Tab. 5535. 

 CALATHEA Veitchiana. 



Mr. Veitclis Calathea. 



Nat. Ord. Marantace.e. — Monandria Monogynia. 

 Gen. Char. {Vide supra, Tab. 4973.) 



Calathea Veitchiana; acaulis, csespitosa, foliis petiolatis ellipticis v. ovato- 

 ellipticis obtusis v. obtusiusculis glabris, petiolo pilosulo, scapo firmulo 

 foliis breviore, spica terminali obovoidea, bracteis numerosis undique arete 

 imbricatis ovatis obovatisveextus adpresse pilosis superioribusvacms glabratis 

 patentibus, perianthii interioris tubo incluso, limbo parvo, lobo autico 

 (labello) rotundato-obovato emarginato pallide purpureo cscteris flavido- 

 viridibus. — Forma : foliis supra maculis laete viridibus lunatis notatis. 



Calathea Veitchiana. /. Veitch, mss. 



Of the tribe of the Arrowroots (Marantese), so remarkable for 

 the beauty of their ample foliage, there are few species, if any, 

 which can take higher rank in ornamental culture than the 

 subject of this Plate, one of two apparently imdescribed species 

 recently forwarded to us in flower by Messrs. Veitch, and ob- 

 tained by their collector, Mr. Pearce, in Western Tropical South 

 America. 



C. Veitchiana, with its sceptre-like scape and dense flower-head, 

 the bracts imbricated all round, belongs to the same section of 

 the genus (Pseudophrynium, Kornicke) as the old Calathea (for- 

 merly Maranta) zebrina. It differs from any of its congeners 

 known to us in having several of the rather large upper bracts 

 empty as in Eucomis, and from its nearest allies in the form and 

 colour of the perianth, of which unfortunately we do not possess 

 the material to enable us to give a detailed description of the 

 inner segments and adherent staminodia. This species is named 

 by Mr. James Veitch in remembrance of his late father, " with 

 whom it was a great favourite." 



Descr. The large petiolate radical leaves are more or less 

 ovate-elliptical, scarcely or but shortly pointed, broad and rounded 

 at the base, glabrous on both sides, marked above on each side 



OCTOBER 1st, 1865. 



