304 LXXXV. ASCLEPIADEH (BROWN). | Xysmalobium. 
Whyte! Purves, 58! Rhodesia: between Umtali and Salisbury, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn 
Cecil, 51! between Enkeldoorn and Rocky Spruit, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn Cecil, 135! 
This is closely allied to X. heudelotianum, and may be only an eastern variety of 
that species, but its leaves are not widely spreading, are more prominently veined 
beneath, there are fewer flowers in an umbel, and the coronal-lobes arise close to the 
corolla, instead of a little above the base of the staminal-column as in X. heudelotia- 
num, The coronal-lobes seem to be variable ; they were not correctly described in my 
original description, as the type specimen is a very poor one and the coronal-lobes of 
the only flower then examined had been pressed out of shape, but the ample and 
better material subsequently received, and an examination of another flower from the 
type, demonstrate that the real form of the coronal-lobes is as above described. 
According to Purves, the flowers are white, but this probably refers to the corona and 
staminal-column, as the corolla appears to be greenish in the dried state, and is noted 
as green by the Hon. Mrs. Evelyn Cecil. 
5, X. heudelotianum, Decne. in DC. Prod. viii. 520. Stem 
1-3 ft. high, pubescent, with two narrow glabrous lines alternating in 
position at the nodes. Leaves widely spreading; petiole ?~1 lin. long; 
blade 2-3 in. long, 4—8 lin. broad, narrowly oblong, with nearly parallel 
thickened or very narrowly revolute margins, the narrower leaves 
acute, the broader ones abruptly subacute or obtuse, subapiculate, vary- 
ing from cuneate to broadly and obtusely rounded at the base, glabrous 
on both sides; veins reticulate, rather conspicuous and prominent 
beneath. Umbels lateral between the bases of the leaves, all sessile or 
one or two of the lowest pedunculate, 10—12-flowered ; peduncles 0-1 in. 
long, pubescent down the inner side; bracts 2-24 lin. long, subulate; 
pedicels 44-6 lin. long, pubescent with minute curved hairs. Sepals 
reflexed, 14 lin. long, lanceolate, with the margins incurved towards the 
apex, glabrous. Corolla 5-lobed nearly to the base ; lobes strongly reflexed, 
2-2} lin. long, ? lin. broad, lanceolate-oblong, subacute, with undulate 
margins, glabrous on both sides, apparently greenish in colour. Coronal- 
lobes 1 lin. long, with horizontally spreading stalks 4 lin. long, arising 
} lin. above the base of the staminal-column ; apical part fleshy, ovol® 
conical or subglobose, abruptly tapering into a very acuminate or fine 
subulate erect point, subtruncate at the base; in side view they some 
what resemble the head and beak of a bird, and reach to a little above 
the middle of the conical obtuse 13-2 lin. long staminal-column. Anther- 
appendages ovate, acute, inflexed over the truncate apex of the style. 
Follicles solitary (always ?), 5-51 in. long, $ in. thick at the middle, 
thence gradually and equally tapering to the base and apex, glabrous 
and smooth. Seeds flat, ovate, with winged margins, both faces cove 
with small linear crests or tubercles.—K. Schum. in Engl. & P. rantl, 
Pflanzenfam. iv. ii. 232. 
Upper Guinea. Senegambia: Komba, Heudelot! Niger Territory: Borg™ 
Barter, 712! Nupe, Barter, 1323! 
Owing to the kindness of Dr, J. Miiller, I have been enabled 
Decaisne’s type specimen of this species, collected by Heudelot. 
+0 examine 
6. KX. membraniferum, NV. E. Br. in Kew Bulletin, 1895, 251. 
Stems 12-18 in. high, with two hairy lines, purplish. Leaves spreading; 
