232 ENVISION OF TliE AFRICAN SPECIES OF ERIOSEMA* 



lanceolate, acute ; the 3 lower lobes ovate, acute, rather shorter 

 than the upper lobes. Standard hairy at the back. Ovary subsessile, 

 2-ovuled, densely hairy; style much curved about the middle. 

 Fruit ^ in. long, i in. broad, pubescent; seeds 2, f in. long by 

 I in, broad. 



Nearly related to Eriosema cordifolium Hochst., an Abyssinian 

 species. 



35. E. prunelloides Welw. MS., n.sp. Radice tuberosa fili- 

 pendula, caulibus procumbentibus vel adscendentibus versus apicem 

 sericeo-pilosis, foliis simplicibus ovato-lanceolatis superne glabris 

 vel fere glabris, subtus prjecipue foliis superioribus plus minusve 

 sericeo-pilosis, racemis axillaribus vel subterminalibus dense spi- 

 catis, floribus subsessilibus patentibus vel depressis, calycis externe 

 sericei dentibus lanceolato-subulatis, ovario externe sericeo 2ovu- 

 lato, legumine 2-spermo. 



Hab. In sandy thickets near Condo, Distr. Pungo Andongo, 

 Angola; in flower and fruit in March, 1857, Wclwitsch, No. 4100! 



Root wiry, flexuous, leading down to a napiform tuber of If in. 

 in length by | in. in thickness ; rootstock branched. Stem and 

 branches wiry, firmly herbaceous, procumbent or ascending, 

 attaining about a span in height, clothed towards the apex with 

 white silky-pilose hairs. Leaves simple, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, 

 rounded or slightly hollowed at the base, scarcely or nearly acute 

 at the apex, usually apiculate, chartaceous, glabrous or nearly so 

 on the upper surface, more or less silky-pilose and glandular on the 

 under surface, especially the upper leaves, 1-3 by ^-1 in. ; petiole 

 ^-^ in. long, more or less silky-pilose, sometimes with a pair of 

 small glabrous subulate stipules near the apex. Stipules lanceolate, 

 very acute, parallel-nerved, glabrous or nearly so, ^-t in. long, 

 persistent. Racemes axillary and subterminal, densely spicate, 

 |-f in. long ; peduncles more or less silky-pilose, i-| in. long ; 

 flowers subsessile, patent or nodding, about ^ in. long; bracteoles 

 linear-subulate, about equalling the calyx. Calyx subequally 5-cleft, 

 silky outside, glabrous inside, rather shorter than the glabrous 

 corolla in flower, somewhat enlarged and burst in fruit, lobes 

 lanceolate-subulate. Stamens glabrous. Ovary sessile, silky out- 

 side; ovules 2. Young fruit nearly ^ in. long by -J in. broad; 

 seeds 2. 



Nearly related to Eriosema conUfoUum Hochst., an Abyssinian 

 species. 



36. E. gracillimum, n. sp. Herba gracilUma tenuiter pubes- 

 cens, radice tuberosa fdipendula, tuberibus ovoideis, caulibus ramo- 

 sis prostrato-adscendentibus, foliis simplicibus subsessilibus ovalibus 

 ad basin rotundatis chartaceis margine anguste revoluto, pedunculis 

 gracilibus axillaribus et subterminalibus puberulis plerumque 2- 

 floris, pedicellis brevissimis, calycis externe pubeiuli dentibus 

 lanceolatis vel subulatis, ovario dense hirsuto, legumine applanato, 

 1-2 spermo. 



Hab. In marshy meadows near Sansamanda, Distr. Pungo 

 Andongo, Angola ; in flower and fruit, May, 1867, Welwitsch, No. 

 40981 



