56 FLORA OF JAMAICA Gyrotxnia 



Stigma sessile, penicillate-capitate ; ovule erect from the base. 

 Achene obliquely ovate, with the perianth unchanged, but with 

 the rhachis dilated-fleshy. Seed of similar form, with scanty 

 endosperm ; cotyledons broad. 



Species 4, two natives of Jamaica, another of Cuba, and a 

 fourth of Hispaniola. 



Inflorescence spicate G. spicata. 



Inflorescence much branched G. microcarpa. 



1. G. spicata Wcdd. in DC. Prodr. xvl. pt. 1, 99 (1869). 

 Urera spicata Wedd. 3Ionogr. 155 (1856) ; Griseh. Fl. Br. W. Ind. 

 155 ; leaves subobliquely oblong-elliptical, shortly acuminate, 

 entire or obsoletely sinuate, glabrous ; inflorescence spicate ; 

 female rhachis fleshy, curved, not sinuate. (Fig. 17.) 



Swartz ; Distin ! near Troy, 1800-2000 ft. ; Malvern, 2200 ft. ; Dolphin 

 Head ; Harris ! Fl. Jam. 8823, 9076, 9657, 10,288. 



Shruh 10-12 ft. high or tree 30 ft. high. Leaves 5-10 cm. 1., 2 -5-3 '5 

 cm. br. Male spikes 1 cm. 1., perianth 2 mm. in diameter. Female spikes 

 1-1*5 cm. 1. Achene nearly 1 mm. 1. 



2. G. microcarpa comb. nov. ; leaves elliptical to ovate, apicu- 

 late or acuminate, entire or obsoletely sinuate, somewhat puber- 

 ulous along the midrib on upper surface and on nerves under- 

 neath or glabrate on both sides ; inflorescence paniculate, much 

 branched ; female rhachis slightly fleshy. Wedd. Monogr. 156 

 (1856); Griseh. loc. cit. ; Wedd. in DC. Prodr. xvi. pt. 1, 95, 

 XJrtica membranacea Wedd. Monogr. 103 (nomen). U. mem- 

 branacea Sw. ex Wedd. loc. cit. (nomen). 



Wright ! Sivartz I Macfadyen ! Wilson ! Moneague, Prior ! Claverty 

 Cottage, Blue Mts., J.P. 966, Morris\ Dollwood ; near Whitfield Hall 

 Works ; Spanish River, Blue Mts. ; Old England, Blue Mts. ; near Cascade 

 River ; Harris ! Fl. Jam. ! 5107, 5230, 5319, 6487, 6607 ; Grierfield, near 

 Moneague, Britton, 2662 ! 



Shruh or small tree to 20 ft. high, with stinging hairs. Leaves 5*5-10 

 cm. 1., 3-4*5 cm. br. ; principal veins 5-8 on each side; petiole slender 

 8-16 mm. 1. Cymes 2-5 cm. 1., laxly branched. Achene ovate or elliptical ; 

 "75 to 1 mm. 1. ; perianth much shorter. 



2. URERA Gaudich. 



Shrubs or small trees, generally with stinging hairs. Leaves 

 alternate, entire, sinuate or toothed, 3-5-nerved at base, penni- 

 veined. above ; cystoliths in the form of dots or wanting ; stipules 

 free or more or less connate into one, intrapetiolar. Flowers 

 dioecious in small clusters laxly paniculate. Panicles dichotomously 

 cymose or irregularly branched, unisexual, axillary or at the older 

 nodes. Male fl.owers : perianth 4-5-partite, segments ovate, 

 slightly imbricate. Stamens 4-5. Ovary rudimentary. Female 

 flowers : segments of the perianth 4, subequal or the exterior 



