Tap. 5789. 
APHELANDRA ACUTIFOLIA. 
Sharp-leaved Aphelandra. 
Nat. Ord. ACANTHACEA.—DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 5463.) 
APHELANDRA acutifolia ; glaberrima, caule sub-4-gono, foliis petiolatis ob- 
longis acuminatis, basi in petiolum angustatis, spica terminali sessili, 
bracteis imbricatis ovato-oblongis acuminatis serratis ciliatis rigidis 
rachique puberulis, corolla glabra coccinea, labii inferioris lobis 3 ob- 
longis obtusis, lateralibus patentibus, intermedio minore. 
APHELANDRA acutifolia. Nees in D. C. Prodr. v. 11, p. 299. 
One of the most brilliant flowered of the beautiful genus to 
which it belongs, and apparently a common plant in South 
America, as I find specimens in the Herbarium from Mexico, 
Peru, New Grenada, and Surinam. The individual here 
figured was sent by Messrs. Veitch, of the Royal Exotic 
Nurseries, who imported it from South America, and with 
whom it flowered in October, 1863. 
Descr. A glabrous erect shrub. Stems obscurely four- 
angled. eaves four to eight inches long, membranous, 
glabrous, oblong-ovate, acuminate and much narrowed at the 
apex, entire, but when dried rather waved and almost crenate 
at the margin, narrowed at the base into a long or short 
petiole, sometimes two inches long ; colour, a bright uniform 
green, glossy above, paler below. ASpése terminal, sessile, 
erect, strict, four to six inches long, with the bracts two- 
thirds to one and a half inches broad; rachis pubescent. 
Bracts imbricating, two-thirds to one and a third inches long, 
ovate-oblong, acuminate, rigid, sharply, serrate above the 
middle, minutely ciliate and finely pubescent on the back, 
strongly nerved, green with dull purple margins. — Flowers 
one and a quarter to one and a half inches long, bright and 
deep vermilion red. Calya lobes lanceolate, from a broad 
AueusT Ist, 1869. 
