\ 
Tas. 5925. 
, EPISCIA: CHONTALENSIS, 
Native of Central America. 
Nat. Ord. Gresnerracee.—Tribe BEsLeRIeer. 
Genus Episcra, Mart. ; (Hanstein in Linnea, vol. xxxiv. p. 246). 
Kpiscia chontalensis; molliter hirsuta, caule suberecto robusto, foliis ob- 
longo- v. elliptico-ovatis utrinque obtusis crenatis convexis nervis 
impressis supra lete viridibus late purpureo limbatis, floribus axilla- 
ribus solitariis v. geminis, pedicellis petiolo subsquilongis, calycis lobis 
spathulatis recurvis, corolla deflexa pallide lilacina tubo_hirsuto | 
anguste infundibulari basi gibbo deorsum protruso, limbi plani obliqui 
lobis rotundatis margine crispato-dentatis. 
Cyrtoprrra chontalensis, Seemann in Gard. Chron., 1867, p. 655; Flore des 
Serres, vol. xviii. p. 165, t. 1924. 
A beautiful plant, first described by its introducer, Dr. 
Seemann, in the Gardener's Chronicle, as a species of Cyrto- 
deira, one of Hanstein’s many genera, established in 1853 
(Linneea, vol. xxvi. p. 206) amongst the Besleriee ; and which 
he had the wisdom and candour to abandon in 1865 (Linnea, 
vol. xxiv. p. 233), referring the species of Cyrtodeira to Martius's 
genus /iscia. Under this view, which is, I think, a cor- 
rect one, Apiscia consists of the Besleriee with a prominent 
gland at the base of the ovary, straight short anther cells, 
free calyx segments, and a rather narrow tube to the corolla. 
It thus includes, besides other plants, Centrosolenia glabra 
(Tab. nost. 4552), C. dractescens (Tab. nost. 4675), Drymonia 
punctata (Tab. nost. 4089), and Achimenes cupreata (Tab. 
nost. 4312), to which latter, a native of New Grenada, the 
LE. chontalensis is most closely allied. All are natives of 
tropical America, and chiefly of countries between Mexico, 
Venezuela, and New Grenada. 
SEPTEMBER Ist, 1871. 
