52 



*TETRANEMA mexicanum. 



Mexican Tetranema. 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. 



Nat. ord. ScROPHULARiACE^, § DiGiTALE^j BentJiam. 



TETRANEMA. Calyx 5-partitus, sepalis angustis acutis eestivatione 

 imbricatis. CorollcB distincte bilabiatse, labio superiore brevi piano emarginato, 

 lobis latis patentibus ; inferiore lougiore, patente, trifido. Stamina 4, basi 

 declinata, deia adscendentia, corolla breviora. Antherarum loculi divaricati. 

 Stylus simplex ; stigmate subcapitato. Capsula loculicido-bivalvis ; valvulis 

 integris, medio septiferis a placenta demiim libera secedentibus. Semina nu- 

 merosa angulata. Bentham in Hit. 



Tetranema mexicanum. Bentham in litteris. 

 Pentstemon mexicanus. Hort. 



I have not succeeded in ascertaining where the name 

 Pentstemon mexicanus, under which this species is known in 

 gardens, has been published. It has possibly originated in 

 Belgium, whence the plant seems to have been introduced, as 

 is said, from Mexico. In a wild state it is unknown to me. 



Mr. Bentham, who has given particular attention to this 

 order of plants, is of opinion that this is certainly a new genus, 

 very near Pentstemon, with the same calyx and corolla, but 

 without any trace (or very little) of the sterile stamen so con- 

 spicuous in Pentstemon. It also differs, he says,, from Capra- 

 ria and Russelia, in its decidedly two-lipped corolla, and is 

 farther removed from other genera in many points. 



The accompanying figure was made from a plant in the 

 possession of Mr. Mountjoy, Nurseryman, Ealing. 



It is a very pretty greenhouse plant, quite peculiar in its 

 appearance, in consequence of its almost stemless habit and 



* From TtTpa, four, vnfxa, a filament, on account of there being but four 

 filaments in this genus, while the neighbouring genus Pentstemon has five. 



