104 THALAMIFLOR^. 



to form a subglobose Sangular 5-celled capsule ; finally distinct. 

 Seeds solitary. 



3. Riedleia virgultosa. Twiggy Riedleia, 



Leaves ovato-lanceolate serrated appresso-villous, 

 raceme terminal, interrupted, leafless, stem hairy. 



R. Jamaicensis, Bertero, apud De Cand. Prod. I. 492.(?) 

 Melochia venosa,(?) Swartz, Fl. hid. Occ. 1137. — Riedleia 

 venosa,(?) De Cand. Prod. I. 492. 



HAB. Road from Norbrook to Dolly-Mohun's Gap, and near 

 Maryland cooper shop, St Andrew's. 



FL. After the May and October rains. 



Frutescent : stem about 2 feet in height : branches few, sub- 

 simple, virgultose, terete, hairy, subtomentose, coloured. Leaves 

 alternate, with short leafy branchlets in their axils, petiolate, 

 elongato-ovate, rounded at the base, acute at the apex, serrated, 

 penni-nerved, rugulose, pubescent along the nerves above, 

 villous beneath with the hairs rufescent, and appressed ; pe- 

 tiole terete, villous. Stipules setaceo-subulate. Inflorescence 

 terminal, interruptedly racemed ; flowers yellow, in clusters, 

 shortly pedicelled. Common peduncle leafless, elongated, 

 slightly compressed, villous : pedicels about 2 lines in length, 

 villous, furnished at the base with a subulate ciliated bractea. 

 Calyx extei-nally villous ; segments lineari-subulate, acute. 

 Petals 3, about twice the length of the calyx, obovato-oblong, 

 entire, shortly clawed. Stamens 5 ; filaments raonadelphous ; 

 anthers 2-celled. Ovary ovate, white, sericeo-villous. Styles 5, 

 erect : stigmata puberulous. Carpels 5, united into a subglo- 

 bose 5-lobed 5-celIed capsule, afterwards distinct, externally 

 velutino-villous, apiculated, 1-seeded. Seeds solitary, 3-gonal, 

 externally to the glass puberulous, black. 



I have no doubt but that this is the R. Jamaicensis of Ber- 

 tero, and R. venosa of Swartz. I have changed the specific 

 designation to virgultosa, as being more appropriate. The 

 flowers are rather showy. It does not appear to be a very 

 common plant. 



4. Riedleia serrata. Serrated Riedleia. 



Leaves ovate sub-cordate irregularly serrated fer- 

 rugineo-subtomentoso-hirsute, stipules lanceolato-lin- 

 ear generally the length of the petiole, flowers in 

 clusters of 3-5 subsessile arranged along a terminal 

 interrupted spike. 



Vetit ! choix. t. 37.— De Cand. Prod. I. 492. 

 HAB. Savannahs, St Thomas in the Vale. 

 FT,. October — December. 



