Family Gesneriaceae
Smithianthas are very attractive plants with ornamental leaves, which have a velvety texture
mainly green in colour with brown markings along the veins, above which the flower spikes rise to a height of some 1 2 - 18 in ( 3 0 - 4 5 cm) The tubular bell-shaped flowers, which hang down
on short stalks all round the main stems, are bright shades of pink, orange, red and yellow. The inside of the (lower is a ditferent colour from the outside and is delicately patterned or mottled, so that you may have, say, a red flower with a speckled orange interior, and the overall effect is most attractive. It is the flowers which give the plant the common name of temple bells. The genus was named after a Matilda Smith, who was a botanical artist attached to Kew Gardens.
Smithianthas are closely related to gesnerias and their correct nomenclature has been somewhat confused. They used to be known as naegelias and some nurserymen still offer then under this name. Their native habitat is Mexico. Only the hybrids are grown nowadays, and these are usually offered as mixed colours, but at one time there were named varieties available.
