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Brunfelsia calycina, Benth. (Franciscea calycina, Hook. F. pauciflora, Benth. F. confertiflora, Moore. Besleria inodbra, Vellozi). Habit erect or spreading, branching freely from the base upwards: Lvs. shortly petiolate, numerous, glabrous or nearly so, 3-4 in. long, elliptic or elliptic-ovate, acute, rich dark livid green above, pale green below: fls. rich dark purple in dense terminal or axillary cymes; pedicels an inch long; limb salver- shaped, with slightly wavy margins; calyx ¾-l in. long, tubular, light green. Brazil. B.M. 4583. —Extremely variable in the size of the fls. and Lvs. Some of the most distinct forms have been described as species by various botanists. All have fls. of some shade of purple and are here included as varieties. The following are well-marked forms in cult.:
Var. eximia (Franciscea eximia, Scheidw.). A fine free-flowering variety intermediate in size between the type and var. macrantha and characterized by the long slender slightly curved and hairy calyx, which is about 1¼ in. long: fls. rich purple on first-opening, but soon fading to almost pure white, about 1½ in. diam.; calyx rather long for the genus, tube extending to three- fourths its length: whole plant slightly downy. B.M. 4790. F.S. 10:1037.
Var. floribunda (B. floribunda, Hort.). A dwarf floriferous shrub of free-branching habit and glabrous in all parts: Lvs. 2-4 in. long, elliptic, rich dark livid green color, glabrous, and prominently veined on the under sides: fls. rich violet, with small white eye; limb flat or nearly so; calyx ⅝ in. long, elliptic in outline; pedicels stout, ½ in. long.—Largely grown by European nurserymen in recent years. A pretty and desirable form, as it flowers rather early in the year without any extra heat.
Var. macrantha (B. macrantha, Lem. B. grandiflora, Don. B. Lindeniana, Nichols.). Fig. 671. A magnificent form of strong and vigorous habit, with rich dark green Lvs. often as much as 8 in. long and 2½ in. broad, glabrous or nearly so in all parts, except the upper part of the corolla-tube: fls. in dense axillary or terminal cymes in the axils of all the upper Lvs., rich deep purple in color, with prominent ring of lavender- blue color surrounding the white eye at the mouth of the tube; calyx, 1 in. long, bright green; corolla 2½-3 in. diam.—One of the finest and most floriferous shrubs for a warm greenhouse or subtropical country, of extremely easy cult., and readily trained into fine specimens. Readily conforms to pot culture. Should be kept slightly on the dry side during the winter, but not enough to cause it to lose the Lvs.
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