232 xxvr. sterculiace^b (masters). [Melhania. 



Peduncles axillary, equal to or exceeding the petioles, simple or bifurcate. 

 Buds oblong, cylindrical. Flowers when expanded f in. across. Epicalyx 

 1 -sided, of 3 linear-subulate bracts, as long or nearly so as the ovate- lanceo- 

 late, downy sepals. Petals yellow, convolute. Capsule roundish or slightly 

 pointed, villose, as long as the ripe fruit. Seeds punctate, tuberculate. — 

 Brotera ovata, Cav. Ic. v. 20. t. 433. B. Leprieurii, Guill. et Perr. PI. 

 Seneg. i. 85. M. oblongata, Hochst. PI. Schirap. Abyss. M. Leprieurii, 

 Webb, PI. Nigrit. 110. t. 4, 5. 



Nile Land, Abyssinia, Schimper ! Dillon and Petit I Roth ! 



The same species occurs at the Cape de Verde Islands, also in Scinde. I have here com- 

 bined two or three reputed species, being unable to fiud any constant or material differences 

 between them. 



8. HERMANNIA, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 233. 



Calyx 5-cleft. Petals 5, obovate or oblong, marcescent or deciduous. 

 Stamens 5, opposite to the petals, connate at the base. Staminodes 0. 

 Filaments oblong or dilated towards the summit. Anther-cells parallel. 

 Ovary sessile or shortly stalked, 5-celled. Ovules many in each cell. Styles 

 5, more or less united. Capsule loculicidally 5-valved; apex often with 

 horny appendages. Seeds reniform, albuminous ; embryo curved ; radicle 

 next the hilum. — Herbs or uudershrubs generally more or less covered with 

 stellate tomentum. Leaves dentate or cut. Stipules foliaceous or 0. Pe- 

 duncles axillary or in terminal clusters, 1 -flowered. Flowers yellow or red. 



An extensive genus, the majority of the species being natives of the Cape of Good Hope ; 

 a very few are found in Mexico aud Texas. 

 Leaves linear, obtuse. 



Stem annual , \. H. modesta. 



Stem woody 2. H.filipes. 



Leaves oblong, acute. 



Capsule obtuse, sessile or shortly stipitate. Stipules as long as or 



longer than the petiole 3. H. tigrensis. 



Capsule tapering at the base into a stalk, shorter than the petiole. 



Stipules narrow 4. H. Kirkii. 



1. H. modesta, Planch, in Ann. Sc. Nat. Set: 4. iii. 292. A low-grow- 

 ing slender annual, covered with glandular hairs. Leaves subsessile, linear- 

 oblong, entire, 1-li in. long, covered with a few stellate hairs. Stipules 

 subulate. Peduncles solitary, axillary, filiform, scarcely so long as the leaf; 

 flowers nodding, about i in. long. Calyx bell-shaped, 5-cleft ; lobes lanceo- 

 late, acuminate, glabrous. Filaments dilated above ; anthers linear. Styles 

 5, shorter than the stamens. Capsule . . .—Trichanthera modesta, Schreb. 

 in Linnaea, iv. 401. 



Nile Land. Nubia, Kotschy I Soturba, Schweinfurth ! 



The same species also occurs in Arabia, whence the first specimens were derived, and were 

 referred to a distinct genus, which however, Plauchon properly includes under Hermannia. 



2. H. filipes, Harp, in Earn, et Sond. Fl. Cap. i. 206. Stem woody, 

 erect, 1-3 ft. high, much branched. Branches ascending slender, covered 

 with a few, scattered, simple or glandular-viscid hairs. Leaves scarcely 1 in- 



