484 EUPiiOKBTACE^ (Praiii). [AcahjjyJia 



Very nearly related to A, punclaia, Meisn., but readily distinguished bv it.s 

 larger leaves beset ^vith stalked glands springing from the finer reticulations. 

 When the leaves are mature the pubescence and these stalked glands largely dis- 

 appear. The difference thus caused has induced Kuntze to separate the two 

 conditions, that with stalked glands on leaves as well as bracts being his var. 

 Iladida, that from which the stalked glands have disappeared from the leaves 

 being his Hkiaocarpus pedunculai'is, var. genuinus, which is therefore quite 

 unlike the true Acalypha peduncuUiru. It seems better to treat the two forms 

 which occur as merely conditions or states, not even as varieties; even in the 

 adult stage A. Wilinsii is readily distinguished from A, punctata by the very 

 ditferent bracts. 



XXX, ALCHORNEA, Sw. 



Flowers dioecious, rarely monoecious ; petals ; disc usually 0. 

 Male: Calyx closed in bud, splitting into 4 (rarely 3 or 2) valvate 

 lobes. Stamens 8 or fewer; lilaments free or nearly so; anthers 

 dorsifixed, cells parallel or slightly divergent, free at the base, 

 dehiscing longitudinally. Rudimentary ovary 0. Female: Calyx- 

 lobes 3-6, usually 4, imbricate. O^'ar?/ 2-3-celled ; ovules solitary in 

 each cell ; styles long, linear, free, usually entire- Capsule 2-3- 

 coccous ; cocci 2-valved ; valves with a crustaceous endocarp. Seeds= 

 subglobose, ecarunculate ; testa crustaceous; albumen fleshy ; cotyle- 

 dons broad, flat. 



Trees or shrubs ; leaves alternate, entire or toothed, often 3-5-nerved at the 

 base and frequently glandular between the nerves at the base beneath ; male- 

 flowers in axillary or lateral ^simple or branched spikes, several to a bract ; female 

 flowera in axillary spikes or racemes, solitary to a bract ; bracts usually small or 

 very small, sometimes long, linear. 



DxsxiUB. Species about 35, widely spread throughout the tropics. 



r 



Leaves narrowed to the base, penninerved throughout, 

 not stipellate at apex of petiole ; male spikes pani- 

 cled ; bracts minute (1) glahrata. 



Leaves rounded and 3-nerved at the base, 2-stipellate at 

 apex of petiole ; male spikes simple ; bracts long, 

 lanceolate (2) Sohlechteri. 



••• ■•• ••* •*• 



1. A. g;lahrata (Prain in Kew Bulletin, 1910, 342); a shrub or small 

 tree up to 40 ft. high ; twigs not perulate, minutely puberulous or 

 pubescent ; leaves short-petioled, niembranous^ oblong or oblanceolate- 

 oblong, acute or shortly acuminatej gradually narrowed to the base, 



' toothed, 4-6 in. long, 1-2J in. wide, 



penninerved throughout, nerves rather prominent beneath, glabrous- 



on both sides ; petiole puberulous or glabrous, J—,]- in. long ; stipules 

 subulate, caducous, \ in. long; male spikes in lax terminal panicles 

 up to 6 in. long, individual spikes interrupted, 2-3 in. lung ; rhachis 

 slender, puberulous or nearly glabrous ; flowei-s glomerulate, bracts 

 and bracteoles minute ; female spikes simple, 2-3 in. long, rhachis 

 slender; flowers solitary to each bract; ovary glabrous; styles- 



