Arnott on some New Species of Loasece. 275 



general. On descending into the extensive plain called Las 

 Lenas, it disappears, and does not again shew itself until 

 arriving at the Paramillo de las Cuevas, around the sides of 

 which it is very abundant: from thence it appears frequently 

 until ascending about two or three hundred feet above the 

 beginning of the ascent to the Cumbre. On the other side of 

 the Andes, a few plants only are seen near Las Calaveras. The 

 general aspect of the plant is very peculiar ; and on examining 

 its whole economy, we ar»^ struck with the care taken by nature 

 to protect the flower, and ensure its impregnation. It forms a 

 large convex mass, rising one or two feet from the ground : the 

 upper part is composed entirely of a great abundance of dark 

 green leaves, along the margins of which, and protected by them, 

 are arranged the large whitish flowers, forming one or two, or 

 sometimes more circles or fillets, giving the whole a very singular 

 and elegant appearance. The corolla, which is contracted towards 

 its mouth, is of considerable size ; the transverse section, at the 

 widest part, being, in some cases, as large as that of a hen's 

 e^^. When the capsules are ripe, they are generally prostrate 

 on the ground, the peduncle being too weak to support them. 



4. L. lateritia. — Caule subnullo I foliis oppositis longe petio- 

 latis pinnatisectis, segmentis rotundatis crenato lobatis, pedun- 

 culis binis unifloris terminalibus folium subaequantibus, lobis 

 calycinis ovalibus tubum superantibus corolla dimidio brevioribus. 

 . L. lateritia. — Gill MSS. 



t, ; Hab. — Los Imposibles, near foot of descent from the Planchon 

 towards Chile, and in El Valle de Fray Carlos, at the base of 

 the Volcano of Peteroa, in Chile, at an elevation of about 9000 

 feet. (March and April, 1827.) 



This species is readily distinguished by its large flowers of a 

 brick red colour, and by its very short stems or radical branches, 

 each of which bears one or two pair of opposite leaves, and 

 between the upper pair of which arise two peduncles terminating 

 the branch, each one flowered. The fruit has the costae straight. 

 The seeds are pale brown, (perhaps not quite ripe,) with a 

 strongly reticulated testa, as in the next species ; and, as in 

 it, the hairs are short, and not stinging. 



5. L. pinnatifida. — Caule suberecto, foliis oppositis longe 

 petiolatis radicalibus inferioribusque pinnatisectis segmentis 

 pinnatifidis lobis rotundatis approximatis superioribus pinnati- 

 fidis, pedunculis axillaribus subunifloris, lobis calycinis ovatis 

 fructu subdimidio et corolla multo brevioribus. 



L. pinnatifida. — Gill. MSS. 



Hab. — La Cuesta del Inga, in Chile, &.i an elevation of about 

 9000 feet. (March, 1826.) 



Plant clothed with short, rigid, but not stinging hairs. Tube 

 of the calyx and fruit with straight, not spiral ribs. Seeds with 

 a black and prominently reticulated testa. 



