Tas. 5260. 
PENTSTEMON spectasi.is. 
Beautiful Pentstemon. 
Nat. Ord. ScropHULARINEZ.—DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4318.) 
PENTSTEMON spectabilis ; glaberrimus, caule elato herbaceo, foliis oblongis ovato- 
lanceolatis rigide serrato-dentatis inferioribus sessilibus superioribus connato- 
amplexicaulibus floralibus orbiculatis v. late ovatis acuminatis, panicula 
ampla pyramidata, sepalis late ovatis acuminatis, corolle tubo basi angusto 
subito dilatato campanulato bilabiato, lobis rotundatis patentibus, stamini- 
bus glabris. 
PENTSTEMON spectabilis. Thurber in A. Gray, Bot. of Thurber’s Expedition, 
ined. Torrey’s Report of Whipple’s Exped. Bot. p. 63. 
A lovely Californian species, described by Dr. Torrey as one 
of the showiest known; the crowded panicle of purple flowers 
often attaining two feet in length. It was discovered by Mr. 
William A. Wallace, who sent it to Dr. Torrey, and has also been 
gathered on San Francisco Mountain, in New Mexico, during 
Whipple’s Expedition for laying down a railroad across the Rocky 
Mountains to the Pacific. The specimens figured were from 
plants introduced into this country by Messrs. Low, of Clapton, 
and flowered in May of the present year. 
Descr. Perennial, everywhere glabrous, and inclining to be 
glaucous, erect, two to three feet high. Lower eaves petioled, 
ovate, acute or acuminate, coarsely doubly toothed: upper ses- 
sile, and connate by their broad bases ; uppermost or floral ieaves 
much smaller, very broadly ovate, or almost orbicular. Flowers 
in a tall, lax, branched, pyramidal panicle, about an inch long, 
with a campanulate tube and bilabiate spreading limb ; colour 
very delicate shades of blue-violet and pale red-purple. Calya- 
lobes broadly ovate, acute. Stamens all perfectly glabrous. 
Fig. 1. Base of corolla and stamens. 2. Ovary :—doth magnified. 
JULY Ist, 1861. 
