65 



GESNERIA REFLEX A. 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. . NATURAL ORDER. 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. GESNERACE^. (Lindl.) ' 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Gesneria (Lin.) Calyx 5-partitus, (plerumque germini adnatus). Corolla tubtilosa cam- 

 panulata limbo bilabiato ; labio superiore bi-, inferiore tri-fido. Stigma bilobum. Capsula bilo- 

 cularis, 2-valvis, placentis parietalibus. (Bot. Mag. pi. 3659.) 



Calyx 5 -parted, (generally attached to the germen). Corolla tubular, campanulate, with a 

 2-lipped limb ; upper lip bifid, inferior one trifid. Stigma 2-lobed. Capsule 2-celled, 2-valved, 

 with parietal placentas. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



G. reflexa; herbacea, foliis subsessilibus cordatis crenato-dentatis rugosis villosis acutis; 

 racemo termmali reflexo ; bracteis cordatis acutis reflexis ; corollis arcuatis tomentosis, labio 

 superiore elongato fornicato basi angustato inferiore brevi fauce obliqua latissima truncata. 



• Herbaceous ; leaves somewhat sessile, heart-shaped, crenately-toothed, wrinkled, hairy, 

 acute ; raceme terminal, reflexed ; bracteas heart-shaped, acute, reflexcd ; corollas curved, tomen- 

 tose, upper lip elongated, arched, narrowed at the base, lower lip short, the mouth very large, 

 obliquely truncate. 



Descr. — Root tuberous. Stem erect, from 12 to 15 inches high, where it forms a tubercular 

 kind of excrescence, from which part it is suddenly reflected to form the raceme, which is pen- 

 dulous, bearing numerous flowers, opposite, most frequently in pairs. Calyx divided into five 

 deep, acute segments, leaving the tube remarkably short, and investing the lower half of the 

 germ. Corollas large, of a deep and splendid scarlet, covered with a pubescence which gives 

 them a velvety appearance. Filaments about the length of the corolla ; anthers yellow, united 

 in a star-like manner. Style of the same length as the stamens ; stigma obtuse, 2-lobed. 



For an opportunity of figuring this very handsome plant, we are indebted to 

 Mr. Knight of King's Road, Chelsea, in whose fine collection it flowered this 

 spring. In its flowers, as well as in its foliage, it comes near to G. faucialis ; 

 from which, however, it appears to differ in some particulars. The margin of the 

 leaf is not so regularly crenate, being rather crenato- dentate ; the base too is not 

 rounded up to the midrib, but terminates abruptly at some distance from it, then 

 proceeding towards it in a straight line, and thus leaving a considerable space on 

 each side of the petiole. The corollas also appear to differ somewhat in shape 

 from G. faucialis, while their colour is considered by Mr. Knight to excel in rich- 



VOL. II. NO. XVII. JULY, 1838. K 



