Tab. 6346. 







CKOSSAKDKA guineensis. 



Native of Western Tropical [Africa. 



Nat. Ord. Acanthace/e. — Tribe Justicieje. 

 Genus Crossandra, Salitb. (Bentli. et I look./. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 1094.) 



Crossandra guineensis ; herbacea, bumilis, caule brevi petioliscuie furforaceo- 



pubescentibus, foliis breviter petiolatis ellipticis v. oblongo-obovatis obtusis 

 basi angustata obtusa v. cordata superne saturate viridibus nervis nervn- 

 lesque aureis, subtus rufescentibus costa nervisque pubescentibus, spica sessili 

 simplici stricta gracili, bracteis erectis appressis oblongo-lanceolatis mucro- 

 nato-aristatis integerrimis v. apices versus ciliato-serratis, sepalis lanceolatis 

 acuminatis. corolla pallide blacina tubo gracili curvo, lobis ovatis acuminatis 

 3-posticis minoribus. 



C. guineensis, A T « in DC. Prodr. xi. 28 1. 



This charming plant was described by Nees von Esenbeck, 

 forty years ago, from dried specimens in the Hookerian Her- 

 barium received from the coast of Guinea, but from which 

 the beauty of its foliage could not be inferred. Since then it 

 has been collected by that most successful of all travellers on 

 the Guinea coast, Gustav Mann, who found it in the moun- 

 tainous region of the island of Fernando Po, at an elevation of 

 2000 ft., and in the Sierra del Crystal range, in lat. 1° N., iu 

 1862. 



The genus Crossandra, though a small one, containing 

 only six or eight species, has long been known in cultivation ; 

 two species have been figured in this magazine, namely, 

 G. undulcefolia (tab. 2186), of India, with vermilion flowers, 

 introduced by Eoxburgh in the beginning of the century, 

 and C. flava, with golden flowers, tab. 4710, from Sierra 

 Leone. Most of the species are Tropical African. 



C. guineensis was introduced by Messrs. Veitch, who sent 

 specimens for determination and figuring in October of last 

 year. 



FERRUARY 1ST, 1878. 



