42 calycifloejE 



3. Meriania purpurea. Purple Meriania. 



Branchlets terete glabrous, leaves ovato-lanceo- 

 late denticulated glabrous, bractese 4 lanceolate 

 denticulated. 



Swartz, FL Ind. Occ. 829. 

 II A B. Higher mountains. 

 F L. x\utumn. 



A shrub, 15 feet in height: branchlets purpurascent. 

 Leaves slightly recurved at the apex, 3-nerved, of a dark 

 green colour : petiole channelled above ; when young, 

 as also the nerves of the leaves, puberulous. Peduncles 

 axillary, solitary, one-flowered, an inch or more in length. 

 Bractece leaf-like, sessile, 3 nerved. Calycine lobes 5, 

 erect, subulate, broad at the base. Petals 5, purple. 

 Stamens 10, declinate : anthers yellow. Ovary 5, lobuled 

 at the summit ; style length of the stamens : stigma 

 rounded. Capsule as in the preceding species. 



These three species are beautiful shrubs, with showy 

 flowers. It is to be regretted that we have not yet been 

 successful in establishing them in our gardens. They 

 resemble some species of the animal kingdom, which soon 

 pine and die when removed from the wild haunts of na- 

 ture, rotwithstanding every care and attention. These 

 plants are very common in the moist damp woods of the 

 higher mountains. 



Tribe II. RHEXlEJE. 



Anthers I -pored. Ovary free at the summit, 

 without scales or setae. Capsule dry. Seeds 

 cochleate, with the hilum orbiculate and basilar. 



II. Spenneea. 



Calycine tube globose : lobes 4-5, short. Ala- 

 bastrum conical. Petals lanceolate, acute. Sta- 

 mens 8-10 : anthers ovate with a long spur-like 

 carved appendage from the base. Capsule dry, 

 2-3-celled : seeds echinulated. 



Name, in honor of M. Spenner, a distinguished Bota- 

 nist. 



