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FRANCISCEA CONFERTIFLORA. 
FEANCISCEA confeetifloea. 
Nat. Order. — Scrophvlariaceje, Smth. (Atropacfje, Miers). 
Generic Character. — Franciscea, Pohl. {amended charac- 
ter. — Calyx inflated-tubular, the mouth oblique, five-toothed. 
Corolla salver-shaped, the tube narrow, slightly inflated at the 
back at the summit ; limb oblique, rotate, spreading, five- 
toothed beyond the middle, segments unequal, rounded, entire, 
uppermost largest, quincunciully imbricate in aestivation, with 
the sinuses introflexed. Stamens four, didynanious, included, 
short, inserted in pairs below the dilatation of the tube, 
the longer two below the largest uppermost lobe ; filaments 
rather fleshy, compressed, corrugated, inflcxed at the apex ; 
anthers kidney-shaped, affixed bythe sinus, one-celled, opening 
by a two-valved marginal slit, globular polleniferous receptacle 
conspicuous in the sinus. Ovarii obovate, surrounded at the 
base by a stalked fleshy gland, two-celled ; placentas fleshy, pro- 
minent, adnate on each side of the dissepiment, with many 
ovules ; style filiform, very much thickened and inflexed at the 
apex ; stigma two-lipped, lobes short, rather thick, obtuse, 
glandular within. Capsule ovate, included in the persistent 
calyx, leathery, two-valved, two-celled, valves parallel to the 
finally free placenta. Seeds few, rather large, oblong, sub- 
angular, convex on the back, hilum ventral, conspicuous, hol- 
low; testa reticulately pitted. Embryo contrary to the hilum, 
incurved in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons ovate, com- 
pressed, one third the length and twice as broad as the terete, 
slender, inferior radicle. — Brazilian and Peruvian under -shrubs ; 
leaves alternate, entire, oblong ; cymes terminal, densely capi- 
tuliform, or loosely few-flowered, more rarely reduced to a 
single flower ; bracts small ; flowers showy, violet, sometimes 
paler ; tube of the corolla about equal to the calyx, more rarely 
twice or three times as long. — [Miers. Annals of Nat. Hist. 
■2nd Series, v. 249). 
Franciscea coxfertiflora, Pohl. — Crowded-flowered Fran- 
ciscea. — Leaves oblong, acuminate or obtuse, glabrous or more 
rarely slightly hairy above, slightly hairy or villous beneath ; 
cymes loosely many -flowered ; calyces tubular, scarcely inflated, 
villous, tube of the corolla slightly exserted. 
Syn. — Brunsfelsia confertiflora, Bentham. 
BESCBIPTIQN. — An ornamental shrub, with round smooth slightly-branching stems, clothed 
with a brown canescent epidermis, easily disturbed. Branches leafy, sub-ereet, with an 
epidermis like the stem, slightly hairy under a lens, lutescent-hairy at the s ummi ts. Leaves 
subsessile, oblong, acute or obtuse, attenuated at the base, quite entire, rather scabrous on both 
faces, and occasionally slightly hairy ; dull yellowish green above, sometimes brownish beneath, 
veined, membranous, flat, scattered, rather crowded at the summit of the young branches, 
crecto-patent, three to four inches long, one to one and a half inch wide ; leaf-stalks very short, 
subterete, ferruginous, with few hairs. Stipules wanting ; cymes irregular, crowded, termi- 
nal, rather oblong. Peduncles very short, terete, thread-like, bracteate, rather swollen and 
deciduous at the articulation, hairy. Bracts very minute, lanceolate, caducous. Bractlets 
oblong, attenuated at the base, sessile, hairy, deciduous. Calyx inferior, persistent, inflated, 
campanulatc, five-toothed, hairy, tube about equalling the corolla. Corolla lilac, salver-shaped, 
tube slightly hairy Tinder a lens. Filaments dilated at the base, rather flat, rounded above, 
refuse ; anthers didynamous, connivent, simple, oblong, incurved, emarginatc at both ends. 
( )vary superior, sessile, cyhndrieally conical ; style club-shaped, incurved at the apex, stigma 
two-lobed. Capsule rounded ovate, two-celled, two-valved. Seeds numerous. — A. H. 
History, eke. — A native of Brazil, in the provinces of Eio Janeiro and Minus Geraes. 
Our thawing was made from a plant which bloomed in the establishment of Messrs. Henderson, 
Tine Apple Place, Edgcware Eoad, in November last. It appears to have been in the country 
about a couple of years, and to have been received by way of the Belgian gardens. 
Culture. — Since the time the old Franciscea Hopeana was introduced, this has always been 
a favourite family of plants with most cultivators, not less for its easy culture than for the great 
profusion with which most of the species produce sweet-scented flowers; for with proper 
management some of them may be had in flower every week in the year. To grow them 
properly, they must have plenty of heat and moisture ; but when established, and the wood 
properly ripened, they will live hi a temperature a little in advance of the ordinary greenhouse. 
The best soil is turfy peat, loam, and leaf-mould, in equal proportions, liberally intermixed with 
sand and charcoal. When the plants are thoroughly established, shift them liberally, bui take 
care to get abundance of roots before you indulge in large pots. "Water occasionally with 
manure-water, syringe daily, and keep a brisk bottom brat — dung heat is the best, if it can be 
had. When the plants are established, they should, before starting them the second time, he 
i u( boldly back, and the young shoots must hi- trained into proper shape to form a g 1 plant ; 
stop the young shoots as they progress in growth, and take care to keep the plants clear of 
insects. Old established plants, alter they have been cut hack and formed sheets ;iu inch long. 
must have the ball reduced and be potted in fresh soil, using pets as small as possible, so as to 
admit of liberal shifts in the growing season. Of course the plants must be kept close, and tin- 
pots be plunged in heat until they are properly established. — A. 
Vol,. Ml. 1 
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