130 NOTES ON PENTAS. 



a. hortensis includes P. carnea, P. rosea, Sipanea carnea, Vii'ecta 

 carnea, Orthostemma roseum. 



c. Qiiartiniann includes Neurocarpaea (Pentas) lanceolata (Ophio- 



rhiza 1., Manettia 1.), Vignaldia Qnartiniana, Musstenda 

 luteola Hochst. non Del., Pentas Quartiniana. 



d. Klotzschii = Pentas Klotzscbii (Pentanisia 3 spp.). 



The two remaining varieties, c. comorensis and e. Welwitschii, 

 appear to be new ; the latter is a nomen midurn, no word of de- 

 scription being added to differentiate it from its four allies. 



The confusion in synonymy wbicb finds place in the hidex 

 Kewensis originated with Mussmida hitcola Delile (Cent. PI. Meroe, 

 65 (1826). Delile cites the first three of the above synonyms as 

 belonging to his plant, but the latter possesses the characteristic 

 foliaceous calyx-segment of Mmsmidn, and, as his figure shows, 

 differs in other respects from Forskahl's type, although it is not 

 excluded by the very brief diagnosis. Mr. Jackson rightly retains 

 M. luteola Delile as a species and relegates M. luteola Hochst. to 

 Pentas carnea Benth. ; but he follows Delile in referring to M. luteola 

 Ophiorhiza lanceolata Forsk., and Manettia lanceolata Vahl, which 

 are really synonymous with P. carnea. Mussmida cefjyptiaca Lam. 

 stands in a different position ; Lamarck cites Forskahl's and Vahl's 

 names as synonyms, but places M. agijptlaca in the section "Calices 

 appendicules " ; his description, however, contains no reference to 

 the large foliaceous calyx-segment which is so conspicuous in 

 M. luteola, so that it is not easy to be certain where M. agyptiaca 

 should be placed. Sipanea carnea, kept up by Jackson, is certainly 

 P. carnea. 



It may be well to point out that certain synonyms which find 

 place in the Index Kewensis are hardly entitled even to that position. 



" elatior, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 402 in obs. ; et Walp. Eep. 

 vi. 57 = Virecta procumbens ?" 

 Bentham's note in Niger Flora, p. 401, runs: " V. elatior, DC, 

 from Angola, is unknown to me, and may possibly be a Pentas." 

 This hardly affords ground for the definite citation of "P. elatior 

 Benth." 



'' pentandra Benth. [I.e.] =01denlandia macrophylla." 

 Bentham's note runs: " Hedyotis pentandra Schum. & Thonn. [has] 

 been referred to the same genus [Pentas] , though with some doubt." 



P. Quartiniana is rightly cited by Mr. Jackson as of "Oliv.," 

 although Prof. Oliver, in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. 82, gives it as of 

 "Hook. til. in Benth. & Hook. til. Gen. PI. ii. 54." Sir Joseph 

 Hooker is not specified in tlie work cited as the author of the 

 Piubiace(c; moreover, the name Quartiniana is not even mentioned, 

 although the genus Vignaldia A. Rich., of which it formed part, is 

 placed under Pentas. 



Mr. Elliot's treatment of P. purpurea is remarkable. He rightly 

 cites it as of _" OHv. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. (1873)83," and 

 proceeds to divide it into three varieties : a. tgpica, b. Buchanani, 

 and "c. _?" Of a. and b. he gives short diagnoses ; of c. not a word 

 of description. Under tliis last, however, he places Johnston's 



