59 



CHIRiTA sinensis. 

 Chinese Cldrita. 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERBIIA. 



Nat. ord. Cyrtandrace^. 



CHIRITA, Buchanan. Calyx 5-fidus, aestivatione valvata. Corolla 

 tubulosa, bilabiata. Stamina 2 antherifera ; antherce (ssepius barbatse) 

 loculis divergentibus. Stigma : labio superiore abortiente v. nauo ; iufei'iore 

 2-lamellato. Capsnla elongata, valvis striatis. Semina inappcndiculata, 



pendula. Herbsa v. suifrutices ; foliis oppositis scepius incequalibus, altera 



in quibusdam nano v. abortiente ; jiedunculis axillaribus. — Brown iu Horsfield 

 PI. Javan. p. 11 G. 



C. sinensis ; acaulis, foliis pilosis oblongis obtusis crenatis in petiolum angus- 

 tatis, pedunculis erectis subbifloris, corollse laciniis obtusis callis duobus 

 linearibus in labium iuferius altero lato obtuso in superius, antheris 

 imberbibus. 



This charming little greenhouse plant is one of the first 

 results of any importance, from the voyage to China, by Mr. 

 Fortune, on account of the Horticultural Society. It was 

 sent home in a wooden case, and its beautiful large lilac fox- 

 glove-like flowers were open when it arrived. 



We were accidentally unable to describe the flowers, for 

 whose structure we are therefore obliged to trust to our artist, 

 who we hope has been correct in the drawing. From this it 

 appears that the plant belongs to the genus Chirita, distin- 

 guished from Didymocarpus by its stigma, having the upper 

 lip abortive, and the lower two-lobed. 



Those who see what this is may j adge how desirable it 

 would be to obtain from India the other species of the genus, 

 among which are some still finer. And they are all so easily 

 cultivated, that they are just the things to introduce into 

 gardens. Anybody who can grow a Gloxinia can manage a 

 Chirita. 



Fig. 1 . represents a section of a corolla ; 2. the ovary ; 

 and 3. its section. 



