Fkcourtia.] xin. bixinete (olivek). 121 



This is the " Batoko Plum " of the Zambesi. 



Mozamb. Distr. Race Islaud, E. Africa, Forbes ! Zambesi, between Tete and the 

 coast, also on the coast near the mouth, Dr. Kirk ! Luabo river, Dr. Kirk ! 



Specimens in the Kew herbarium, with male flowers, from Abbeokuta, Barter ! Dahomey, 

 Burton ! and Niger, Baikie ! probably belong to this species, which occurs also in Mada- 

 gascar and India. For Indian synonymy, see ' Flora Tndica,' ined. 



2. P. flavescens, JFilld.; DC. Prod. i. 256 {ex descr.). A glabrous 

 shrub or small tree, often armed with acute axillary spines, which are some- 

 times very numerous and rigid on the trunk. Leaves at length somewhat 

 coriaceous, oval or elliptical, more or less pointed or shortly acuminate or 

 obtuse, crenate-serrate or remotely serrulate, the smaller veins somewhat 

 transversely parallel, variable in size, usually 2-5 m. long, 1-2^ in. broad ; 

 petiole 3-4 lines. Flowers, both male and female, in small axillary and 

 terminal racemes or racemose panicles, much shorter than the leaves; the 

 female flowers sometimes solitary. Berry small, fleshy. — F. edulis, Schum. et 

 Thonn. Guin. PI. 450. F. Voyelii, Hook. f. Fl. Nigrit. 220. 



Vpper Guinea. Guinea, Thonning ; Niger, T. Vogel and Barter I 



«ower Guinea. Golungo Alto, Angola, Dr. Weltcitsch ! 



^ar. £. Leaves obtuse. Senegal ! 



Flacourtia gambecola, Clos in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. 4. viii. 219, is probably a variety of the 

 «ame species, from M'Oarthy Island, Gambia river. 



A variable species in the form and size of the leaves, and very difficult to define. It is 

 nearly allied to one or two Indian and Archipelago species. 



3 - P. hirtiuscula, Oliv. A shrub or small tree, in the only specimen 

 seen armed with short acute axillary spines. Leaves rotundate or obovate- 

 flliptical, obtuse or scarcely acute, more or less cuneate, or rounded in very 

 br oad leaves at the base, denticulate-serrate or occasionally irregularly toothed, 

 Pubescent, at length nearly glabrous above; midrib and long curved lateral 

 j! e rves rather prominent below, l|-2£ in. long, 1-1 f in. broad ; petiole 2-4 

 hues. Flowers not seen. Berries edible, dark-coloured, deeply sulcate when 

 *y, on short, axillary or terminal branches, about the same size as those of 

 *• Ramontchi. 



Mozamb. Distr. Near Senna, Zambesi, Dr. Kirk ! 



6. ABEBIA, Hochst.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 123. 



. blowers dioecious. Calyx 5-8-partite, pubescent or glandular, scarcely 

 Jpncate or subvalvate in mstivation. Petals 0. Male fl. : Stamens inde- 

 ™rte ; anthers shortly oblong or rotundate, attached at the back or base, 

 uehiscing longitudinally. [1 have seen female flowers of but one tropical 

 African species, and descriptions of the ovary are contradictory. The ovary 



3 mo re or less divided into 3-6 cells by intruded plates of pulpy tissue or 

 felled below, several-celled above.] Fruit a berry, 2-6-celled, 2-6-seeded, 



ltn a small fleshy annular or interrupted disk." Styles 2-6, persistent. 



e eds variously attached to the walls of the cavities, villous or nearly gla- 



rou s (in A. verrucosa with leafy cotyledons the breadth of the seed, the 

 ™ ar gins slightly incurved ; radicle superior).— Small trees or shrubs, with 



r without spines. Leaves alternate, simple, shortly stalked. Flowers dice- 



lou * Fruit an edible berry. 



