Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEA (CLARKE). 3 
times perfecting 5 seeds ; dorsal cell indehiscent or dehiscing very late ; 
seeds larger than those of C. benghalensis, wrinkled, obscurely reticulate; 
otherwise as C’. benghalensis—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 
42%. C. latifolia, Hochst. in Schimper, Exsicc. 2269. 
Nile Land. Abyssinia: Agow Country ; mountains near Gageros, 4000 ft., 
Schimper, 2269! Gursarfa, Schimper, 1499! 
The affinity of this species with C. benghalensis is so close that it might be treated 
as a variety of it. 
17. C. congesta, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 160. 
Robust, nearly glabrous. Leaves 4} by 14 in., lanceolate, acuminate 
to an acute tip. Spathes several close together near the end of the 
branches, more than ? in. long, glabrate ; peduncles less than } in. long. 
Capsules generally 3-seeded, the two lower ovules of the ventral cells 
not producing seeds. Seeds ellipsoid, smooth, dusky. Flowers white 
(Soyaux).—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 424. C. Heudelotii, 
C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 184; Durand & Schinz, Con- 
spect. Fl. Afr. v. 425. 
Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Heudelot, 788! 
Lower Guinea. Loango: near Chinchocho, Soyauz, 47 ! 
Soyaux, 47, is the type above described. The example of Heudelot, which is 
imperfect, shows the spathes less approximate, the lower peduncled, and may not be 
the same plant. But the capsule and seeds are the same. 
18. ©. condensata, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 190. 
Branches seen 9 in. long, undivided except at the tip, glabrate; internodes 
1-2 in.long. Leaves 3 by 1-1} in., elliptic-lanceolate, acute, when mature 
inconspicuously hairy on hoth surfaces, at the base broadly cuneate, 
unequal, sessile; leaf-sheaths with long loose hairs. Spathes in a 
terminal head, 4 in. long, obliquely funnel-shaped, nearly glabrous. 
Capsule exceeding } in. long; each ventral cell with one seed in the 
upper part; the dorsal cell with one seed, dehiscent. Seeds of the 
ventral cells ;', in. long, ellipsoid, smooth, brown.—Durand & Schinz, 
Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 424. 
Upper Guinea. Fernando Po, Mann, 91 partly! 
The capsule has only 3 seeds, but I believe it was 5-ovuled ; I have therefore 
ryt its place. It is so near C. congesta that it may prove to be only a variety 
of it. 
19. ©. zambesica, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 161. 
Robust, more or less hairy, Leaves 5} by 1} in., narrowly elliptic, 
lanceolate, and acute at the tip, narrowed at the base. Peduncles 
solitary, mostly longer than the leaf-sheaths; uppermost leaves geme- 
rally reduced, the uppermost sheath frequently without a blade. Spathes 
7-1 in. long, very broadly ovate, scarcely acuminate, hispid, not striated 
by coloured nerves; the margins connate at the base for {—j in. Petals 
blue. Capsule rather more than } in. long; normally 5-seeded; ventral 
face appears quadrate with 4 knobs ; seeds subglobose, obscurely tetra- 
hedral, nearly smooth.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 429. 
