Tas. 7131. 
EPISCIA macunata. 
Native of British Guiana. 
Nat. Ord. GesneRacex.—Tribe CYRTANDRE. 
Genus Hpiscta, Mart. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1006.) 
‘ 
Eptscia maculata; robusta, scandens, pilosula,ramis pendulis radicantibusque, 
, foliis petiolatis ovatis oblongo-ovatisve acuminatis integerrimis serrulatisve 
basi rotandatis cordatis v. acutis, supra nitidis nervis impressis, subtus 
pallidis, foribus in cymas axillares crasse pedunculatas foliaceo-bracteatas 
dispositis breviter pedicellatis, calycis obliqnui segmentis 4 lineari-oblongis 
subacutis pilosis quinto multo minore, corolla 1}-pollicari flava sangui- 
neo creberrime maculata glaberrima, tubo infra medium cylindraceo in 
calcar uncinatum obtusum producto superne subcampanulato, limbi lobis 
subsequalibus 4 rotundatis patulis quinto carnosulo concavo inflexo 
orem corolle claudente, filamentis ovarioque glaberrimis. 
A very beautiful plant, both in foliage and flower, for 
it is difficult to conceive anything more lustrous than the 
polished leaves, which reflect the light from every in- 
equality of their surface. According to notes accom- 
panying native specimens collected by Mr. Im Thurn, 
and by Mr. Jenman, on the Pomeroon River in British 
Guiana, it is a climber, and no doubt the leafy branches 
are pendulous, for as grown at Kew it flourishes in a wire 
basket, the branches hanging down on all sides, clothed 
with brilliantly green leaves. I can find no description of 
this plant, nor do I find the curious character of the fifth 
lobe of the corolla being inflexed and covering the throat 
like a trap-door, noticed under the genus, or under any 
of the species. Amongst the native specimens in the 
Herbarium some have leaves twice as large as those 
here figured, and purplish red underneath ; their petioles 
vary greatly in length, as do the lobes of the calyx. The. 
branches of the cyme are sometimes lengthened, and the : 
flowers secund. : 
_E. maculata flowered for the first time at Kew in Sep- 
tember of last year, and it will be again in flower at the 
end of this month. : 
Aveust Ist, 1890. 
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