4] 
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Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE, (CLARKE). 
Lower Guinea. Angola; Guingongue, Herb. Paris ! 
Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland (ex K. Schumann) 
56. C, Bainesii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 184. 
Hairy. Stems | ft. long ; internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 6 by 2 in., 
narrowly lanceolate, narrowed at the base, with wavy margins, when 
mature hairy on both surfaces. Peduncles few, scattered towards the 
end of the branches, exserted 0-} in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes 
% by # in., obtuse or with a very short point, hairy ; margins shortly 
connate at the base. Capsule small, obovoid, trigonous, 3-seeded ; dorsal 
cell similar, indehiscent. Seeds 51, in. in diam., globose, brown, smooth. 
—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 423; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. 
Welw. ii. 79. CO. bracteosa, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135, 
partly. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo, 3300 ft. ; in thickets near Ponte 
de Luxillo, Welwitsch, 6636 ! by streams on the Presidium near Fonte de Cazella, 
Welwitsch, 6641! in woods near Condo, Welwitsch, 6643 ! 
Mozamb. Dist. (German East Africa: Kilimanjaro; Marangu, 2600 ft., 
Volkens, 2147! British Central Africa: Matabeleland; River Mangwe, Baines ! 
Var. 8 glabrata, Rendle in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iv. 52. More glabrous. 
Mature leaves glabrate; sheaths more or less hairy. Spathes more exserted on 
peduncles up to Zin. long, sparsely hispid or glabrous——Rendle in Journ. Linn. 
Soc. xxx. 429. C. angustifolia, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mosamb. Bot. 528, and in 
Flora, 1863, 388, not of Michaux. 
Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: province of Rios de Sena, Peters ; 
Makua; Namuli Mountains, Zast! British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Mount 
Mlanji, Whyte! Zomba Plains, 2500-3000 ft., Whyte! and without precise locality, 
Buchanan, 508! 1374! 
All the examples of this variety 8 have dried brown, unlike the typical C. Bainesii, 
which is greyish, and might be esteemed specifically distinct. 
57. C. lagosensis, (. B. Clarke. Stems 2 ft. or more long, weak, 
branching, prostrate, rooting at many nodes; internodes 1~3 in. long. 
Leaves 2} by 1 in., broadly elliptic, shortly acute, obscurely hairy when 
mature on both surfaces, suddenly narrowed at the base into a very 
short quasi-petiole. Peduncles few, scattered, exserted 0—} in. from 
the leaf-sheath. Spathes 2 by 2 in., tip obtuse or depressed triangular, 
pubescent ; margins shortly connate at the base. Capsule small, ob- 
ovoid, trigonous, 3-celled, 3-seeded ; dorsal cell indehiscent. Seeds ;, in. 
in diam., globose, brown, smooth. 
Upper Guinea, Lagos, Willen, 21! 
58. C.albescens, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 210, 295. 
Nearly glabrous. Rhizome woody, knotted, with thick roots. Stems 
8-20 in. long, branched; internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 4 by } in., 
narrowed at both ends. Spathes clustered at the end of the branches, 
usually 2 or 3 together, } in. long, funnel-shaped, very much curved, 
acute; margins connate for } in. at the base. Capsule } in. long, 
3-celled, 3-seeded, the dorsal cell smaller and indehiscent. Seeds of the 
ventral cells 1 in. long, ellipsoid, flattened, brown, nearly smooth.— 
