Refngiwn Botcmiciiin.] 
[June, 1871. 
TAB. 281. 
Natural Order Aroidej5. 
Genus Anthurium, ScJiott. 
A. VAETABiLE [Kwith, Enwii. iii. p. 80). Caudice elongato assurgente, 
petiolis viridibiis teretibus 15 — 18 poll, loiigis, genie ulis brevibus, 
foliis digitatim multifoliolatis subcoriaceis supra nitide saturate 
viridibus, foliolis petiolulatis (petiolulis pollicaribus) lanceolatis 10 — 
12 poll, longis medio 15 — 18 lin. latis acutis basi cuneatis, venis 
primariis 10 — 12 immersis gracilibus erecto-patentibus, pseudo- 
neuris gracilibus continuis, pedunculis crassis viridibus 2 — 3 poll, 
longis, spathis lanceolatis acutis viridibus 3 poll, longis demum 
reflexis, spadicibus sessilibus livide violaceo-purpureis spathis sequi- 
longis. — Schott, Prodr. Avoid, p. 553. 
A native of Brazil. 
Caudex assurgent, reaching two feet long. Petioles fifteen to 
eighteen inches long, green, terete. Geniculum half to five- 
eighths of an inch long. Leaves two feet across, digitately multi- 
foliolate, subcoriaceous, bright dark green above, paler beneath ; 
petiolules an inch long, suddenly swollen above the base ; leaflets 
usually nine, narrow-lanceolate, ten to twelve inches long, fifteen 
to eighteen lines broad, acute or acuminate, very gradually 
cuneately narrowed at the base, feather-veined ; main veins ten 
to twelve, slender, immersed, erecto-patent, ending in a con- 
tinuous pseudo-nerve a line and a half to two lines from the edge. 
Peduncles stout, green, erect, two to three inches long. Spathe 
bright green, lanceolate, three inches long, finally reflexed. 
Spadix sessile, livid violet-purple, as long as the spathe. Berries 
bright scarlet, four lines long, obovoid, nearly black on the apex. 
Tab. 281. — 1, pair of flowers viewed from above ; 2, single flower 
viewed from the side ; 3, ovary with stamens ; 4, horizontal section of 
ovary : all magnified. — J. G. B. 
A. variahile is a handsome species, which, when well grown, 
resembles a small palm tree, from its fine, spreading, digitate 
leaves. The stem is rather weak, rooting into the air and 
requiring support. I obtained the plant, some years since, from 
Mons. L. Van Houtte, of Ghent.— W. W. S. 
