iEGIPHILA GRANDIFLORA. 
(Great-flowered iEgiphila.) 
Class. 
TETRANDRIA. 
Generic Character. — Calyx campanulate or turbi - 
late, four-tootbed. Corolla hvpogynous, funnel or 
alver-shaped, having the tube much longer than the 
alyx, and the limb parted into four equal segments. 
ttamens four, inserted in the tube of the corolla, 
ixserted, equal. Ovarium four-celled, the cells each 
unished with one ovule. Style terminal, bifid. Berry 
our or two-celled, with the seeds solitary in the cells. 
-Endl. 
Specific Character. — Plant a robust evergreen 
Order. 
MONOGYN1A. 
shrub. Branches terete, glabrous. Leaves verticillate, 
entire, somewhat obovately-oblong, with very short 
petioles ; base obtuse, sub-cordate ; apex acute. 
Blowers yellow, produced in terminal, trichotomous 
corymbs. Peduncles bibracteate at the base. Calyx- 
tube short, pentangular, five-toothed. Corolla large, 
pubescent, with a long tube ; the limb divided into 
five acute spreading lobes. Stamens exserted. Berry 
compressed, roundly-obovate, of a bright-blue colour, 
—Hook. 
Natural Order. 
VERBENACEjE. 
The opposite portrait is that of the whole of a plant above the surface of the soil 
n which it grew, kindly sent to us the beginning of this year by Mr. A. Balston, of 
he Poole Nursery, Dorset, and preceded by a communication from which the 
ollowing, as supplying all the information we have of the native country of our 
tubject, is extracted. Mr. B. writes, “ I have forwarded you a plant in bloom, 
-vhich I had from Mr. Hugh Low, of Upper Clapton, under the name of Rondeletia, 
;pes., Havanna.” 
This is the plant, (see page 115,) published as EEgiphila grandiflora in the 
‘ Botanical Magazine ” for May, having been received under similar circumstances 
;o those which furnished it to us, by Sir William Hooker, whose name and specific 
character is above adopted. That it is a wild production of Havanna, there is 
10 reason to doubt ; for we find that the other known, rather few, members in 
he genus have natural habitats comparatively adjoining, as Jamaica, Trinidad, 
jruiana, &c. To this country it is quite of recent introduction, and seems to have 
lome through the Continent, 
Like its allies, EE. grandiflora is a stove species, and one of great worth, it only 
lorn naturally producing its handsome flowers in winter ; but they are borne 
ilentifully, and endure a great length of time, and succeeding them comes another 
irnamental feature in the blue fruit. There are no specimens in this country which 
lave yet attained dimensions of any account ; so that the real beauty of the 
VOL. XIII. —NO. CLIV. F F 
