fxora. TETRANDR1A MONOGYNIA. 377 



flower the whole year but chiefly during- the rains, when it is 

 highly ornamental. 



Stem none, but branches innumerable, which divide much 

 and spread close on the ground, forming a large hemisphe- 

 rical bush. Bark of the large branches dark brown, and ra- 

 ther scabrous ; that of the young shoots, smooth, and green. 

 Leaves opposite, stem-clasping, oblong, obtuse, with a small 

 point, entire, firm, smooth on both sides. Stipules inlerfoli- 

 aceous, annular, with a subulate process on each side. Co- 

 rymbs terminal, crowded, divisions many, but short. Flowers 

 numerous, when they first open scarlet, changing afterwards 

 to crimson. Bractes opposite, conic, acute. Calyx superior, 

 four-toothed, coloured, permanent. Corol with a very long- 

 slender tube ; segments of the border four, ovate, rather ob- 

 tuse, spreading. Filaments four, short, inserted without the 

 mouth of the tube, spreading, anthers linear, spreading. 

 Germ two-celled, with one seed in each, attached to the mid- 

 dle of the partition. Style length of the tube of the corol. 

 Stigma bifid. Berry spherical, size of a large pea, smooth, 

 fleshy, when ripe purple, two-celled. Seed solitary, oval, 

 convex on the outside flat, with a deep pit on the inside. In- 

 teguments two ; exterior nuciform ; inner membranaceous. 

 Perisperm conform to the seed, cartilaginous. Embryo erect, 

 curved, nearly as long as the perisperm. Cotyledons reni- 

 form, cordate. Radicle cylindric, longer than the cotyledons, 

 inferior. 



Obs. This species is nearly allied to I. coccinea, but differs 

 in the following respects : 



1st. This is a very ramous spreading bush, that much less 

 so, and nearly erect. 



2d. In this the leaves are stem-clasping, and obtuse ; in 

 that sessile and acute. 



3d. In this the segments of the border of the corol are ovate, 

 and rather obtuse ; in that ovate-lanceolate, and acute ; and 

 lastly, 



