228 LXX. RUBIACEZ (HIERN). [ Lastanthus. 
67. LASIANTHUS, Jack; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. ii. p. 129. 
Calyx-tube subglobose ovoid or oblong; limb short or long, 3-6- 
toothed or -lobed, persistent. Corolla campanulate or funnel-shaped 
or salver-shaped; throat bearded; lobes 4-6, valvate in the bud. 
Stamens glabrous, exserted on the throat of the corolla; filaments 
short ; anthers fixed at the back near the base, oblong or linear ; con- 
nective apiculate. Disk short. Ovary 4-12-celled; style with 4-12 
obtuse branches; ovules solitary, erect, anatropous, linear. Fruit 
4-12-pyrenous ; pyrenes keeled, 1-seeded. Embryo terete, elongated ; 
radicle inferior.—Shrubs with distichous leaves, ovate or lanceolate 
stipules, and small flowers fascicled in the axils. 
A large genus chiefly inhabiting Tropical Asia. 
L. africanus, Hiern. A climbing shrub of 8 feet, nearly gla- 
brous and shining. Branches divaricate. Leaves ovate-oval, acumi- 
nate, wedge-shaped at the base, firmly chartaceons, glabrous, 23-43 by 
1-12 in., lateral veins about 5-6 pairs; petiole 3-4 in.; stipules 4 in. long. 
Flowers 45-merous, subsessile, a few together; pedicels very short, 
hairy. Calyx-limb cleft, rather small. Corolla not much exceeding 
the calyx. Ovary 12-celled. Fruit 12-pyrenous, } in. diameter. 
Upper Guinea. Island of St. Thomas, at elevation of 500 feet, Mann / 
A specimen from the country of the Gaboon River also collected by Mann, has 
larger leaves hairy on the midrib beneath and a fruit with 11 pyrenes; it appears to 
be a distinct but closely allied species. 
68. SIPHOMERIS, Boj. in Rapp. de la Soc. d’Hist. Nat. de I’fle 
Maurice (1826 and 1829), ex Boj. Hort. Maurit. p. 170, (Lecon- 
tea, A. Rich. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. ii. p. 134.) 
Calyx-tube campanulate or ovoid; limb 5-partite, segments subu- 
late, elongated, recurving, persistent. Corolla salver-shaped, exceeding 
the calyx ; tube elongated, slender, straight, at length splitting at the 
base; throat bearded or naked; limb spreading, 5-partite, segments 
oval ovate or oblong, valvate in the bud. Stamens 5, inserted at the 
mouth or throat of the corolla, more or less exserted, glabrous ; fila- 
ments short. Disk low. Ovary 2-3-celled ; style slender, branches 
2-3, obtuse, spreading ; ovules solitary, erect, compressed. Fruit dor- 
sally compressed or 3-sided ; epicarp membranons, burstiag in a valva 
manner from the base; valves 2-3, bifid at the base; pyrenes ’ 
compressed, suborbicular or oval, winged, retuse at both ends or at the 
base, each suspended at the apex from a filiform exterior column. 
Seed compressed ; testa very thin, polished; albumen thin; embry? 
broad, thin, radicle short inferior, cotyledons foliaceous, veuose, orbi- 
cular or ovate.— Climbing undershrubs with petiolate thin leaves, ovate 
or lanceolate stipules and subsessile flowers in axillary and terminal 
pedunculate clusters or solitary. 
A small genus occuring also in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. 
