74 ON SOUTH-AMEEICAN APOCTNACILE. 



crenate on the margin ; 2 ovate-oblong follicles are described as divaricately reflexed, 

 and acutely recurved at the apex, rugulose. 



Stemmadenia, 



This genus was established by Mr. Bentham in 1844, for a few handsome trees with 

 large yellow or white campanular flowers, distinguished by a calyx of 5 large imbricated 

 sepals, furnished inside at their base with numerous (near 100) small lanceolate scales, 

 closely arranged in several series, which gave rise to the generic name. To this genus I 

 have referred the Tabernmmontana grandiflora of Jacquin, which fully accords in its 

 characters with the typical species. Miss Drahe's drawing in Mr. Bentham's plate 44 

 correctly represents the flower with the border-segments convoluted sinistrorsely, as I 

 have found them in all the other species examined by me ; and so it is rightly stated in 

 Mr. Bentham's generic character ; but in a note he adds, by mistake, that Miss Drahe 

 had erred in this respect in her drawing. 



Stemmadenia, Benth. : TaberrKBmontancB sp., Jacq. : Odontostigma, Rich, (non Zoll.) : Sepala 5, 

 majuscula, obtuse oblonga, insequaliaj quorum 3 exteriora breviora, bracteolis 2 suffulta, sub- 

 membranacea, intus squamulis lanceolatis numerosissimis pluriseriatis munita. Corolla iitbus calyce 

 2plo longior, latiuscule cylindricus, imo paullulo latior, supeme campanulatim ampliatus; seg- 

 menta 5, ampla, oblique rotundata ant dolabriformia, in aestivatione simpliciter sinistrorsum convoluta. 

 Stamina 5, infra medium tubi subsessilia ; antherm subcobaerentes, cuspidatae, imo furcis 2 acutis aut 

 obtusiusculia armatee. Discus e lobis 5, marginibus confluentibus, apice crenulatis, suburceolatus, 

 ovaria semitegens. Ovaria 2, distincta, oblonga. Stylus simpliciter teres ; clavuncula incrassata, 

 5-sulcata, imo membrana peltata munita. Stigmata 2, terminalia, parva, subglobosa. Folliculi 2 

 (sec. Jacq.), valde divaricati, subcompresse ovati, retrorsum rostrati. Semina Tabenuemontante. 



Arbusculae inter tropic<B, plerumque Mexicans ; folia opposita, elliptica, petiolata ; racemi breves, 

 pauciflori, in dichotomiis foliorum terminates ; flores majusculi, speciosi, flavi aut albi. 



1. Stemmadenia glabra, Benth. Bot. Sulpb. 425, tab. 44. In America centrali, sinu Fonseca (Hinds) : 

 non vidi. 



A plant with erect stoutish branches and bifurcated branchlets, without stipules; 

 leaves opposite, obovate, obtuse at the base, with a short, suddenly acute constriction at 

 the apex, membranaceous, with subundulate margins, glabrous, green above, more pallid 

 below, costa and 12-16 pairs of nerves prominulent, 5-6 in. long, 2^3 in. broad, on 

 petioles 2-4 lines long, sulcate, with the margins conjoined by a transverse ridge across 

 the node ; panicle terminal, seated in the dichotomy of the branchlets ; peduncle erect, 

 1 in. long, bearing 3-5 large handsome flowers, on pedicels 4-6' lines long, minutely 

 bracteolated at the base ; sepals 5, unequal, 2 inner oblong, nearly an inch long, 3 outer 

 more ovate and shorter, very imbricate, erect, furnished inside with near 100 lanceo- 

 late scales closely arranged in 2 series, supported at the base by 2 membranaceous oval 

 bracts 3 lines long. Corolla tubular, nearly 3 in. long ; tube 21 lines long, narrower in 

 the lower half, suddenly swelling above into a broader but tubular form, and 7 lines 

 wide in the mouth, below which are 5 longitudinal plicatures alternate with the stamens ; 

 segments gibbously oval, crenulate, 14 lines long, 12 lines broad, sinistrorsely con- 



