192 SAFFORD: DESMOPSIS, A NEW GENUS 
Type in the Botanical Museum of Copenhagen, collected by 
Anders Sandée Oersted on Mount Aguacate, Costa Rica, in 
November, 1847, Plantae Centro-Americanae Oersted No. 148, 
bearing the generic name “ Guaitteria.” 
DistRIBUTION: known only from the province of Alajuela, 
Costa Rica. 
SPECIMENS EXAMINED 
Costa Rica: Type material, as cited (three sheets); also 
Oersted 149, collected ‘‘in Monte Jaris, Nov. 1846.” Common 
name, ‘‘ Guinea.” 
The common name applied to this plant in Costa Rica is the 
same as that applied to Desmopsis bibracteata, as quoted by 
Jiménez, except it has a feminine instead of a masculine ending. 
It is undoubtedly derived from the banana (‘‘guineo”) odor of 
the flowers. In the specimens examined fruits only were observed. 
These differ from the fruits of all the other species observed in 
their larger size, and the alternate arrangement of the seeds, 
somewhat after the manner of the seeds of Asimina and Sapran- 
thus. The leaves differ from those of D. panamensis in the 
indument of the midrib beneath, which is densely fulvous-hirtel- 
lous; and the species is easily distinguished from D. Maxonii by 
its much shorter floral pedicels. From D. bibracteata it is at once 
distinguished by the shape of the leaves. 
This species and D. bibracteata would be desirable additions 
to the cultivated shrubs of the warmer parts of the United States 
on account of the fragrance of their flowers. Those of the latter 
species are much used by Spanish Americans in decorating their 
altars. 
BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
