218 xxvi. sTERCULiACEiE (masters). [Slerculia. 



sessile, obliquely oblong, acuminate, ventricose on the upper surface, dehis- 

 cing longitudinally, densely toraentose on the outer surface, setose within 

 along the placental line. Seeds numerous, oblong-ovate ; testa purplish ; 

 tegmen horny, with a yellow horny arillus near the hilum. Albumen 2- 

 parted. Cotyledons flat, adhering to the albumen ; radicle turned away 

 from hduin. — ? S. setigera, Delile. Voy. Meroe, 61. 



Upper Guinea. Niger, T. Vogell 



North Central. Musgu, E. Vogel ! 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper ! 



Lower Guinea. Loanda, Admiral Grey! 



This is one of the plants called " Kola " by the natives, though it dots not furnish the 

 Kola nuts of the African markets. Delile describes a fruit, under the name of S. setigera, 

 which may belong here. 



6. S. cinerea, Rich. Fl. Abya.x. 74. £.16. A tree of moderate height, 

 with spreading, rugose, tubercled, greyish branches ; younger shoots, pe- 

 tioles and pedicels covered with dense grey tomentum. Leaves on very long 

 stalks, cordate, palmately 3-5-lobed, 4-5 in. long and nearly as broad as 

 long; lobes entire or sinuous, with long points, stellate-pilose above and 

 villose along the nerves, densely cinereo-tomentose below. Flowers nume- 

 rous, in much-branched axillary panicles. Calyx broadly cup-shaped, \ in. 

 long, tomentose on the outside, pinkish within, divided halfway down into 

 5 lanceolate spreading lobes. Staminal column slender, curved, scarcely so 

 long as the calyx, terminating in a subglobose head of anthers. Follicles 

 3-5, sessile, spreading, oblong-acuminate, reflexed at the point, downy out- 

 side, setose within, especially along the placenta. Seeds numerous, oblong, 

 blackish, with a yellow aril. 



Upper Guinea. Niger, Barter I 



Nile Land. Seunar, Kotscky ! Abyssinia, Schweinfurth ! Billon and Petit ! Madi, 

 Speke and Or ant I 



Very like S. tomeniosa, Guill. et Perr., and perhaps only a variety of it. Its very 

 acuminate leaf-lobes and their grey under-surfaces, suffice to give the plant a distinct 

 aspect. 



In the Kew Museum are fruits probably of this species, from Mr. Baines, who gathered 

 them in S. tropical Africa. The follicles are 3-4 in. long, sessile, oblong-acuminate, 

 downy on both surfaces, and studded with rather long stinging bristles along the placenta. 

 The seeds are numerous, oblong, £ in. in length, nearly double the size of those of 5. to- 

 meniosa ; they have a purplish testa and a homy tegmen, with a yellow horny aril at the 

 base. Mr. Baines speaks of it as the Kookomboya-tree. There is. in the herbarium, a frag- 

 ment of a flowering branch, with a drawing and notes from Dr. Kirk, referring, probably 

 to the same tree. 



7. S. Barter!, Mad. A tree 30 40 feet high. Branches thick, covered 

 with loose, smooth, reddish-yellow bark. Leafstalks 3-4 in. long. Leaves 

 cordate-roundish, acuminate, sinuous, palmately 7-uerved, smooth on both 

 surfaces or with a few stellate hairs beneath, 4-8 in. long. Flowers nume- 

 rous, in loose branching panicles ; peduncles shorter than the leaves ; pe- 

 dicels i-| in. long, jointed. Perianth £ in. long, scarlet, leathery, tubular, 

 gibbous at the base, contracted in the middle and divided at the limb into 5 

 short, ovate, acute, leathery teeth, downy externally, smooth within except at 

 the base, where there are a few villi directed downwards. Staminal column 



