Urceocharis edentata Wright

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Urceocharis edentata, C. H. Wright in Kew Bulletin, 1910, p. 24; ab U. Clibrani, Mast., corona inter filamenta inappendiculata differt. Herba; bulbus tunicis brunneis membranaceis vestitus; collum breve, 1,3 cm. diametro. Folium solitare, elliptico oblongum, breviter acuminatum, basi cuneatum angulis exterioribus rotundatis, glaberrimum, 15 cm. longum, 8 cm. latum; costa supra canaliculata, subtus lata prominensque. Scapus terminalis, 20 cm. altus, 5 mm. diametro, dilute viridis. circa 4-florus; bracteae brunneae, 2,5 cm. longae, 5 mm. latae, scariosae; pedicelli 1,5 cm. longi. Perianthium album, prope apicem extus cremeum; tubus cylindricus, 2 cm. Longus, 2 mmn. diametro; limbuls late campanulatus, 4,5 cm. diametro ; lobi elliptici, acuti, 4 cm longi, 1,5 cm. lati. Stamina exserta; filamenta basi dilatata connataque. Ovarium 8 mm. longum, trilobum; ovula pauca. - C. H. WRIGHT.

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In 1892 the late Dr. M. T. Masters gave a description in the Gardeners' Chronicle of an interesting hybrid which had been raised by Messrs. Clibran. The parents of this hybrid were Urceolina pendula, Herb., figured at t.5464, and Eucharis grandiflora, Planch., figured at t.4971 of this work; the name given to the plant was Urceocharis Clibrani. Two years ago the plant now figured was acquired for the Kew Collection by purchase from Messrs. Sander & Sons, St. Albans. This plant had been for- warded from Peru by the firm's collector, Mr. Forget, who, it is understood, had met with it in a wild state and in a remote part of that country. It flowered in a moist tropical house at Kew in July, 1909 ; another specimen, identical in every respect, flowered at St. Albans in Januarv, 1910. So nearly allied to Urceocharis Clibrami, Mast., is this Peruvian form, which Mr. Wright has described as Urceocharis edentata, that there is hardly room for doubt as to its being another hybrid, perhaps identical as to parentage with Messrs. Clibran's plant, but FEBRUARY, 1911.

in this case probably a natural one. The two plants referred to Urceocharis have a perianth with a narrowly cylindric tube and a camnpanulate limb, the lobes of which curve outwards at the apex only ae as in Urceolina, and not, as in Eucharis, almost at right angles to the tube. They further agree with Urceolina in being deciduous. Tle flowers of Urceolina, are either devoid of a staminal corona or possess one that is quite rudimentary : those of Eucharis, have a distinct corona with free teeth between the bases of the filaments. In the hybrid raised by Messrs. Clibran there are two such teeth about one-third the length of the filaments between each pair of stamens. But in the pre- sumably wild plant sent by Forget from Peru, which in every other respect is indistinguishable from Urceocharis Clibrani, there is no trace of these appendages. DESCRIPTION. - Herb ; bulb clothed with brown mem- branous sheaths; neck short, ½ in. thick. Leaf solitary, deciduous, elliptic-oblong, shortly acuminate, base cuneate with rounded outer angles, quite glabrous, 6 in. long, 3 in. wide; midrib channelled above, broad and pronounced beneath. Scape terminal, 8 in. long, 2½ lin. thick, pale- green, 4-5-flowered ; bracts brown, scarious, 1 in. long, 2½ lin. wide ; pedicels 2/3 in. long. Perianth white, pale- yellow towards the tips of the segments, especially ex- ternally; tube cylindric, ¾ in. long, 1 lin. wide; limb wide campanulate, 1¾ in. across; lobes elliptic, acute, 1½ in. long, 2/3 in. wide. Stamens exserted ; filaments dilated and united at the base. Ovary 4 lin. long, 3-lobed; ovules few.

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Fig. 1, androecium ; 2 and 3, anthers; 4, apex of style: - all enlarged except 1, which is of natural size.