80 THE GESNERACE^E OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 



13. Epithema, Bl. 



Small rock-herbs, succulent pubescent. Stem simple or 

 branched. Leaves few, alternate or opposite above petioled 

 or sessile, ovate usually cardate. Peduncles long, from the 

 upper axils erect. Bract single ovate or cucullate. Flowers 

 small blue or white in a scorpioid cyme on short pedicels. 

 Calyx campanulate lobes 5 acute. Corolla tube short, limb 

 distinctly 2 lipped, lobes acute or obtuse subequal. Stamens 

 perfect 2 posterior, anterior ones sterile shorter, anthers 

 cohoerent. Disc unilateral or almost surrounding the ovary. 

 Ovary ovoid. Style longer. Stigma subcapitate. Capsule 

 globose enclosed in the enlarged calyx on a thickened and a 

 longer pedicel splitting transversely (a pyxis). Seeds ellipsoid 

 or oblong, spirally reticulate. 



Species about 6 Asiatic, all very closely allied, and one 

 African. 



E, saxatile, Bl. Bijdr., p. 738. 



Succulent herb 3-12 inches tall. Stem viscid pubes- 

 cent, leaves very variable, opposite, ovate cordate denti- 

 culate or crenulate. Stigmose or hairy 1-^-6 inches long, 

 1-5 inches across, petiole ^-1^ inch long. Peduncle 1-2 

 inches long viscid, cyme j inch across subtended by a 

 broad sessile truncate denticulate bract. Flowers numer- 

 ous subsessile. Calyx viscid pubescent tubular, split 

 about half way down into 5 narrow lobes, \ inch long. 

 Corolla tube as long- straight white, three upper lobes 

 oblong obtuse tipped with violet, lower two connate 

 broader subovate denticulate thinner pellucid tipped 

 mauve with darker central spots , mouth of tube inside 

 hairy. StamCns 4 in 2 pairs, filaments incurved, adnate 

 to the mouth of the tube white, anthers 2 oblong connate 

 yellowish. Ovary ovoid enclosed in a fleshy truncate 

 yellow disc. Style stout glabrous. Stigma capitate. 

 Capsule globose pubescent surrounded by the much en- 

 larged ovate acute sepals and borne on the thickened 

 elongate to £ inch pedicel, circurasciss. Seeds very 

 numerous brown elliptic fusiform spirally ribbed. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



