1664 



*ECHiTES stellaris. 



Star-Jiowered Eckites. 



PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



Nat. ord. Apocyne^. Jxiss. {Introduction to the Natural Syste?n of 

 Botanij,p. 210). 



ECHITES Linn. Corolla hypocrateriforniis, fauce tuboque esquamatis, 

 laciniis Ihnbi quinquepartiti incequilateris. Stamina inclusa. Antherce sagittatae, 

 medio stigmati coliEerentes, lobis posticis poUine vacuis. Ovarial. Stylus 1, 



filiformis. Squamce 'j, hypogynffi. Folliculi graciles. Frutices volubiles 



(Americce meridionalis). Folia opposita, ciliis interpetiolaribus glandulosis. 

 PedunCuli interpetiolares, multiflori. Flores utplurimum speciosi, albi, lutei 

 et purpurei. R. Br. in Wem. Trans. I. 59. 



E. stellaris ; tota pubescens ; racemis corymbosis longe pedunculatis horizon- 

 talibus V. recurvis, foliis ovato-oblongis acuminatis, corollse tubo basi ventri- 

 coso conico medio constricto fauce stellatim colorata, caule volubili. 



Caulis volubilis omnesque alice partes, salvis corolla calycisque laciniis, 

 pilis brevibus densis mollibus holosericeus. Folia ovato-ohlonga, acuminata, 

 brevi-petiolnta, supra atro-viridia, subtus lutescentia ; inter folia adsunt, 

 stipularum loco, cilia: breves rectce parum piloses, deciducB. Racemus multi- 

 florus, corymbosus, umbellam referens, longe pedunculatus, horizontalis ; 

 pedicellis scepe refractis v. tortuosis. Calyx 5-partitus, laciniis ovatis acu- 

 minatis ; inter calycem et corollam adsunt squamce 5, breves, sepalis oppo- 

 sitcB, deltoidece, 5-partitcB glabrce, cu7)i squamis hypogynis alternantes. 

 Corolla odorata, carnea, carnosa : tubo medio constricto, basi ventricoso glu- 

 tinoso, apice infundibulari ; fauce notata stella lata, 5-loba, purpurea, 

 ochraceo colore limbata ; laciniis contoriis incequilateris rotundatis. Antherse 

 supra stricturam tubi insertce, cartilaginecE, acuminatce in conurn supra 

 stigma conniventes, intra tubum omnino inclus(S. Squama hypogynce 5, ob- 

 longcE, rotundatce, sepalis alternce. Ovarium subrotundum. Stylus filifor- 

 mis. Stigma incrassatum, basi truncatum, apice abrupte acutatum. 



A tender stove climber, introduced from Rio Janeiro to 

 the Horticultural Society by the Hon. Robert Gordon. In 

 the month of August, its flowers perfume the part of the 

 hothouse in which it is placed, with a delightful smell of 



* The Latin name of the Birthwort, one of the twining species of Aristo- 

 lochia. Its meaning being " serpentine," from e^^if a snake, Linnoeus applied 

 it to the present twining genus. 



