334 XLVII. § MIMOSEH (OLIVER). [ Neptunia. 
Stamens 10 (or 5), free, exserted; anther with a deciduous “ stipitate 
land,” pollen-grains 0 ? ‘Ovary stipitate, multiovulate; style fili- 
a with a small terminal concave stigma.” Legume shortly and 
broadly oblong, oblique and almost at right angles with the short 
stipes, apex rounded with a distinct apiculus, compressed, thinly coriace- 
ous or submembranous, 2-valved, valves depressed between the seeds. 
Seeds transverse, oblong or ovate, compressed, with a slender funicle ; 
embryo between thin lateral layers of albumen.—Unarmed herbs or 
low undershrubs, aquatic in the only African species. Leaves bipin- 
nate, multifoliolate. Peduncles axillary, solitary, elongate; flowers 
capitate. 
A small genus common to both hemispheres, with the species (the following) widely 
diffused in tropical waters. 
1. N. oleracea, Lour.; Benth. in Hook. Journ. Bot. iv. 1842, 354. 
Aquatic often floating glabrous herbs, with copiously rooting diffuse 
or prostrate branches. Leaves sensitive; pinnwe 2—3-jugate ; leaflets 
8-20-jugate, obtuse or broadly pointed, base very oblique, subsessile, 
usually 4-4 in. long. Stipules semicordate, membranous. Petiolar 
glands apparently wanting. Peduncles usually from 2 or 3-8 in. 
Petals oval or oval-spathulate, free. Stamens 10. Staminodes of neuter 
flowers compressed. Legume about 1 in. long, 3—} in. broad. Seeds 4-8. 
—N. stolonifera, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. i. 289. Desmanthus natans, 
Willd., DC. Prod. ii. 444. D. lacustris, Willd., and D. stolonifer, DC. 1. ¢. 
(Synonymy from Mr. Bentham’s memoir.) 
Upper Guinea. Senegambia( Guill. et Perr.). 
Wile Land. Kordofan, Kotschy! White Nile, Petherick! 
Lower Guinea. Angola? a portion of a leafy shrub only, Dr. Welwitsch! 
Mozamb. Distr. Shire river, Zambesi land, Dr. Kirk! 
10. DESMANTHUS, Willd.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. 
Plant. i. 592. 
Flowers sessile in small pedunculate heads, 5-merous, hermaphro- 
dite or the lower ones imperfect. Calyx campanulate, toothed. Petals 
free (or slightly cohering), valvate. Stamens 10 or 5 free, exserted ; 
anther oblong, eglandular, “‘ pollen-grains «.” Ovary sessile or nearly 
so, glabrous, multiovulate; style filiform; stigma terminal, truncate, 
concave. Legume narrow-linear, ‘straight (or falcate), pointed, com- 
pressed, thinly coriaceous, 2-valved; valves depressed obliquely be- 
tween the seeds. Seeds compressed, subrhomboidal, with an oblong- 
hippocrepiform areole ; embryo within lateral layers of dark subtranslu- 
cent albumen.—Herbs or undershrubs, unarmed. Leaves bipinnate, 
leaflets small; stipules setaceous, persistent. Flower-heads small, 
whitish, pedunculate, axillary, solitary. 
A small American genus, with one species (the following) widely scattered in culti- 
vated places between the Tropics in the Old World. 
* 1. D. virgatus, Willd. ; DC. Prod. ii. 445. Shrub with slender 
erect or ascending branches, angular owing to three prominent deeur- 
