32 Dr. B. Seemann on the Bignoniacese. 



(1823); G. Don, Gen. Syst. p. 228; DeCand. Prodr. ix. p. 177; 

 Bonplandia, t. 13. 



Bignonia viminalis, Kunth in Humb. et Bonpl. Nov. Gen. Amer. 

 vol. iii. p. 132 ; DeCand. Prodr. ix. p. 144. 



Tecoma salignay Lindl. Herb. 



Nomen vernaculum Mexicanum, " Aguejote," teste Gregg. 



Geogr. Distribution. — On the slopes of the mountains of 

 "Western Mexico, between Mescala and Estola (Humboldt and 

 Bonpland! in Herb. Berol.); between Vera Cruz and Oaxaca 

 (Galeotti ! n.l017), near Jalapa (Galeotti ! n. 20); at Aguacatlan, 

 near Tepic (Gregg ! n. 946) ; in Guatemala (Skinner ! in Herb. 

 Lindl. et Hook.) ; always growing on the banks of rivers, and 

 replacing our willows in those regions. 



In Dr. Lindley^s Herbarium there are specimens of Astianthus 

 collected by Skinner in Guatemala, the value of which consists 

 in their having both flowers and ripe fruit. The position of the 

 genus, so long doubtful, is by means of these easily cleared up. 

 Instead of belonging to the Eubignoniese, Astianthus must be 

 placed near Dolichandrone, amongst Jacarandese. It has no- 

 thing to do with Catalpa, as was supposed, neither agreeing 

 with it in fruit nor flower, and four of the stamens being fertile. 

 The seeds are not, as D. Don had described them, " villis nu- 

 merosis papposa." Don must probably have described the seeds 

 of another Bignoniacea as belonging to Astianthus, perhaps 

 those of Chilopsis, a Mexican genus very much resembling As- 

 tianthus in habit, and growing also on the banks of rivers, but 

 having purple instead of yellow flowers. Don and DeCandolle 

 describe the corolla of Astianthus as " rubro-purpurea •/' but all 

 those who have seen the plant wild, as yellow. 



I have identified Bignonia viminalis of Kunth with Astianthus 

 longifolius : the authentic specimens of Humboldt and Bonpland 

 leave no doubt on that point. The genus consists only of one 

 species, and difi*ers from its allies in its spiny fruit, regular 

 calyx, and parallel anthers. Its seeds are the smallest of any 

 Bignoniacea known to me. 



2. Campsidium, Reiss. et Seem. (gen. nov.). 



Char. gen. — Calyx campanulatus, ecostatus ; limbo 5-dentato, 

 sequali. Corolla tubulosa, leviter curvata ; limbo 5-lobo, lobis 

 subsequalibus. Stamina 4, didynama, cum rudimento quinti. 

 Anther (2 parallelae, nudse. Stigma bilobum. Capsula teretiuscula, 



Isevis, locuUcida. Septum valvis contrarium. Semina 



Frutex ecirrhosus scandens, Chilensis et Chiloensis, glaberrimus ; 

 ramis angulatis ; foliis oppositis 4-7-jugis cum impari, petiolo alato, 

 foliolis ovato-oblongis vel ellipticis, utrinque obtusis vel acutis, ssepe 

 mucronatis, margine dentatis vel subintegerrimis, supra leete viridi- 



