Tab. 6373. 

 DEHEBAINIA smaragdina. 



Native of Tropical Mexico. 



Nat. Ord. Myrsine.e. — Tribe Theophraste*:. 

 (Genus Deherainia, Decaisne in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. vi. vol. iii. p. 139). 



Deherainia smaragdina j frutex, ramulis patentim birsutis, foliis apices versus 

 ramulorum confertis patulis elliptico-ovatis obovatisve acuminatis in petiolum 

 brevom angustatis integerrimis v. apices versus obtuse serrulatis subtus 

 precipue ad nervos pilosis, floribus axillaribus solitariis pedicellatis satu- 

 rate viridibus, pedicello brevissimo ebracteato birsuto, sepalis coriaccis 

 orbiculatis ciliolatis, corolla ampla, lobis patentibus planis obovato-orbicu- 

 latis carnulosis impresso-punctulatis glabris, tubo brevi intus subpiloso, 

 appendicibus minutis subulatis. 



D. smaragdina, Dene. Ic. p. 139, t. 12. 



Posoqueria macrantba, Theophrasta smaragdina, Lind., et Jacquinia smarag- 

 dina, Hort. 



A plant with deep green flowers of very considerable size, does 

 not often occur either amongst monocotyledons or dicotyledons, 

 though familiar in Ixia viridiflora of the first-class, and occur- 

 ing amongst Anonacew and a few other orders in the second. 

 It is singular that almost all the other genera of the tribe 

 Theophr astern, to which Deherainia belongs, have small and 

 white or coloured flowers, namely, Theophrasta, Clavija, and 

 Jacquinia. 



The genus Deherainia was established by Decaisne m 

 1876, on the subject of the present plate, and named by him 

 in compliment to M. Pierre-Paul Deherain, aide-naturahste of 

 the museum of the Jardin de Plants. It was discovered in 

 Mexico, near Tabasco, one of the oldest towns of the Mexican 

 Confederation, on the borders of the Chiapes, celebrated as 

 the scene of one of Cortez's earliest and greatest victories. 

 The climate of Tabasco is hot and damp, and, as was to be 

 expected, Deherainia is a thoroughly tropical plant M. 

 Decaisne describe:; it as flowering in the stoves ot the Jardin 

 de Plantes in May and July. Our plant flowered in the 



•TULY 1st. 1878. 



