Psammisia
(named after Psammis, or Psammites, a King of Egypt, B.C. 376). ORD. Vacciniaceae. A genus comprising nearly thirty species of stove or warm greenhouse, branched, sometimes epiphytal shrubs, natives of the Andes and the mountains of Venezuela and Guiana. Flowers frequently scarlet, rather large, disposed in axillary racemes or corymbs, rarely solitary or fascicled; calyx urceolate-campanulate, with a five-lobed or toothed limb; corolla tubular, ventricose or rarely conico-globose at base, with a five-lobed, erecto-patent limb; bracts sometimes pink. Leaves alternate, persistent, coriaceous, sessile or petiolate, entire or subserrate. The species best known in gardens are here described. For culture, see Thibaudia.
P. Hookeriana (Hooker's).* fl. (including the calyx) deep rose-red, paler at the mouth, nearly 1in. long, disposed in axillary and sub-terminal, four to six-flowered racemes. September. l. alternate, on short petioles, oblong-obovate, acuminate, but usually rather obtuse. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. (in its native place 6ft. to 12ft.). Columbia. (B. M. 4344, under name of Thibaudia pichinchensis glabra.) SYN. P. pichinchensis glabra. P. Jessicae (Mrs. John Bateman's).* fl. pale red, 2/3in. long, between oblong and cylindric, fleshy; racemes short, solitary, from ten to twelve-flowered. September. l. ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 6in. to 10in. long, shortly petioled, rounded at the base, narrowed into a long, acuminate apex, quite entire. Branches pendulous. Caraccas, 1865. (B. M. 5547, under name of Thibaudia Jessicae.) P. longicolla (long-necked). fl., corolla bottle-shaped, the widest and longest portion of the tube scarlet, the column or neck much contracted, and green, as are the five sub-triangular and somewhat spreading lobes of the limb; racemes short, axillary, glomerate, drooping, partially bracteolate; pedicels fleshy. Autumn. l. glossy, coriaceous, 3in. to 4in. long, shortly petioled, much acuminated, entire. h. 3ft. to 4ft. South America, 1865. (B. M. 5526.) P. penduliflora (pendulous-flowered). fl. rich scarlet; corolla large, pitcher-shaped, suddenly contracted into a greenish, five-lobed apex; racemes solitary, axillary, many-flowered, secund, and drooping. l. about 4in. long, glossy-green, shortly petioled, elliptical, very entire, much and rather finely acuminated, sub-distichous, the base obtuse. Branches terete, green, tinged with red. Caraccas, 1860. (B. M. 5204.) P. pichinchensis glabra (Pinchincha, smooth). A synonym of P. Hookeriana. P. sarcantha (fleshy-flowered). fl. red, tipped with green; corolla tubular-unceolate, fleshy, disposed in racemes or sub-umbellate; pedicels one-flowered. Spring. l. alternate, coriaceous, on short petioles. Stem erect, branched. New Grenada, 1864. (B. M. 5450, under name of Thibaudia sarcantha.) SYN. P. sclerophylla.
P. sclerophylla (hard-leaved). A synonym of P. sarcantha.