Tas. 8378. 
COLUMNEA Gloriosa. 
Costa Rica. 
GrEsNERIACEAE. Tribe CyRTANDREAE. 
CotumnzA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 1009. 
Columnea gloriosa, Sprague; affinis C. microcalyci, Hanst., a qua caule patule 
hirsuto, corolla superne latissima recedit. 
Herba epiphytica, perennis. Oaules in planta culta penduli, plus minusve 
anisophylli, pilis pluricellularibus patule densiuscule hirsuti. /olia opposita, 
breviter petiolata, ovata vel ovato-oblonga, apice obtusa, basi rotundata, 
plus minusve inaequilateralia, 2-3-5 cm. longa, 1-1:7 cm. lata, valde 
convexa marginibus reflexis, supra dense hirsuta nervis impressis, subtus 
in nervis valde prominentibus hirsuta ceterum inconspicue puberula; 
nervi laterales obliqui, utrinque 3-4; petioli 2-3 mm. longi. Flores 
axillares, solitarii, erecti. Pedunculus 2-2°5 em. longus. Sepala 5, 
inferne leviter connata, in statu explanato 1°5 cm. longa, 0°7 em. lata, 
ungue latissimo ascendente, lamina patente late ovata marginibus valde 
reflexis, supra pilis articulatis rubescentibus dense villosa subtus sparsius 
brevius villosa. Corol/a coccinea lutea, in toto 6°5-8 cm. longa, extra 
breviter sparsiuscule villosa; tubus basi postice valde gibbosus gibbere 
supra applanato, supra gibberem leviter constrictus, abhinc usque ad os 
leviter ampliatus, antice luteus in toto circiter 2°8 cm. longus; limbus 
valde bilabiatus, postice leviter arcuatus sursum valde amphatus; lobus 
anticus porrectus, oblongo-lanceolatus, circiter 3°5 em. longus, 1 cm. latus; 
lobi laterales in toto circiter 3°5 em. longi, circiter 3 em. cum galea 
connata; galea conspicue emarginata lobis rodundatis. Stamina 4; fila- 
menta glabra, antice in vaginam medio 7°5 mm. longam lateribus 
5-5°5 mm. longam corollae tubo in medio 2°5 mm. adnatam connata; 
antherae in quadram connatae. Disci glandula unica, postica, leviter 
emarginata, cum annulo angusto basia ovarii amplectente connata. 
Ovarium appresse villosum ; placentae bilamellatae, introrsum ovuliferae ; 
stylus superne pilis longiusculis articulatis aliis brevioribus glanduloso- 
capitatis interwixtis villoso-pubescens, inferne sparse puberulus.— 
T. A. SpRAGUE. 
The Columnea which forms the subject of our illustration 
is perhaps the most handsome of the species yet introduced to 
cultivation. The plant from which the material for our figure 
has been obtained was purchased for the Kew collection in 
1909 from Messrs. Haage & Schmidt, of Erfurt, who are 
well known on account of the large number of uncommon 
and interesting plants which they cultivate. A native of 
Costa Rica, C. gloriosa belongs to the section Eucolumnea, 
June, 1911. 
