Tas. 5613. 
HELICONTA HUMILIS. 
Dwarf Heliconia. 
Nat. Ord. Musacem.—Prnvanprra Monoernta. 
Gen. Char. Perianthium corollinum ; foliola exteriora squalia, basi con- 
nata; interiora lateralia subconformia, approximata, genitalia amplec- 
tentia, posticum nanum. Stamina 5, sexto abortiente nano, basi perigonii 
adnata. Ovarium 3-loculare ; stylus filiformis, stigmate obsolete 6-lobo. 
Ovula in loculis solitaria, e basi axeos adscendentia, anatropa. Capsula 
subdrupacea, 3-cocea, coccis osseis indehiscentibus. Semina subglobosa, 
basifixa; albumen farinaceo-carnosum ; embryo linearis, orthotropus.— 
Herbe sepius elate, Americe tropice incole. Folia longe petiolata, petiolo 
bast vaginante scapum radicalem sepe velante. Spathw numerose, distiche ; 
axillis floriferis. 
Heiconra humilis; humilis, acaulis, petiolis longissimis, gracilibus, foliis 
oblongis oblongo-lanceolatisve breviter acuminatis basi cuneatis, scapo 
brevi radicali erecto, spathis 4-6 erecto-patentibus distichis subulato- 
lanceolatis rubris apice viridibus multifloris, perianthii foliolis lineari- 
bus angustis ex albo viridibus. 
Heiconzs humilis. Jacg. Hort. Schanb. t. 48,49. Willd. Sp. Pl. v. 1. 
p. 1187. Rem. and Sch. Syst. Veg. v. 5. p. 590. 
Musa humilis. Awbl. Guian. v. 2. p. 931. 
Few plants are so well worthy of cultivation, for those 
who can afford space for’the purpose, than the species of the 
magnificent genus Heliconia ; they are easily managed, their 
beautiful foliage is evergreen, their brilliant flowering-bracts 
keep their colour for many weeks, and they may be rapidly 
increased by division of the rhizome. ‘The present species 1s 
a native of Guiana, where it abounds in marshy places, and IS 
called “ petit Bahisia” by the French settlers, according to 
Aublet. Jacquin published an excellent figure and description 
of it in his ‘ Hortus Schcenbrunensis’ so long ago as 1797, 
“which appears to be the only figure extant. The gen 
here figured flowered in the Royal Gardens, Kew, in Sep- 
tember of the present year. 
DECEMBER 1st, 1866. 
