* NIPH^A obl8nga, 

 Oblong Snow-iuort. 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. 



Nat. ord. Gesneuace^, 



NIPHJSA. (Supra 1841. misc. 172.) Cali/x semisuperus, eequalis, 

 .5-partitus. Corolla rotata, suboeqnalis ; laciniis superioribus paiilo minoribus 

 et magis conuatis. Stamina inclusa, libera, conniventia ; 4 fertilia, subae- 

 qiialia, antheris glabris ovatis ; quiutum sterile, carnosum, corollae dorso suo 

 adnatum, deforme. Glandulce perigynae o. Ovarmm 1-loculare, placentis 



drdymis polyspermis; stigma simplex. Herba Ramondce cujusdam caides- 



centis facie ; foliis rugosis in verticillum approximatis, floribus axillarihus ter- 

 minalibiisque aggreyatis candidis. 



N. ohloncja. Bot. Reg. 1841. misc. 1/2. 



Folia rugosa, ohloyirja, cordata, hirsuta, petiolata, grossk serrata, circa 

 caulem brevein quasi verticillata. Pedunculi riihescentes, aggregati, axillares 

 et terminalesy xuuflori, l^-2-pollicares. CoroDee vix diatnetro sesquipoUicaris 

 lacinia: rotundatce, concavce, demvm revolutcs. 



Although not to be compared for beauty with the charm- 

 ing Achimenes rosea, or the still more striking Achimenes 

 longiflora, introduced by the Horticultural Society from 

 Guatemala, yet our Niphsea is itself a great acquisition from 

 the same country, where these and many more species of a 

 similar nature were found by Mr. Hartweg. It is the more 

 acceptable because it is one of the few instances of a pure 

 white flower among the Gesneraceous order. 



In its appearance it is much like Ramonda pyrenaica, 

 but both the form and colour of the flowers are different. In 

 habit it approaches some of the stemless Gesneras. In 

 structure it is very distinct from all the genera of its order 

 yet upon record ; from Rytidophyllum, Gesnera, Gloxinia, and 

 Achimenes in the want of a disk ; and from Mitraria and Con- 



* From vtipoQ snow ; in allusion to its spotless flowers. 

 January, 1842. c 



