Jlpinia. monandria monostnia. 63 



three, caducous, boat-shaped leaves embracmg the raceme. — Flowers 

 verv large, a pure smooth shining white, except the inner border, or 

 labium, which is a beautiful mixture of orange and crimson. — Brae- 

 tcs, (or inferior calyx), gibbous, bursting on one side to the base, and 

 partially on the other. — Calyx superior, one-leafed, gibbous, length 

 of the bracte, splitting into various portions. — Corol ; exterior tor' 

 der of three, oblong, obtuse, entire segments, of which the upper is 

 largest. Inner border or labium, very large 5 when expanded, three 

 inches broad, and two and three quarters long, somewhat three-lob- 

 ed, the two lateral semi-circular and incurved into a tube ; the middle 

 one smaller, more projected, curled, and sometimes bifid ; from the 

 base on each side an incurved, sharp spur. — Filament about as long 

 as the large, broad, deeply bifid, obtuse, two-lobed anther. — Nectary 

 of Kbnig; in most of the other plants of this order, I have found this 

 part to consist of two distinct bodies here it is of one, very thick, 

 and short with its truncated, apex tuberculate. — Germ inferior, obo- 

 vate, hairy, three-celled, with many ovala in each, attached to central 

 receptacles. Style toward the apex hairy. Stigma rising erect 

 through the bifid apex of the anther, funnel-shaped, hairy. — Capsule 

 obovate, spheroidal, size of a very large gooseberry, armed with 

 short, sharp, stiff, slender bristles ; when ripe nearly dry, and yellovr, 

 three-celled, three-valved. — ^eef? numerous, ovate, oval, or obovate, 

 immersed in a large portion of a soft pulpy matter, which in the im- 

 mature state form distinct arils; on each side, and round the apex a 

 groove. Integuments two, brown, and rather thin. — Perisperm car- 

 tilaginous, cloven at both ends by a brown spongy fissure, but deep- 

 est from the apex. — f itellus, the centre of each of the superior limbs 

 of the perisperm, is occupied by a small, thin, oblong body of a clear- 

 er colour ; and widely distinct from both embryo and perisperm. 

 — Embryo, the upper part crescent-shaped, with its horns projecting 

 into the limb of the perisperm, and in some degree into the vitellus. 

 Radicle inferior, projecting straight from the convex, or under side 

 of the crescent, with its base to the umbilicus. 



Obs. This is the most beautiful plant of the whole genus, even 



