FLORA NIGRITIANA. 353 
TRISTEMMA, Juss. 
Char. Gen.— Calycis tubus ovatus v. oblongus, ovario basi om- 
nino adnatus et altius coh:rens mediantibus costis, cinctus 
annulis ciliarum parallelis 1-5 vel rarius nudus; limbi lacinie 
5, persistentes, reflexe. Petala 5, mediocria. Stamina 10, 
conformia; antheris lineari-faleatis subrostratis uniporosis, 
connectivo brevi postice bidentato. Ovarium disco setoso 
coronatum, 5-loculare. Stylus zequalis v. superne leviter in- 
Crassatus, apice truncato-stigmatosus. Capsula calyce in- 
clusa et ei plus minus adnata, maturitate irregulariter dis- 
rupta, rarius subvalvatim dehiscens. Semina numerosa.— 
Herbe: suffruticesve Africans, decumbentes ascendentes v. 
rarius erect. Flores terminales, capitati, v. rarius solitarii, 
singuli bractearum paribus 1-3 involuti. 
_ As far as can be judged from dried specimens, the placentze 
in this genus appear to be more fleshy than in the preceding 
8enera, or almost pulpy, and the general affinity is much rather 
with Melastoma than with Osbeckia or Heterotis. The rings 
of cilie in most of the species are very remarkable in their 
arrangement, 
1. Tristemma littorale, Benth.; caule adscendente ramoso ob- 
tuse tetragono parce strigoso v. levi, foliis ovatis oblongisve 
5-nervibus parce strigosis, floribus capitatis, bracteis imbri- 
catis exterioribus foliaceis calycibusque glabris levibus nudis. 
— Fernando Po, on the sea-shore, Vogel. : 
T. albiflora simile sed glabrius, petioli longiores, florum capi- 
tula breviter pedicellata, bracteze angustiores omnino glabrze 
V. extimz rarius dorso strigis paucissimis onuste. Herba 
est ex Vog. annua, procumbens, ramis adscendentibus 1-2- 
pedalibus. Petala rosea. Folia in speciminibus aliis semi- 
pedalia, in aliis 2-3-pollicaria. 
2. Tristemma albiflorum, Benth. ; caule adscendente ramoso 
acute tetragono parce strigoso, foliis ovatis oblongisve 5- 
nervibus supra strigosis, floribus capitatis, bracteis imbricatis 
latis dorso strigosis, calycibus lzevibus nudis v. corona pilorum 
AA 
