Tas. 6677. 
THUNBERGIA Kirgu. 
Native of East Tropical Africa. 
Nat. Ord. AcANTHACER.—Tribe THUNBFRGIEZR, 
Genus TounBERGtIa, Linn. f.; (Benth, et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1072.) 
THunBERGIA Kirkii ; erecta, gracilis, glaberrima, foliis breviter petiolatis lanceo- 
latis v. trapezoideo-lanceolatis subacutis apiculatis 3-nerviis integerrimis v. 
utrinque obtuse sinuato-unidentatis 3-nerviis, cymis axillaribus 2-floris, brac- 
teolis oblongis subacutis tubo corollz paullo longioribus, calyce annulari 
irregulariter dentato, corollz coerulee tubo brevi, fauce campanulato longiore, 
limbi lobis brevibus late obovatis retusis. 
Tropical Africa is rich in species of Thunbergia, including 
plants referred to Meyenia (now reduced to a section of the 
genus), especially of the erect forms, to which belong the 
T. natalensis (Plate 5082), Meyenia Vogeliana (Plate 5389), 
unfortunately lost to our gardens, and M. erecta (Plate 5013). 
These all differ from the Indian species in never climbing, 
but, as with 7. Kirkii, forming bushes with rigid stems 
and branches; they further differ from such types as 7. 
alala (Plate 2591) in the corolla-lobes being comparatively 
(to the tube and throat) smaller, and not so flat and hori- 
zontally patent. Amongst other superb species yet to be 
introduced into our gardens from Africa as especially 
handsome are the above-mentioned 7’. Vogeliana, Benth., 
from Fernando Po, which forms a shrub 20 feet high, 
bearing a profusion of violet-coloured flowers two inches 
long; 1. lancifolia, T. Anders., of Angola, with deep blue 
flowers as much in diameter. 
Thunbergia Kirkii is most nearly allied to T. erecta 
(Plate 5013), in which there is the same tendency to a 
rhomboid form of leaf, but which has a much larger and 
deeper coloured flower, a calyx of many equal subulate 
teeth, and which is a native of the opposite (western) 
MARCH Ist, 1883. 
