FLORA OF MADAGASCAR. 121 
development of branchlets, nearly sessile, 1-4 in. long, obtuse, 
cuneate at the base, firm in texture, green and glabrous on both 
surfaces. Flowers in copious 1-2nate axillary cymes on slender 
peduncles 3-3 in. long; pedicels about as long as the flower, with 
small deltoid persistent brown bracts at the base. Expanded 
calyx not more than 4 lin. in diam. ; sepals 4-5, unequal, orbicular, 
much imbricated, fimbriato-ciliate. Petals obovate, 4 line long. 
Stamens 4-5, just longer than the calyx. Fruit unknown.—Cen- 
tral Madagascar, Lyall 346! Baron 781! 2054! A close ally of 
Gymnosporia leptopus (Catha leptopus, Tulasne in Ann. Se. Nat. 
sér. 4, viii. 100), which differs by its longer peduncles, more nume- 
rous flowers in a cyme, and larger pale green leaves more narrowed 
at the base. That also has the same Berberis-like habit of growth, 
with the leaves often fascicled in the axils of the spines. 
GYMNOSPORIA PANICULATA, D. Sp. 
Glaberrima, ramis spinis magnis patulis pungentibus armatis, foliis ses- 
silibus oblanceolatis coriaceis pallidis serrulatis, floribus minutis pentameris 
in cymas sessiles multifloras in paniculam angustam aggregatas dispositis, 
pedicellis flori squilongis, bracteis minutis deltoideis persistentibus, 
sepalis orbicularibus, petalis obovatis quam calyx 2-3plo longioribus, stami- 
nibus inclusis. 
A shrub, glabrous in all its parts, with whitish terete woody 
branchlets, armed with copious spreading straight pungent spines 
1-2 in. long, which sometimes bear leaves. Leaves sessile, 1-14 
in. long, 3-3 in. broad, firm in texture, pale green on both sur- 
faces, minutely serrulate, obtuse, narrowed from the middle to 
the base. Cymes sessile, densely many-flowered, under half an 
inch long and broad, forming an entirely leafless peduncled ter- 
minal panicle halfa foot long, under an inch broad; pedicels 
about as long as the flowers; bracts minute, deltoid, persistent. 
Calyx not more than 3 lin. in diam. ; sepals orbicular, much imbri- 
cated, coriaceous, subentire. Petals obovate, 4 lin. long. Bud 
globose, 4 lin. in diam. Fruit unknown.—Central Madagascar, 
Bojer! 
ELXZODENDRON OLIGANTHUM, n. Sp. 
Glabrum, foliis parvis breviter petiolatis oblongis obtusis coriaceis cre- 
natis, cymis copiosis axillaribus 3-4-floris, pedunculis pedicellisque brevi- 
bus, calycis segmentis deltoideis, petalis orbicularibus imbricatis, stami- 
nibus calyci xquilongis, fructu duro glabro parvo brunneo iutegro vel 
lobato. 
K 2 
