Tas. 6011. 
RHYN ‘CHANTHERA GRANDIFLORA. 
Native of North Brazil and Guiana. 
Nat. Ord. MELASTOMACES.—Tribe MICROLICIER. 
Genus Ruyncnantuera, DC. ; (Benth. and Hook. f. Gen. Pl., vol. i. p. 738). 
RuyNcHANTHERA grandiflora; patentim pilosa, caule ramoso, ramis ramu- 
lisque teretibus, foliis petiolatis ovato-cordatis acuminatis serrulatis 
7-nerviis, paniculis terminalibus multifloris, bracteis foliaceis supremis 
sessilibus, calycis tubo ovoideo, lobis subulatis, petalis elliptico-obovatis 
acutis roseis, staminibus 10, uno maximo, quatuor mediocribus et 
quinque minutis imperfectis. 
Ruyncwantuera grandiflora, DC. Prodr., vol. iil. p. 107; Trina nm Trans. 
Linn, Soc., vol. xxviii. p. 31. 
R. monodynama, DC. L.c, 
Ruexia grandiflora, Bonpl. Rhex., p. 26, t. 11. 
Metastoma grandiflora, Aubl. Pl. uian., vol. i. p. 414, t. 160. 
Ospecxt1a Aubletiana, Spreng. Syst. Veg., vol. ii. p. 311. 
Apparently common in Eastern South America, north of 
the tropic, being found from the Amazons to Demarara, 
growing in moist savanahs, and attaining six feet in height. 
It is a beautiful plant, easily grown, and well worthy of 
cultivation, throwing out a profusion of its rose-coloured 
flowers in the autumn months in England, and in November 
and December in its native habitat. The single large stamen, 
arching down over the four smaller ones, 1s @ very singular 
feature of the flower; it probably contains pollen of a dif- 
ferent potency from what the anthers of the others contain. 
As in most Melastomacea, the style, though curved in the 
same direction as the stamen, is also thrown back, so as to 
remove the stigma far from the anthers. Tt would be very 
interesting to know the significance of this arrangement, 
JANUARY Ist, 1873, 
