Tas. 6271. 
KERAMANTHUS KiRKII. 
Nat. Ord, Passtrtorem.—Tribe MoprEccE2. 
New Genus Kemarantuus, Hook, f. 
Flores unisexuales. 7. ¢.Calycis tubus elongato-urceolatus ; lobi 5, breves, erecti, 
imbricati. Petala 5, medio tubo calycis inserta, inclusa, parva, filiformi-subu- 
lata. Annulus coronalis e cornubus 5-6 fundo calycis inserta, recurva. Sta- 
mina 5-6, fundo calycis inserta, filamentis brevibus subulatis basi connatis; an- 
there lineari-oblonge, apiculate. Ovarii rudimentum minutum. F7. ? Peri- 
anthium et corona maris. Staminodia subulata. Ovarium globosum, stipita- 
tum ; stylus brevis, 3-fidus, stigmatibus plumosis; ovula placentis 3 affixa. 
Bacea globosa, indehiscens, coriacex, polysperme. Semina compressa, arillo 
sacciformi inclusa; testa crustacea, foveolata. Frutex Zanzibaricus herba- 
ceus, tomentosus, caulibus e radice magno paucis erectis crassis subsimplicibus 
viridibus. Folia alterna, ovato- v. cordato orbiculata subsinuato-dentata, mol- 
lia. Stipule subulate. Cirrhi 0. Pedunculi awillares, 1-pauciflori, robusti, 
bracteolis paucis subulatis. Flores semipollicares, ereeti, virides, cum pedicello 
articulati. Bacce mole pomi parvi. 
Keramantuos Airkii. Hook. f. 
Male specimens of this very singular plant have been in 
cultivation at Kew for some years, whose flowers were so 
entirely similar to those of Modecca, whilst it differs so 
remarkably in habit from that genus that I have hitherto 
hesitated to publish it. 
The female flower I know only from a sketch made on the 
spot by its discoverer, Dr. Kirk, who has also sketched the 
fruit, but without signifying whether it is dehiscent or not; 
the former are, like the males, identical with those of Modecca, 
but the fruit differs according both to the appearance as re- 
presented by Dr. Kirk, and to a description which Dr. Masters 
informs me is attached to a very imperfect specimen pre- 
served in the Paris Museum, in being baccate. This descrip- 
tion is by Boivin, who gathered the plant at Zanzibar, and 
says of the fruit that is a globose berry, smooth, indehiscent, 
size of an apricot, dry, coriaceous externally, and of a chesnut 
colour. Iam informed by Dr. Ascherson that there are also 
specimens in the Berlin Herbarium, collected by Hildebrant, 
which have been examined by Professor Braun, and referred 
to Modecca. 
Having regard to the baccate ‘fruit, the remarkable habit, 
absence of tendrils, and conspicuous stipules, I am disposed 
