Tas. 8129. 
~CALLIANDRA PORTORICENSIS, vai’. MAJOR, 
Mexico and Central America. 
LeGuMinosaz. Tribe MimMosEAzE. 
CaLuianDRA, Benth.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i. p. 596; Benth. in 
Trans. Linn. Soc, vol. xxx. p. 536. 
Calliandra portoricensis, Benth. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. vol. iii. 1844, 
p- 99; Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xxx. p. 543, var. major, Sprague, var. 
nov.; a typo calycis lobis deltoideis staminibusque subduplo longioribus 
recedit. 
Frutez vel arbuscula usque ad 4°5 m. alta, ramulis subteretibus sulcatis 
leviter flexuosis, junioribus plus minusve pubescentibus vel tomentellis, 
adultis cinereo-corticatis. Stipulae lanceolatae, 4-8 mm. longae. Folii 
pinnae 2-7-jugae, foliolis 12-35-jugis linearibus vel lineari-oblongis 
5-10 mm. longis 1-3 mm. latis apice obtusissimis interdum minute apicu- 
latis basi truncatis margine ciliolatis ceteram appresse pubescentibus 
puberulis vel glabris. Pedunculi axillares, solitari1 vel geminati, 3-8 cm. 
longi. Capitula ultra 30-flora, floribus sessilibus, ante anthesin versus 
- apicem caulis corymbose disposita. Calyx cire. 1°75 mm. longus, lobis 
deltoideis 0°5 mm. longis superne pilis eglandulosis longe ciliatis inferne 
glanduloso-ciliatis. Corolla 5-6 mm. longa, lobis reflexis 2-3°5 mm. 
longis, 1°25-1'75 mm. latis. Stamina circ. 2°5 cm. longa, basi in tubum 
1°5-2 mm. longum connata. Legumen 5-10 cm. longum. 
The multitude of slender, pure-white filaments grouped 
together in the heads of flowers of this shrub gives them a 
delicate grace and charm, to which no figure can do justice ; 
and when the most suitable treatment has been ascertained, 
the new variety should come into favour. It is a native of 
Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, and has been collected 
at elevations varying from 500 to 6,000 ft. above sea-level. 
The Kew plants were purchased in 1906 from a nursery- 
a in Hyéres as “Inga alba,” and flowered in the 
Temperate House in June and July of that year. 
The variety major approaches C. tetragona, Benth. (Bot. 
Mag. t. 2651, as Acacia quadrangularis) in the size of the 
flowers and shape of the calyx-lobes, and is in fact inter- 
mediate between C. tetragona and typical C. portoricensis. 
The relationships of the three plants will be discussed in 
an early number of the ‘‘ Kew Bulletin.” 
Deser.—A shrub or small tree. Branchlets subterete, 
grooved, slightly flexuous, more or less pubescent in the 
young state. Stipules lanceolate, up to 4 in, long. Leaves 
Aprit Ist, 1907. 
