Tas. 6066. | 
CELSTA BETONICA:FOLIA. 
Native of N. W. Africa. 
Nat. Ord. ScropHuLarIneE#.—Tribe VERBASCER. 
Genus Cexsta, Linn. ; (Benth. in DC. Prod., vol. x. p- 244). 
CeLsia betonicefolia ; pubescenti-pilosa v. glabra, superne viscoso-puberula, 
caule subsimplici, foliis longe petiolatis oblongis elliptico-oblongisve 
obtusis integris v. inferioribus basi lyrato-pinnatifidis crenatis venis 
impressis, superioribus minoribus sessilibus, summis cordato-amplexi- 
caulibus, floribus longiuscule v. longe pedicellatis, sepalis latiusculis in- 
tegerrimis serrulatisve, corolle auree extus brunnee lobis rotundatis 
supremo 2-partito, staminibus inferioribus glaberrimis, antheris linea- 
ribus adnatis, superiorum filamentis brevibus clavatis lanatis. 
CeLsta betonicefolia, Desfont. Fl. Atlant., vol. ii. p. 58. Benth. in A. DC. 
Prod., vol. x. p. 245. Jacq. Fragment., p. 65, t. 96. 
A little-known plant, discovered by Desfontaines in fields 
in Algeria, subsequently in Tangiers by Salzmann, and 
lastly by myself (in 1839), on the top of a peak in the Island 
of St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verd group, a station very 
far removed from the above. It is remarkable that it has not 
been detected in the Canary Islands. It is closely allied to 
the widely distributed C. cretica, L. (Tab. nost. 964), which 
ranges from the Canary Islands to the East Indies, differing 
in usually less divided leaves and long pedicels of the flowers. 
In Marocco two varieties occur, one nearly glabrous, the 
other woolly; both are found in the valleys of the Greater 
Atlas, ascending to 5000 feet, as also in fields on the plains ; 
the lower leaves are sometimes pinnatifid throughout. The 
specimen here figured was flowered by Mr. Niven of the 
Hull Botanic Gardens, in August last, I believe from seeds 
procured by Mr. Maw in Marocco, in 1871. 
Descr. Biennial, two to three feet high, glabrous or 
sparingly pubescent, glandular above. Stem erect, simple, or 
paniculately branched above, terete, rigid. Leaves three to 
NOVEMBER Ist, 1873. 
