232 SYNOPSIS OP THE AFEICAN SPECIES OF XEROPHYTA. 



The genus Xerophyta was named and described by Jussieu in his 

 " Genera Plantarum," page 89, upon a single species gathered in 

 Madagascar by Commerson. The name is kept, with an extended 

 character, and a long list of ppecies is described under it in the " Sys- 

 tema Yegetabilium " of Roemer and Schultes (vol. vii., pp. 23 and 289). 

 In Roomer's " Scriptores," published seven years later than Jussieu's 

 ''Genera" (1796 against 1789) Yandelli established for a Brazilian 

 plant the genus Vellosia. The Madagascar plant has only six stamens, 

 the Brazilian one a considerable number, connate in six phalanges. 

 In habit and in other points of structure they quite coincide. In 

 his " Nova Genera et Species " Martins united the two genera, but 

 kept up the later published of the two names ; and in this he has been 

 followed by Seubertin the great "Flora Brasiliensis," who constitutes a 

 separate order out of Barhacenia and Vellosia, which he calls VellosiecB. 

 If the two genera are joined the earlier name Xerophyta ought, ac- 

 cording to the rules of priority, to be used, not Vellosia ; but it seems 

 to me that the difference in the stamens is quite important enough to 

 constitute a generic difference. Using the names in this sense Vel- 

 losia is confined to America, Xerophyta divided between America and 

 Africa. 



Xerophyta, Juss. Gen., p. 50 ; Roem. Sf Schultes, Syst. Veg. vii., 23 

 and 289, ex parte. Yellosia, Mart. Nova Genera, and Seuh. Flor. 

 Bras.y iii. 74, ex parte, non Vandelli. Schnitzleinia, Steud. Talbotia, 

 Balf. 



Perianth-limb divided down to the top of the ovary into six lanceo- 

 late segments, marcescent. Stamens 6, epigynous, shorter than the 

 perianth ; anthers ligulate, nearly sessile, erect, basifixed, with two 

 long, slender adnate cells which slit introrsely near the edge. Ovary 

 inferior, trilocular, with axile placentation and very numerous ovules ; 

 style filiform ; stigma capitate. Pruit a dry indehiscent capsule, 

 with abundant clavate seeds, with a short, thick, fleshy funicle and a 

 prominent raphe. 



Key to the Aeeican Species. 



Shrubs with thick woody branches — 



Bristles of ovary erecto -patent, ^ line long ... \. X. clamta. 



2. X. retinervis. 

 Bristles of ovary short, slender, and subad- 



pressed ... ... ... ;.. ... 3. X. pinifolia. 



4. X. equisetoides. 



5. X. Melleri. 

 Ovary gland-muricated, without any bristles... 6. X. Bpehei. 



Herbs with a short woody caudex not more than 

 a few inches long — 

 Ovary naked ... ... ... ... ... 7. X. elegans. 



8. X. minuta. 



Ovary gland-muricated, not bristly 9. X. neglecta. 



10. X dasylirioides. 

 Ovary clothed with dense erecto-patent 



bristles ... ... ... ... ... \\. X. Schnitzleinia. 



Habit not ascertained ... 12. X. viscosa. 



