Nernstia mexicana (Zucc. & Mart. ex DC.) Urb.

Portlandia mexicana (Zucc. & Mart.) Hemsl. Diag. PL Nov. 31
1879.
Coutarea mexicana Zucc. & Mart.; DC. Prodr. 4: 350. 1830.
Shrub, glabrous throughout, the branches yellowish-gray, the branchlets subangulate,
green, the internodes short; stipules subannular, 3-6 mm. long, green, the lobes triangular,
long-cuspidate; petioles stout, 3-5 mm. long, subterete; leaf-blades elliptic or very narrowly
elliptic-oblong, 3-7.5 cm. long, 0.7-2 cm. wide, acute or acutish at the apex, acute at the base,
thick-coriaceous, lustrous above, paler and dull beneath, the margins revolute, the costa stout
prominent beneath, the lateral veins evident on the jpper surface, 5-8 on each side, obsolete
beneath; flowers axillary, solitary, the pedicels stout, 3-12 mm. long, bibracteate at the base;
hypanthium 4-5 mm. long, turbinate; calyx-lobes 5, linear or linear-subulate, 10-14 mm. long,
acute to attenuate; corolla 6-8 cm. long, the 5 lobes triangular, rounded; capsule oval-obovoid,
1.3-1.8 cm. long, about 1 cm. broad, obscurely costate, acute at the base, truncate at the apex,
brownish-black.
Type locality: Mexico.
Distribution: San Luis Potosi and Hidalgo.