, 
and the wings of the branches appear to be far less developed ; 
but that appearance may be due to the drying and pressure. 
Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Stamens. 3. Calyx and pistil :—more or less magnified. 
FEBRUARY lst, 1861. 
