Refugium Botanicum.| [November, 1871. 
TAB. 303. 
Natural Order More. 
Genus Dorstenta, Plum. 
D. Bowmanniana (Baker). Caulibus ascendentibus semipedalibus 
foliosis puberulis purpureo-viridibus, stipulis lnearibus mi- 
nutis, foluis distincte petiolatis lanceolatis acutis obscure den- 
tatis subcoriaceis supra viridibus secus costam et venas 
primarias albo variegatis subtus scabris minute pubescentibus, 
pedunculis axillaribus brevibus deflexis purpureis, synanthiis 
parvis rotundis repandis puberulis convexis extus purpureis 
floribus centralibus multis foemineis exterioribus masculis. 
A native of the neighbourhood of Rio Janeiro, whence our 
specimens were sent by Mr. Bowman. 
Stems half a foot high, ascending, leafy, purplish, minutely 
downy. Stipules linear, minute, persistent. Petioles one-half to 
three-fourths of an inch long, erecto-patent. Leaves lanceolate, 
three to five inches long, fifteen to eighteen lines broad, acute, 
obscurely toothed, rounded at the base, bright green and smooth 
above, variegated with a white border to the midrib and lower 
half of the principal veins ; the under surface subscabrous with 
minute pubescence. Peduncles copious, axillary, deflexed, pur- 
plish, half to three-fourths of an inch long. Receptacle round, 
irregularly lobed, finely downy, half an inch broad, purple beneath, 
the face slightly convex; the outer rows of flowers male, the 
central ones female. 
Allied to D. argentata, Hook. fil. Bot. Mag. t. 5795, from which 
it differs by its broader, shorter leaves, more coriaceous in 
texture; and receptacle destitute of the curious capitellate mar- 
ginal processes of that species. 
Tas. 303.—1, receptacle viewed from above; 2, vertical section of 
the same: both magnified,—J. G. B. 
—_——_—_—_—— 
A new and very pretty species of a very interesting genus. 
The leaves are beautifully variegated with white on the upper 
side, the variegation following the midrib and principal veins. 
The late Mr. D. Bowman sent me the plant from the neighbour- 
hood of Rio Janeiro. It thrives with a moist stove treatment, 
producing freely its curious heads of flowers.—IV. W. S. 
