Slephania.] iv. menispermace^ (oliver). 47 



A small genus of 3 or 4 species, confined to the Eastern hemisphere. The description of 

 the embryo is from the Gen. Plantarum. 



Leaves entire or nearly so. Flowers in compound umbels, usually shorter 

 than the leaves 1. g. alyssinica. 



Leaves crenately undulate. Flowers in long racemose (3-pinnate) panicles, 

 exceeding the leaves 2. S.? latificata. 



1 S. abyssinica, Rich. II. Abyss, i. 9. t. 4 (Stenaphia). A twining 

 or climbing shrub with subdeltoid rotundate or ovate, acute or obtuse, 

 peltate, glabrous leaves, entire or undulate, paler or somewhat glaucous be- 

 neath, usually l|_2l(-5) in. broad, l£-4 (-5) in. long. Petiole |-2 in. 

 "eduncles axillary, short or sometimes equalling the leaves. Umbels twice 

 or thrice compound. Petals 3 or 4, shorter than the inner sepals, broadly 

 obovate or transversely rhomboid-elliptical, varying in breadth. — Clypea abys- 

 unica, Dill, et Rich, in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. 2. xiv. 38. Cissampelos nymphea- 

 foliw, Br. in Salt. App. 65. Meuispermiim (Gocculus) Schimperi, Hochst. 

 j> PI. Schimp. Abyss. Ileocarpus Schimperi, Miers in Ann. Nat. Hist. 



U PPer Guinea. Clarence Peak, Fernando Po, 3-5000 ft. (S. laevigata, Miers in 

 Ann. Nat. Hist. Ser. 3. xviii. 16), Mann ! Camaroons mountain, 7000 ft. (S. bullulata, 

 M «".l-c.),Jfo»„/ 



«ile Land. Abyssinia, Dillon and Petit ! and others. 

 th I ? VWy nearly dlied to S - rotunda, Lour., as well as to S. hernandifolia, Walp., with 

 ine latter of which it is united in the ' Flora Indica.' The inflorescence, however, is that 

 01 9- rotunda. 



The portion of the endocarp around which the seed is curved (condyle) in S. hernandi- 

 kf W & T ally miuutel V perforate, though sometimes the orifice is entirely obliterated. The 



™ ris th e case in the tropical African fruits (both Abyssinian and Western) which I have 

 char T> S* St is also the case occasionally in Indian specimens of S. hernandifolia (Ca- 



w, urs. Hooker and Thomson). Upon this distinctiou Mr. Miers chiefly bases his genus 

 ueocarpus. 



2- S. ? laetificata, Miers (Perichasma) in Ann. Nat. Hist. Ser. 3. xviii. 

 • A w Wely spreading climber, the branches loosely pilose, with long spread- 

 's hairs. Leaves ovate or rotundate-ovate, peltate, obtuse or rather acute, 

 JW ate, undulate-crenate, laxly ciliate, glabrous or with a few hairs on the 



wnb above ; paler or glaucescent, pilose, at length glabrescent beneath ; 4-5 

 Q broad, 5-6 in. long. Petiole with a few long loose hairs or glabrous, 

 nan ?' g> Male flowers sll0rtl v pedicellate, in long, slender, axillary 

 L Dearly twice as lon<r as the'leaves, with lateral branches of 1-2 in., 

 )° 0r less Puberulous, minute. Sepals 6, 3 outer rather shorter, 3 inner 



Anth Petals 3 > shorter tllan the inner sepalS) ratlief thlck ' rotuu(la 1 t , e - 

 form f! pe!tate - ca P ita te, the outer margin of the polliniierous disk pateUi- 

 a 'ter dehiscence. Female flowers and fruit unknown. 



From e a Guinea - Fernando Yo, Mann! . .. , . . 



*ell be I ftV e8Crnblance of thc male flowers to those of a true Stephana, this plant may 

 ett here until the fruit be obtained. 



GENERA IMPERFECTLY KNOWN. 



8 - R HlGlOCARYA, Miers in Ann. Nat. Hist. Ser. 3. xiv. 100. 

 h Mr- Barter's Niger collections there is a very imperfect specimen in 



