SlerculiaJ] xxvi. sterculiace.e (masters). 219 



rather shorter than the perianth. Anthers in 2 rows. Ovary . . . Fruit 

 supported on a long gynophore, twice the length of the persistent perianth, of 

 5, spreading, membranous, oblong, 1-seeded follicles, each about 2 in. in 

 length. Seeds smooth. 



Upper Guinea. Niger, Barter ! 



According to Mr. Barter, this tree, like many others, is leafless in the diy season, and 

 the scarlet flowers are produced before the new leaves. The wood is light and used for 

 floats for fishermen's nets. The bark is described as resinous, with a disagreeable odour. 

 The species resembles the Indian 8. (Firmiana) colorata, but the flowers are much smaller 

 and contracted in the centre, while in the Indian plant the perianth is funnel-shaped. The 

 fruits do not appear to open so early in the African as in the Indian species. 



In the Kew Museum are specimens of a Sterculiaceons fruit, from the Rovuma river, 

 collected by Dr. Kirk, without leaves or flowers, and of which no corresponding speci- 

 mens exist in the herbarium. As the fruits and seeds seem distinct from any other 

 African species, a description is appended. — Follicles 4-(5?), spreading, oblong, cylindrical, 

 8ubsessile or on a short very thick stipes, slightly acuminate or rostrate at the apex, woody, 

 densely covered with a ferruginous tomentum, whitish within. Seeds numerous, oblong, 

 obtuse, subtetragonal, nearly an inch in length, suspended by rather long, slender, fuui- 

 cles ; testa coriaceous, bright yellow, apparently succulent when fresh ; tegmen dark brown, 

 thicker than the testa, horny ; albumen horny ; radicle next the hilum. 



Dr. Kirk adds that the outer portions of the seed yield an abundance of oil. Is this re- 

 ferable to Cola quinqueloba, Garcke ? From the same botanist are specimens, labelled, 

 "Tette, 2. Common, from Batoka to Shupanga, Nov. I860;" and another, "Rovuma, 

 small tree. Leaves palmate." These two specimens are evidently of the same species, 

 both are said to yield oily seeds, but they appear different from that above described. 

 No leaves or flowers accompany the specimens, which consist merely of fruiting-branches, 

 bearing at their extremities 4-5 verticillate, woody follicles, each raised on a slender stipes, 

 J in. in length and oblong acuminate, somewhat compressed, often arcuate, in form, covered 

 with reddish down on the exterior, less thickly so on the inner surface, widely dehiscent along 

 the ventral suture. Seeds immature, purplish. The follicles appear to burst early, as in 

 Firmiana, but they are thick and woody in texture and a whitish gum exudes from them. 



2. OCTOLOBTJS, Welw. in Linn. Trans, xxvii. ined. ; Benth. et Hook. f. 

 Gen. PI. i. 982, addenda. 



Flowers unisexual. Calyx-tube subcylindrical ; limb campanulate, 8- 

 lobed ; lobes coriaceous, margins membranous, induplicate, corrugate. Pe- 

 tals 0. Staminal column cylindrical, short, placed on an elongated conical 

 tomentose stipes ; anthers very numerous, connate, in an orbicular depressed 

 head. Carpels very numerous, distinct, clustered in a globose head raised upon 

 a short gynophore and encircled by a ring of staminodia, each carpel ovoid, to- 

 mentose,* 1 -celled. Stigma sessile, 2-lobed. Ovules numerous, in two rows. 

 Bipe carpels 8-12, distinct, stalked, obovoid, gibbous, terminating in a re- 

 curved beak, 2-seeded. Seeds subglobose, sessile, with an orbicular hilum ; 

 testa membranous ; albumen ; embryo subglobose ; cotyledons very thick ; 

 radicle very short, plumule pilose. — A tree with stout spreading branches. 

 Leaves alternate, on long stalks ; petioles thickened at the apex ; blade of 

 leaf obovate-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, coriaceous, smooth. Stipules 

 lateral, erect, very acute. Flowers large, sessile, solitary, fulvous-villose. 

 Only known to me from the above description extracted from BcDth. and Hook. 1. c. 



