198 - NOTES ON NORTH BRAZILIAN GENTIANE^, 



quim, March, 1853 (K. Spruce) ; alap two specimens mixed with those 

 of V, uniflora, gathered by Sir Eobert Schomburgk in the Serra T 



Lei 



antJwstemon 



COUTOIJBEA, Aubl, 



There has arisen a great confusion in the nomenclature of the two 

 common species of this genus, to which I have unfortunately not a 

 little contributed myself, having as well as others been led into error 

 by Aublet's ill-drawn figures, without checking them by his descrip- 



tions. 



defisi^i 



and his (7. ramosa is the one I have generally taken for (7. spicata ; 

 whilst the plant I have distributed as C, ramosa belongs to a very dif- 

 ferent genusj Lisiantlim. The true Couioubeas are annuals, although 

 the dry hard lower portion of the stem gives a woody look to many 

 specimens in herbaria. The following are the localities from whence 

 there are specimens in the Hookerian and Kew Herbaria : 



1. Coutoubea spicata, Aubl. ; foliis basi cordato-amplexicaulibus, flo- 

 ribus sessilibus summis v. omnibus dense spicatis.^ — 0. demiflora^ 

 Mart. ; Trinidad (Lockhart, de Schach, Bromfield) ; Panama (Cu- 

 ming, n. 1104, Barclay, Seemann); Santa Martha (Purdie) ; Suri- 

 nam (Hostmann, n. 645); Pernambuco (Gardner, n. 1066); Bahia 

 (Salzmann) ; Caripi (Spruce, n. 230). 



2. Coutoubea r^^;ra (Benth.) ; foliis basi angustatis, floribus sessilibus 

 omnibus dissitis. — British Guiana (Robt. Schomburgk, 1st coll. ; a 

 single specimen also, Eich. Schomburgk, n. 1060), 



3. Coutoubea ramosa (Aubl.) ; foliis basi angustatis, floribfts dissitis 

 plerisque v. omnibus pedicellatis. — Var. a. racemosa^ racemo elongato 

 subnudo floribus majoribus; <7. racemosa, Mey. British Guiana 

 (Robert Schom. 1st coll. n. 152; 2nd coll. n, 334 ; Eich. Schom. n. 

 397) ; Santarera (Spruce, distributed as C. spicata). — Var. /?. mlga- 

 ris, racemo basi foliato, floribus minoribus; British Guiana (Eobt. 

 Schomb. 2nd coll. n. 30); Cayenne (Martin) ; Surinam (Hostmann, 

 n. 370); Tanaii, near Para (Spruce); Piauhy (Gardner, n. 2672; 

 also Martius, Herb. Bras. n. 1051 (Gardner's and Spruce's specimens 

 are some of them intermediate between a and ^).— Var. y. longif allay 

 racemis abbreviatis, foliis anguste lanccolato-linearibus acuminatis 

 Acres superantibus. A very distinct variety, gathered by Mr. Spruce 



