: 
Tas. 6612. 
MASCARENHASIA CURNOWIANA. 
Native of Madagascar. 
Nat. Ord. ApocyneEx%.—Tribe EcH1TIDER. 
Genus MascarennasiA, dA. DC.; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 721.) 
Mascarennasia Curnowiana ; frutex gracilis glaberrimus, foliis breviter petiolatis 
oblongis v. oblongo-lanceolatis apicibus obtusato-attenuatis basi rotundatis yv. 
subacutis, nervis numerosis gracillimis patentibus, supra intense viridibus 
subtus pallidis, cymis terminalibus breviter pedunculatis 3-5-floris, floribus 
breviter pedicellatis, calycis parvi segmentis subulatis erectis, corolla rosea 
glaberrima limbi patentis lobis tubo «quilongis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis 
basi subcordatis ad orem puberulis, fauce intus basi filamentisque pubescentibus, 
antheris subulatis, disci glandulis inconspicuis. 
M. Curnoviana, Hemsley in The Garden, 1882, p. 98, t. 323. 
A very beautiful plant, and being both a free flowerer 
and remaining long in bloom, one likely to become a 
favourite for stove cultivation. It belongs to a little-known 
genus near LHchites, of which five species have been 
described, all from Madagascar, and of which none had 
previously to this one been in cultivation. The name of 
Mascarenhasia commemorates the commander of the Portu- 
guese fleet, Don Mascarenhas, by whom the Island of 
Bourbon was discovered in 1545, and in honour of whom it 
was first called (after corruption) le Mascaraigne; to give 
place to that of Bourbon when it was taken by the French 
1642; and this to Reunion at the Revolution. Singularly 
enough the original name has been perpetuated through all 
these changes, and so amplified in signification by Botanists 
as to include not only all the Islands of the Bourbon and 
Mauritian group under the title of Mascarenes, but some- 
times also Madagascar, the Seychelles, and their depen- 
dencies. 
Mascarenhasia Curnowiana was imported by Messrs. 
MARCH Isr, 1882. 
