Spdrmannia.'} xxvu. tiliace^; (masters). 261 



ovoid or roundish anthers. Ovary more or less 4-celled, with numerous ovules 

 in each cell. Style simple. Stigma denticulate. Capsule globose, loculici- 

 dally 4-valved ; valves covered with rigid prickles. Seeds numerous, obovoid. 

 Albumen fleshy. Embryo folded or nearly straight. Cotyledons cordate 

 roundish, flat. — A shrub, more or less pubescent or villose. Leaves palmately 

 lobed. Flowers in terminal umbels, surrounded at the base by small bracts. 

 Flowers conspicuous, white. 



The only tropical African species is from Abyssinia: the other two members of the genus 

 are both S. African. 



1. S. abyssinica. Hochst. in Rich. Fl. Abyss. L 79. t. 20. A shrub, 

 whose branches are sparingly covered with slender villi, interspersed among 

 scanty stelliform hairs. Stipules linear-lanceolate, very acute. Petioles 

 shorter than the leaves, which are 2-5 in. long, 2-3 in. wide, cordate pal- 

 mately 3-5 -lobed, central lobe much longest, all covered on both surfaces 

 with shaggy villi, inciso-dentate at the margins. Umbels stalked, 8-12- 

 rayed, opposite the leaves. Involucre of 3-6 lanceolate bracts, sometimes 

 more or less coherent. Flower-buds obovoid. Flowers nearly 1 in. in length. 

 Sepals lanceolate, villose, longer than the somewhat stalked, roundish, pale, 

 violet-coloured petals. Capsule 1 in. or more in length, equalling the pedicel, 

 oblong, obtuse, loculicidally 4-valved ; valves downy, studded with straight 

 stellately pilose bristles. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper ! Billon and Petit ! Roth ! 



This species, not known out of Abyssinia, seems to be in some respects intermediate be- 

 tween the two S. African species S. africana and S. palmata. 



7. CORCHORUS, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 235. 



Calyx of 4 or 5 sepals. Corolla of 4 or 5 glandless petals. Stamens in- 

 definite or rarely twice the number of the sepals, free, inserted on a contracted 

 torus. Ovary 2-5 -celled. Style short. Stigma somewhat cup-shaped. 

 Capsule elongated, slender or subglobose, smooth or prickly, loculicidally 

 2-5-valved, internally sometimes transversely septate. Seeds numerous, pen- 

 dulous or horizontal, albuminous. Embryo generally curved. Cotyledons 

 leafy. — Herbs or undershrubs, more or less covered with stelliform pubescence. 

 Leaves serrated. Flowerstalks very thick, short, axillary or opposite to the 

 leaves, 1-2-flowered, bracteate. Flowers small, yellow. 



A genus, comprising nearly 40 species, widely diffused through the tropic3, a few being 

 peculiar to Australia and tropical America. 

 Aunuals or biennials, glabrous or slightly pilose. 



Capsules 3-6-valved, 3-6-celkd, beaked ; beak erect, simple. 

 Pods slender, more than 1 in. in length. 



Beak long *• C - oKtoruu. 



Beak short 2. C. trilocularu. 



Pods slender, rarely exceeding 1 in. in length. ... , , 



Pods on very long slender stalks »• C. longipedunnlatm. 



Pods on short stalks. „ . . 



Podsmuricate. A.. C. muncatm. 



Pods smooth or pilose, not muricate. 



