GESNERA DISCOLOR. 
(Discoloured-flowered Gesnera.) 
Class. Order. 
DIDYNAMIA. ANGIOSPERMIA. 
Natural Order. 
GESNERACEiE. 
Genkric Chab-act-er.— Calyx adnate to the ovary ; 
limb nearly equally five-lobed, free. Corolla half- 
superior, tubular, with five gibbosities at the base; 
limb sub- bilabiate: upper lip drawn out, emarginately 
two-lobed ; lower lip three-lobed. Stamens didynamous, 
with the rudiment of a fifth behind ; anthers at first 
cohering into a round head. Glands five, or fewer 
around the ovary. Capsule dry in the calyx, one-celled, 
incompletely two-valved ; placentas two, parietal, 
many, seeded. Seeds serobiform. — Don's Gard. and 
Botany. 
Specific Character. — Plant shrubby, apparently 
deciduous, growing from eighteen inches to two feet 
in height. Leaves opposite, ovately cordate, finely- 
toothed, rugose, downy, dark green above, pinkish 
purple beneath, having long petioles. Panicles of flowers 
without leaves, smooth, varnished, and, with the 
pedicels, deep purple. Corolla club-shaped, smooth, 
nearly twice the length of the pedicels; limb with 
nearly equal roundish lobes. 
From all we can learn regarding the native habitat of this splendid plant, it 
seems to belong to the province of Rio Janeiro, and to have been obtained from 
thence about three or four years since, by a friend of Messrs. Young, Epsom, to 
whose establishment it was added in 1840. During the year 1841 it bloomed 
almost incessantly, from April to October, in the nursery of these gentlemen, and 
we were frequently enabled to observe its character. 
The whole of our observations go to prove that it is a decided shrub, losing 
its foliage only for about two months in the winter and it would perhaps be 
evergreen were all the conditions of its culture perfectly favourable. From a large 
tuberous root, the brownish stems arise to the height of about a foot, when they 
diverge into short downy branches, which are terminated by long and spreading 
panicles of richly-tinted flowers. One of these panicles is represented in our 
coloured plate, and as the size of our page would not admit of the leaves being 
shown, a woodcut of the entire plant is subjoined. 
One of the most beautiful features of this species is the outline and colouring 
of its noble foliage. Each leaf, before it arrives at its full size, (and it is several 
months in its progress towards this,) is laced or fringed round the margins of its 
serratures in a most delicate and elegant manner, and its numerous veins are 
raised considerably on the lower side, as well as of a purplisli hue : thus presenting 
a curious and highly-pleasing appearance. 
