knotted stem. Leaves alternate, very oblique, or inequi- 

 lateral, between ovate and oblong, shortly acuminate, con- 

 cave, very thick and fleshy, the margin sinuated and tooth- 

 ed, bordered with red. Petioles scarcely an inch long : at 

 the base of the upper ones are very large, concave, obovate, 

 membranaceous, coloured stipules, which soon fall away as 

 the leaves attain maturity. Peduncles axillary and termi- 

 nal, rather short, red, bearing a dichotomous, spreading, 

 and drooping panicle: its branches everywhere red, and 

 with oblong, concave, red, deciduous bracteas. Flowers 

 bright scarlet, exceedingly beautiful. Male flowers of four 

 rounded, spreading petals, or sepals ; female, of five or six 

 spreading, oblong-ovate, and equally-sized ones. Stamens 

 and styles yellow. Germen and nearly-matureyrmV clavate, 

 or narrowly pyriform, triangular, with three almost equal, 

 projecting, and, below, decurrent wings. The germens 

 and young fruit are both red. 



Fig. 1. Section of a Germen. 2. Female Flower ;— slightly magnified. 



