120 ON SOUTH-AMEEICAJSr APOCYNACKS. 



base, sharply mucronulate,, opake, rubescent or cinnamon-coloured above, paler beneath, 

 with subimmersed midrib and nerves, 2-3 in. long, 4-9 lines broad, on slender petioles 



3 lines long ; the peduncle of the axillary inflorescence is simple, erect, 2 in. long, or longer, 

 bearing 2 suberect pedicels 5-8 lines long ; sepals acute, 1 line long ; corolla altogether 

 If in. long, the contracted portion of the tube 6 lines long, at which height the stamens 

 are inserted, the upper portion of the tube is of the same length, funnel-shaped, and 

 5 lines broad in the mouth ; the segments dolabriform, mucronate at the apex, 9 lines 

 long, 4 lines broad, with dextrorse convolution ; stamens inserted in the constriction of 

 the tube on a pilose ring ; anthers cohering, 2 lines long, obtusely bifid at the base ; 

 disk of 5 fleshy, obtuse, erect lobes scarcely conjoined at the base, as long as the 2 free 

 ovaries ; follicles 2, suberect, supported by the persistent calyx, terete, 2^ in. long, 1^ line 

 thick; seeds slender, fusiform, striolate, ^ line broad in the middle, 13-15 lines long, 

 independently of their apical rostrum, which is 12 lines long, and is furnished from the 

 bottom to the top with long, penniform, crowded, silky hairs, without any apical coma. 



A drawing of this species, exhibiting the peculiar structure of the seed, is given ia 

 Plate XV. A. 



3. Rhabdadenia LAxiFLORA, nob. : Echites subereda, Grisebach (non Jacq. nee Sw.) in parte. Pi. Cub. 

 Wr. p. 520; Cat. PI. Cub. p. 171, n. 43 ; Eevis. Cat. PI. Cub. n. 1890. In Antillis : v. s. in herb. 

 Mus. Brit. Cuba (C. Wright 400, sub Echites subereda, Jacq.). 



A plant unquestionably belonging to RJiahdadenia, and generioally distinct from either 

 of the species described by Jacquin and Swartz. Its branches are somewhat slender, 

 branching, terete, pubescent, with axils |-1 in. apart; opposite leaves oblong-ovate, 

 obtusely roundish at the base, rounded and frequently mucronulate by the shortly ex- 

 current nerve, entire, chartaceous, darkish green of a rufescent hue above, opake, obso- 

 letely puberulous, sulcate along the midrib, with 5 pairs of divergent, arching, semi- 

 immersed nerves, with others shorter and intermediate, and finely reticulated veins, 

 whitish yellow beneath, opake, subvelutinous, with reddish costa, nerves, and fine 

 reticulations, 1|— 2 in. long, |— 1 in. broad, on channelled pubescent petioles 1^ line 

 long; racemes axillary, solitary at the nodes, about 5 in. long, on an erect peduncle, 

 bare at its base for 2J in., bearing upwards about 5 alternate flowers, on pubescent 

 stoutish pedicels 6 lines long, at intervals of 6 lines, supported by lanceolate bracteoles 

 1^ line long; sepals lanceolate-acuminate, erect, membranaceous, puberulous, reddish, 



4 lines long, f line broad at the base, with 3 short acute inner scales ; corolla hand- 

 some, of a reddish hue; tube Ij in. long, narrowed at the base for 5 lines, broadly 

 cylindrical above and 4 lines broad, slightly pubescent outside, glabrous within ; seg- 

 ments dolabriform, 9 lines long, 6 lines broad, dextrorsely convolute ; stamens seated 

 in the contraction of the tube ; filaments membranaceous, glabrous, 1 line long ; anthers 

 1\ lines long, acuminate, with 2 acute, incurved, subparallel basal prongs ; disk of 



5 fleshy, oblong, truncated lobes, concealing the 2 ovaries ; style slender, 4 lines long ; 

 clavuncle incrassate, with a basal peltate membrane ; stigmata very short ; 2 follicles, 

 suberect, subincurved, terete, smooth, 5-6 iu. long ; seeds linear, 4 lines long, contiuued 

 by a very slender rostrum 3| liaes long, which is plumosely covered by fine sUky hairs 

 3-6 lines long. 



