* TETRANEMA mexicanum. 
Mexican Tetranema. 
DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERM I A. 
Nat. ord. Scrophulariaceas, § Digitaleas, Bentham. 
TETRANEMA. Calyx 5-partitus, sepalis angustis acutis sestivatione 
imbricatis. Corollas distincte bilabiatse, labio superiore brevi piano emarginato, 
lobis latis patentibus ; inferiore longiore, patente, trifido. Stamina 4, basi 
declinata, dein adscendentia, corolla breviora. Antherarum loculi divaricati. 
Stylus simplex ; stigmate subcapitato. Capsula loculicido-bivalvis ; valvulis 
integris, medio septiferis a placenta demurn libera secedentibus. Semina nu- 
merosa angulata. Bentham in litt. 
Tetranema mexicanum. Bentham in litteris. 
Pentstemon mexicanus. Hort. 
I have not succeeded in ascertaining where the name 
Pentstemon mexicanus, under which this species is known in 
gardens, has been published. It has possibly originated in 
Belgium, whence the plant seems to have been introduced, as 
is said, from Mexico. In a wild state it is unknown to me. 
Mr. Bentham, who has given particular attention to this 
order of plants, is of opinion that this is certainly a new genus, 
very near Pentstemon, with the same calyx and corolla, but 
without any trace (or very little) of the sterile stamen so con- 
spicuous in Pentstemon. It also differs, he says,, from Capra- 
ria and Russelia, in its decidedly two-lipped corolla, and is 
farther removed from other genera in many points. 
The accompanying figure was made from a plant in the 
possession of Mr. Mountjoy, Nurseryman, Ealing. 
It is a very pretty greenhouse plant, quite peculiar in its 
appearance, in consequence of its almost stemless habit and 
* From rer pa, four, vriya, a filament, on account of there being but four 
filaments in this genus, while the neighbouring genus Pentstemon has five. 
