Tab. 7626. 



CALLIANDKA fulgens. 



Native of Mexico. 



Nat. Ord. Leguhinos.e. — Tribe Inge.e. 

 Genus Callianura, Benth. ; (Benth. & Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 596 ) 



Calliandra (Unijugaj) fulgens; frutex v. arbuscula, fuliis gracile pctiolatis, 

 petiolo glanduloso, pinnia nnijugis, foliolis trijugis 2-2^- pollicaribas 

 lineari-oblongis obtnsis 3-nerviis et penninerviis basi cuneati3, jnnioribus 

 pallide rufo-brunneis pilosulis, adultis viridibus glabris petiolo rbachiqne 

 gracilibus pubernlis, floribus in capitulum b rev iter pedunculatum 

 globosum (staminibus inclusis) 2| poll. diam. confertis, calyce minuto 

 obconico ore truncato, corollse -fa poll, longaa rosea? lobis brevibus obtnsis, 

 staminum tubo breviter exseito membranaceo ore iutus ad basin 

 filamentorum squamulis crenulatis aucto, staminibus uniseriatis, iila- 

 mentis \\ poll, longis strictis sauguineis, antheris minutis, disco tumido. 



The nearest ally that I can find for this beautiful plant 

 is Calliandra hsematocephala, Hassk., figured at tab. 5181 of 

 this work, which has a similar head of blood-red filaments, 

 but which is perfectly glabrous, and has seven to ten pairs 

 of much, smaller dark green and shining leaflets rounded at 

 the base. The native country of G. hsematocephala, which 

 was first known from being cultivated in the Botanical 

 Gardens of Calcutta, has never been discovered. That of 

 G. fulgens is believed to be Mexico, whence it was sent to 

 the gardens of the Royal Botanic Society in Regent's Park. 

 It flowered there in 1888, when a specimen was sent to 

 Kew to be named, together with a living plant, which 

 flowered in the Palm House in March, 1897, and continued 

 in bloom till midsummer. I have repeatedly — but always 

 in vain — attempted to identify it with any described 

 species, or any plant preserved in the Herbarium at Kew, 

 and must therefore regard it as an addition to the one 

 hundred and thirteen recorded species of the genus. 



Descr. — A low growing shrub or small tree, with 

 spreading branches, covered with brown bark. Leaves 

 solitary, or in pairs, each consisting of an eglandular 

 petiole, bearing two pinnse each, with three pairs of 

 leaflets; petiole one and a half to two inches long, and 

 rhachis of the pinnae very slender, pubescent ; leaflets 



November 1st, 1898. 



