Dissotis. | LVII, MELASTOMACEE (HOOKER). 447 
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7. DISSOTIS, Benth.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. i. 746. 
Calyx-tube ovoid or campanulate, glabrous or clothed with scales, 
bristles, or stellately or pectinately spreading, sessile, or stipitate 
bristles; lobes 4-5, often bristly and alternating with bristly scales, 
deciduous or persistent. Petals 4-5, obovate. Stamens 8 or 10, very 
unequal; anthers linear-subulate, of the long stamens with an elongate 
arcuate connective appendaged or spurred at the base in front; 
avthers of small stamens with a short connective. Ovary 4—5-celled, 
adhering by 5 septa to the calyx-tube, top bristly; style curved; stigma 
simple. Capsule included in the coriaceous calyx-tube, top convex, 
bristly, 4—5-celled. Seeds minute, cochleate——Herbs or shrubs, usu- 
ally pubescent. Leaves ovate or oblong, 3-5-nerved. Flowers soli- 
tary capitate or panicled, usually large, rose-coloured, purple or 
violet. 
A tropical and subtropical African genus. 
§ 1. (Heterotis).— Flowers 5-merous, enclosed in large sheathing persistent bracts. 
Calyx-lobes persistent. 
Flowers solitary or panicled; petiole short . . . . . . . . 1. D. segregata. 
Flowers 1-2, pelinictcue a whe Be woe es ere ie ee wee a ee rch Bi 
Flowers capitate, = 
Calyx bristly round the middle ofthe tube . . . .... 3 Dz cornifolia. 
Calyx covered with stellate or palmate bristles . . . . . . 4 D. Afzelit. 
ren naked or bristly at the base only. Leaves with appressed 
airs. 
Stem erect, white. Leaves sessile, narrow. . . . « 
Stem green. Leaves short-petioled, ovate . 
Stem prostrate. Leaves short-petioled, ovate . 
Leaves covered with spreading hairs. 
~ 
. D. theefolia. 
. D. capitata. 
. D. radicans. 
. D. hirsuta. 
Dan wn 
§2. Flowers crowded, 4-merous. Bracts small, persistent. Calyzx-lobes persistent 
or subpersistent. . 
Villous, with soft hairs . . 9. D. villosa. 
ee eS . 10. D. pheotricha. 
Scabrid ; 
$3. Flowers sub-solitary, 5-merous. Bracts 2, small, rarely large, deciduous. 
Calyx-lobes persistent. 
Calyx with scattered simple hairs . tte asi © Ewe ee 
Calyx-tube glabrous, accessary lobes very long. . . . . ~ ~ 12. D. antennina. 
alyx with pedicelled stellately arranged bristles. 
Leaves broadly ovate, 4-3 in. re ey ae . 13. D. plumosa. 
Leaves elliptic.qvate, 3h tah 3. ns wheres er eee prostrata. 
alyx-tube hoary with stellate or furfuraceous pubescence . . . 15, D. incana. 
§ 4. Flowers solitary racemose or panicled, 5-merous. Bracts deciduous. Calyz- 
lobes deciduous. 
Stem and leaves hirsute. Leaves subsessile, lanceolate. . . . 16. D. Irvingiana. 
Stem and leaves scabrid. Leaves elliptic, shortly petioled . . . 17. D. Melleri. 
tem and leaves strigillose. Calyx-lobes obliquely dilated on one 
hasavieer : as ea ees : eg , ae . 18. D. Barteri. 
Leaves villously pubescent, ovate, petioled. ee 
Howers in stout panicles... 0. 1 +. 4s ewe oa Ds etm. 
Stem hispid. Leaves short-petioled. Flowers racemose. . . 20. D. grandiflora. 
