15G 



HOYAL HOHTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



1. Rudgea macbophylla, Benth., in Linn. 1850, vol. xxiii. p. 456. 

 Psychotria levcocephala, Brongn, in Hort. Par. 1843 ; Lemaire, Jardin- 

 Fleuriste, 1853, vol. iii. tab. 292, 293. Psychotria leucantha, Ilort. 

 Belg. 



Discovered by Messrs. Guillemin and Houllet, on the mountains 

 about Rio Janeiro, who introduced living plants into Paris. Speci- 

 mens were also gathered in, or very near to, the same locality by 

 Gardner, Raddi, and others. It is correctly said by Brongniart 

 to differ from Rudgea as formerly characterized in the exserted 

 stamens ; but there are other true Rudgea in which this character 

 occurs. 



Stem erect, internodes about 3£ inches long, tetragonous ; leaves 

 9 inches long, thick, coriaceous, shining, oblongo-lanceolate or 

 obovate, narrowed below and cordate, slightly undulated ; midrib 

 strong, with many pinnate nerves ; petiole short ; stipules intra- 

 petiolar, persistent, connate, sheathing, closely pressed to the stem 

 except where the inflorescence is given off, the back furnished with 

 two rows of rigid linear sometimes flattened processes, the margin pro- 

 longed beyond the processes ; inflorescence terminal, on a short stalk, 

 subcapitate, composed of several fascicles of extremely crowded sessile 

 flowers, which are closely united to each other by small bractes, the 

 lowest of which somewhat resemble the stipules, the upper bifid or 

 simply linear j calyx 5-cleft, with one or two intermediate processes of 

 variable size and length, broader at the base, their edge scarious 

 and shortly ciliated, white where it adheres to the ovary ; tube of 

 corolla long, gradually enlarged above ; limb 5-cleft, divisions acute, 

 thick, white, uncinate at the apex ; stamens 5, exserted j' annular disk 

 conical ; style f inch long ; bifid at the apex. Ovarium adnate, bi- 

 locular ; ovules solitary in each cell, erect, springing from the base. 

 Berry obovate, truncate above, 6-7 lines long. 



This species belongs to the division Grandes of Bentham, and 

 is a very desirable object of cultivation, from the beauty of the 

 leaves and the large white masses of flowers. 



2. Rudgea nivosa (Linden, sub Psychotria). 



Received by Monsieur Linden, from Paranas. 



Stem erect, cylindrical ; internodes at first densely tomentose ; leaves 

 shining above, whitish and minutely tomentose below, oblongo- 

 elliptic, coriaceous, slightly cordate at the base, resembling those of 

 Prunus Laurocerasus ; petioles short, clothed with short brownish 

 down j stipules intrapetiolar, connate below, distinct above, adorned 

 at the back with two rows of acute bristle-like processes ; inflorescence 

 terminal ; peduncle snow-white, woolly, as is the whole of the calyx 

 and corolla, divided above into 4 or 5 branches which bear a few 



