Tas. 8149. 
CALATHKA ANGUSTIFOLIA. 
Central America. 
ScITAMINEAE. ‘Tribe MARANTEAE. 
CatatuEa, G. F. W. Meyer; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 653; 
K. Schum. in Engl. Pflanzenr., Marantaceae, p. 69. 
Calathea angustifolia, Koern. in Gartenfl. 1858, p. 87, Mittheil. Russ. 
Gartenb. 1860, p. 94, et in Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Mose. vol. xxxv. pars i. 
p. 186; Peters in Mart. Fl. Bras. vol. iii. pars iii. p. 116; K. Schum. in 
Engl. Pflanzenr., Marantaceae, p. 110; C. varianti, Koern., proxima, foliis 
subtus pilosis differt. 
Herba acaulis. Folia radicalia, anguste oblonga, acuminata, basi obtusa, 
utrinque pilosa, supra viridia, subtus purpurea, circa 60 cm. longa, 12 
cm. lata; petiolus circa 60 cm. longus, viridis, rubro-maculatus, parte 
superiore 2-3 cm. longa glabra callosa excepta pilis patentibus dense 
vestitus ; vagina membranacea, patentim pilosa, rubro-maculata. Scapus 
15 em. altus, lutescens, rubro-maculatus ; bracteae lanceolatae, lutescentes 
vel pallide virides, rubro-pilosae ; bracteolae lanceolatae, glabrae, hyalinae ; 
spica 15 cm. longa; flores bini dispositi, 2°5 cm, diam. Sepala lineari- 
lanceolata, acuminata, hirsuta. Corolla dilute lutea; tubus hirsutus, 
cylindricus, 2°2 cm. longus ; lobi lanceolati, 1°4 cm. longi. Staminodiwm 
exterius obovato-oblongum, 1°5 em. longum; interius exteriori simile sed 
paullo brevius; staminodium cucullatum,7 mm. longum. Ovariwm apice 
luteo-sericeum.—Maranta discolor et Heliconia discolor, Hort. ex Koern. 
in Gartenfl. 1858, p. 87. 
Many of the plants of this order are cultivated on 
account of the beauty of their leaves, and receive names in 
gardens before they produce flowers, upon the structure 
of which the various genera are founded; hence a com- 
plicated synonymy has arisen. The present species is an 
instance of this, for it was cultivated before 1858 at St. 
Petersburg and Berlin under the names of Maranta discolor 
and Heliconia discolor respectively, but (while its flowers 
were still unknown) was transferred by Koernicke to 
Calathea on account of its great resemblance in habit and 
foliage to his C. varians, an assumption which subsequent 
flowering has justified. The plant here depicted has been 
cultivated at Kew for many years. 
Descr.—A stemless herb, with leaves reaching a height 
of about 4 ft. Leaves narrowly oblong, acuminate, obtuse 
at the base, pilose on both surfaces, green above, purple 
beneath, 2 ft. long, nearly 5 in. wide; petiole about 2 ft. 
long, green, spotted with red, densely clothed with patent 
Avueust Ist, 1907. 
