122 xin. bixineje (oliver). [Aberia. 



A genus of 6 or 8 species, occurring also at the Cape and in Ceylon. 



Leaves glabrous or obsoletely pubescent, obscurely veiny. Persistent 

 perianth-segments of fruit oblong or linear-oblong, pubescent. 

 Seeds with villous testa . . . 1. J. abyssinica. 



Leaves glabrous, veiny. Persistent perianth-segments of fruit linear, 

 bordered with sessile or subsessile capitate glands. Seeds nearly or 

 quite glabrous 2. A. verrucosa. 



Leaves glabrous, veiny. Persistent perianth- segments of fruit oval 

 or linear-lanceolate, fimbriate-ciliate with long, filiform, capitate 

 glands. Seeds more or less woolly 3. A. 1 macrocalyx. 



Leaves softly pilose, acute. Persistent perianth-segments of fruit 

 oval or oval-lanceolate, hirsute or pilose on both sides. Seeds 

 villous 4. A. mollis. 



1. A. abyssinica, Clos in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. 4. viii. 236. With or 

 without axillary spines. Leaves dull, rather coriaceous, lanceolate ovate- or 

 obovate-lanceolate or oblong, obtuse or subacute, sometimes rounded towards 

 the apex, undulate-crenate or entire, 1^—3 in. long, 10-15 lines broad, le- 

 tiole 1-2 lines long. "Fruit puberulous, much exceeding the calyx. — Ft*~ 

 conrtia obtusa, Hochst. in Schimp. PI. Abyss. 534. Roumea abyssinica, Rich. 

 Fl. Abyss. 34. t. 8. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Sckimper ! 



2. A. verrucosa, Hochst.; Rich. Fl. Abyss. 34. With or without 

 sharp, straight, axillary spines ; the bark often thickly warted with minute 

 lenticels. Leaves coriaceous or rigid, somewhat veiny, lanceolate varying to 

 ovate-lanceolate or obovate, obtuse, sometimes retuse, undulate or entire, l-»f 

 in. long, £-1 in. broad. Petiole about 1 in. long. Berry edible, glabrous, 

 exceeding the calyx, 2-celled, with a very thin dissepiment ; 2-seeded. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Aber mountains (whence the name of the genus), Schimper- 

 Ankober, Roth I 



3. A. ? macrocalyx, Oliv. A small tree with spreading branches, the 

 extremities at first puberulous, soon glabrous and more or less verruculose, 

 armed with slender straight spreading or ascending axillary spines, |-1 in - 

 long. Leaves thinly coriaceous, ovate-elliptical elliptical or oval, obtuse or 

 scarcely acute, obtuse or rounded and subtriplinerved at the base, entire, the 

 midrib prominent below, l£-2± in. long, f-1 £ in. broad. Petiole 1 bo*- 

 Flowers not seen, solitary or in few-flowered axillary fascicles. Fruit solitary, 

 axillary, on a peduncle of 2-3 lines, articulated at the base. Sepals <>-», 

 persistent, free, broadly fimbriate-ciliate with numerous long, slender, mi- 

 nutely pilose, capitate glands, 8-10 lines long ; nearly or quite equalling the 

 orange-scarlet ovoid berry. Styles 2, short, filiform, erect, hairy, persistent. 

 Seeds 2, imbedded in pulp, with the testa covered with a lax wool i™ 00 ™' 

 ing to Dr. Welwitsch, who describes the seed as albuminous, with a larg 6 

 straight embryo, ovate-cordate cotyledons, and a superior radicle). 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Distr. Pungo Andongo (and Huilla?), Dr. Welwitsrh! 



Were it not that in 3 or 4 of the persistent calyxes, from which the fruit has talle ", s9 

 aborted), I find a single attached petal much shorter than the calyx, I should have had 

 hesitation in referring this plant to Aberia. 



4. A. mollis, Oliv. A small, much-branched tree of about 10 ft-, w,t 



