323 
RHEXIA. holosericea. 
Pelvet-leaved Rhexia. 
—<——— 
OCTANDRIA (DECANDRIA) MONOGYNI4A. 
Nat. ord. Metastom@ (recentiits MELASTOMACE®). Jussieu gen. 328. 
Div. I. ; : 
RHEXIA. Cal. cum germine, et dein cum capsula partim v. omnind 
conferruminatus (v. germine et capsuld liberus). Pet. 4-5-6. Stam. 8-10- 
12, omnin6 libera. Caps. sicca, calyce obtecta. Sem. plurima receptaculis 
axi centrali adherentibus, et in unoquoque loculo singulis inserta. Vente- 
nat in mém. de Vinst. 1807. 8.11. (sub Murtana et Rurxta). 
R. holosericea, foliis subcordato-ovalibus, utrinque sericeo-tomentosis, 7- 
nerviis, sessilibus: paniculé terminali: floribus bracteaceis decandris. | 
Humb. et Bonpl. Rhewia. 29. t. 12. - 
Melastoma argentea. Lamarck encyc. 4. 45. : tft: 
_ Frutex 10-pedalis, sericeo-tomentosus ( sericeo-pilosus).. Rami opposite, 
acuti, tetragoni. ol. approximata, patentia, sessilia, subcordata, ovalia, 
crassa, utringue sericeo-tomentosa pilis densissimis incumbentibus, 7-9-nervia, 
integerrima. Florum_ panicula: (brachiata) terminalis ramulis plerimque 
trifidis composita. Flores violaceo-purpurei bracteati. , Bractex 3 v. 2 calycis 
longitudine, oblonge, sericee, singulis fasciculis florum, caduce. Cal, tubu- 
losus, sericeo-villosus, 5-fidus, laciniis tubo brevioribus, interne glabris. Pet. 
5, obovata, calyci paululiim longiora, patentia, interné glabra, externe pilosa, 
Stam. 10, corolla longiora: fil. concolora petalis, introrsum arcuata, ad a icem 
infra antheram tuberculis 2 appendiculata: anth. lineares, basi affize. Germ. 
oblongo-ovatum, dentibus 5 villosissimis umbilicatum, 5-valv., 5-loc.; poly- 
sperma. ‘Bonpl. loc. cit. ‘ . 
Ee Rate Nate eatin gr SOR a OE a ne eee 
Though very lately introduced into our collections, this 
fine plant had been long since observed both by Commer- 
son and Sir Joseph Banks, while growing on its native spot 
near Rio Janeiro in Brazil, and samples are preserved in 
each of their Herbariums. The species had not been noticed 
in any publication, until taken up from Commerson’s 
specimen by the Chev". de Lamarck, in his valuable En- 
cyclopédie Botanique. It has been since described and 
figured from the dried plant, in the splendid Monograph of 
this genus by Monsieur Bonpland. We are not to confound 
it with the Mexastoma sericea of the works of Linnzeus and. 
his editors, where, as Mr. Dryander observes, a very dif- 
ferent species is manifestly intended, though it so happens 
that a sample of the present stands in the Linneean Her- 
barium under that very title. ae has our plant any thing 
ie 
