Begonia. ] LXV, BEGONIACEZ (HOOKER). 579 
shorter than the petioles, with one female and several male flowers ; pedi- 
cels very slender, 3-4 in. ; bracts small ovate or orbicular, hair-pointed. 
Flowers 4 in. diameter, males the largest, pale rose-coloured. Sepals 
elliptic-ovate, subacute ; petals smaller, 2 equal, with often a third much 
smaller one. Anthers minute, elliptic, obtuse; filaments connate at 
the base. Ovary 3-gonous, with 3 narrow and 1] produced wings; 
placentas of two flat plates; styles 3, very short; stigmas forked, arms 
twisted, obtuse, papillose band continuous. Capsule 4 by ? in., mem- 
branous, two of the wings short straight, the third produced almost 
horizontally into an elongated triangular form, obtuse at the tip; valves 
broad, dehiscing from the base upwards and almost deciduous, chiefly 
adhering to 3 spongy cellular plates which occupy the sinus between 
the wings and are continuous with the 3 ridorpel vascular cords of the 
capsule; as the capsule breaks up the valves and these cellular plates 
Separate from the wings and central placentiferous axis. 
et Guinea. Angola, prov. Pungo Andongo, alt. 2000-3800 ft., Dr. Welwitsch ! 
YH. 
Allied to B. Sutherlandii and other Natal species. 
23. B. eleagnifolia, Hook. f. Diwcious? Stem very long and 
slender, as thick as a sparrow’s quill, creeping, rooting at the nodes 
only, and with the petioles, peduncles, and leaves beneath clothed with 
minute, membranous, fimbriate, appressed scales. Leaves solitary at 
the distant nodes, erect, petioled, 24-3 by 3-1 in., rather coriaceous, 
elliptic-lanceolate, long-acuminate, slightly oblique, base subacute, 
quite entire or obscurely few-toothed, 3-nerved at the base, dull green 
and opaque above, pale reddish and glistening with the scales beneath ; 
Petiole slender, shorter than the blade; stipules subulate-lanceolate, 
wuite entire, } in., caducous. Peduncle axillary, }—} in., 2-flowered ; 
Tacteoles minute, membranous; pedicels slender, } in. Male f1.: 
- als 2, pink, orbicular, } in. diameter. Petals much smaller, linear- 
oblong, obtuse. Anthers linear, obtuse; filaments combined into a 
Short column. Female flower and fruit unknown. 
Upper Guinea. On trees, Sierra del Crystal, Gaboon river, Mann! Fi. July. 
=f. B. Squamulosa, Hook. f. Stemless. Rootstock woody, creep- 
ing,, Tooting all along, as thick as a goose-quill, and, as well as the 
peduncles, petioles, and leaves beneath, clothed with minute mem- 
Tanous fimbriate appressed scales. Leaves solitary, rather distant, 
erect, coriaceous, 6—9 in. by 24—44 in., elliptic-oblong, slightly oblique, 
abruptly acuminate, base rounded or acute, green and glabrous above, 
Teddish with scattered scales below, nerves alternate, distant, slender ; 
eget stout, shorter than the blade; stipules very large, 1 in., convo- 
ute, base broadly ovate, tip long subulate, scaly, persistent. Peduncles 
lin, long, stout, erect, 6—10-flowered; bracts broad, membranous, ob- 
tuse, ersistent, scaly, forming an involucre ; pedicels slender, umbel- 
ate, } in. Male f.: Sepals 4, rose-red, outer orbicular, diameter, 
®oncave, scaly on the backs; inner much —— are ee 
~~ 
