872 XXVII. STERCULiACE^. (Maxwell T, Masters.) [Pmtapetes. 



A branched anfiual, 2-5 ft., glabrous or with a few scattered stellate hairs. Leam 

 3-5 in., l-nerved, crenate-serrate ; petiole 1 in. Stipules subulate. Ped^mcle simple, 

 axillary, as long as or longer than the petiole, l-2.flowered, jointed near the flower. 

 Bracteoka half the length of the calyx. Flowers red, opening at noon and closing at 

 the following dawn. Sepals stellate-haivy, with a few simple bristles. Fetals obovate. 

 Style short. Capsule subglobose, bristly, half the length of the perglstent calyx. 



10. MSZiKiLNIA 



.floweTei 



Undershrubs. Leaves simple, downy. Peduncles axillary, 1 

 Bracteoles 3-5, cordate, often longer than the sepals. Flowers yeilo^ 

 Sepals 5, connate below. Petals 6 marcescent. Stamens 10, connate below 

 into a very short tube, fertile filaments 6, alternating with as many 

 ligulate staminodes; anther-cells parallel. Ovary sessile, 5-celled, cells ir 

 many-ovuled ; styles 5, subulate, connate below, stignaatiferous on ^^^^^^ a 

 face. Capsule loculicidally 5-valved. Seeds albuminous ; cotyledons 

 plicate, biparted, radicle inferior.— Distrib. Species 16 distributed ove 

 the hotter parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. 



V b 



Bracteoles linear. 



1. M. Incana, Eepie in Wall. Cat. 1200 ; leaves narrow eliiptic-uui>^-u6 

 serrulate, bracteoles linear-oblong shorter than the calyx, ^'^Fy^p , ■ • 

 globose shorter than the calyx. W. dt A. Prodr. i. 68 ; Mig. Ft. Ind. mi.^^ 

 pt. 2, 191. 



Western Peninsula; dry hills in the Caraatic and Mysore, Heyne, &c. _ , ^^^ 



Suffruticose, branches spreading. Leaves 1-2 by l-\ in., hnear-oblong, ^J'^^" .'; .gj 



V ■ 



suhcordute, tomeiitose beneath; peduncle 1-2-flowered, as long as the petiole,] 



in the middle. Flowen —'' ^ ^ ' ' ' '- '-'- Pftals ohovate. 



longer than the sepals, 

 cell, tubeicled. 



Flowers small. Sepals \ in., lanceolate, acuminate. i^f^«^^ ^^^jj 

 i sepals. Capsule hairy, shorter than the sepals. Seeds l-^ ,^ 



^.^ .-=,_...., ^. ....,, Fl. Abyss, i. 76, 1. 18; leaves elliptic obtf| 



crenate-dentate pubescent above paler and tomentose beneath, Drat 

 i: 1. ^^^^^ than the jcalyx, capsule longer than ^^ ^^l^\^jt>t\T^ 



2. 



Jioiss. FL Orient i. 841, excL syn. 



SiNDH, Stocks,— Diwim^, Cape de Verde islands, Abyssinia. 7 paves 1 l>y 



Suffruticose, cano-tomentose, branches prostrate intricate spreading. -^^..| as 

 3 in., doubly-serrate ; petiole ^ in. .^a>«Zf^ J in., capillary. -P^^^"*^*''/j' iarlf 

 long as or longer than the petiole, 2-4-fl(.wered. Flowers I in. diara. ^\^^^^%m yefT 

 as long as the lanceolate sepals. Petals obovate, shorter than the sepals, i^^y 

 short. Capsule slighdy exceeding the persistent calyx. 



*♦ Bracteoles broad, at least at the base. 



HI 



-'J- 



X V 



A 





, > 



, Wight in Ihrh, Kew.; leaves ^ oblong ^'^^f^J'Z . 



nulate base subcordate, bracteoles lanceolate equalling tiie iau | 



cuspidate sepals, capsule subgibbous shorter than the calyx. v i 



Western Peninsula; in the Carnatic and Mysore, Wight, &c. j paler ' 



A shrub, herbaceous portions cano-pubescent. Leaves 2^ H in., ^ , i « eaiiall'''? 

 beneath; petioles 1^ in. Stipules fugacious. Cymes pediincled ; jeiiuncies m^^^^^^ 



tlio petioles; ultimate pedicels shorter than the flowers. LlAmers l^^ ^^^f' Z^,q^. 

 striated. Capsule villous, the size of a large pea. Seeds numerous, angiea,^ o 



4. M. HamUtoniana, Wall PL Asiat. Ear. i. t. 77; If^^^f ^ Sie 

 ovate subcordate obtuse unequally toothed, peduncles ^'^}^^^^\^^ 

 leugtn of the petiolcj, bracteoles cordate-ovate longer than the caiy*- 



