named, but that it is the species described for the first time 
in 1900 by the late Dr. K. Schumann as D. Calantha and 
based by its author on herbarium specimens received at 
Kew in 1897 from Zomba in British Central Africa, where 
the plant had been collected by the late Mr. A. Whyte and 
by Mr. J. M. McClounie. The examination of flowers of 
this cultivated specimen, and a re-examination of those of the 
original type, have shown that the number of ovules in a cell 
is usually 6-8, not 4-6 as Dr. Schumann was led to believe. 
This point, though apparently not important, deserves to 
be noted, owing to the fact that in this genus some stress 
has been laid by Dr. Schumann on the number of ovules 
present in each cell. Another character which Dr. Schu- 
mann has treated as of consequence is the presence or 
absence of stellate hairs within the ovary; it is to be 
noted that in the species now figured these stellate hairs 
occur, but that while present on the inner wall they are 
absent from the septa. The material from which our figure 
has been prepared was derived from a plant which has grown 
vigorously in a border in the Mexican house in Kew, and 
which, but for severe annual pruning, would have attained 
tree-like dimensions. It is an evergreen, and when loaded 
with flowers, which are of the same tint as, and bear a 
strong superficial resemblance to those of the Musk Mallow, 
is a singularly attractive object. Unfortunately at Kew it 
has failed to ripen seeds, 
Description.—Shrub, erect, 11-12 ft. high. Stem 2 in, 
thick, brownish-velvety, marked below with Jleaf-scars ; 
lateral twigs few and short, bearing small undivided or 
lobed leaves. Leaves 3-lobed or somewhat 5-lobed, lobes 
acutely acuminate, the mid-lobe largest, the lateral lobes 
very small, about 12 in. across, margin coarsely acutely 
toothed, base deep cordate, 7-nerved, above harshly stellate 
pubescent with sunk nerves, beneath densely pubescent or 
tomentose with raised nerves and veins; petioles 8-9 in. 
long, shortly densely hairy ; stipules linear-lanceolate, 3 in. 
long. Cymes corymbiform, about 15-flowered, each branch 
of the simple dichasium being a scorpioid cyme. Peduncles 
6-8 in. long and pedicels 1-1} in. long, softly pilose; 
bracteoles each enclosing a solitary flower, deciduous, ovate- 
lanceolate, caudate-acuminate, }—3 in. long, 2-3 lin. wide, 
