NOTES ON THESPESIA. 53 



palmati-trilobatis lobo medio majore interdum baud lobatis basi 

 subcordatis superne glabris subtus minute pubescentibus reticulato- 

 venosis e basi palmatim 7-9-uerviis, lamina 3-5^ poll, longa, 

 2^-4|- poll, lata, petiolis teuuiter stellato-puberulis, 1^-2^ poll, 

 longis, floribus axillaribus solitariis pedunculatis, peduuculis super 

 medium articulatis, bracteolis subuliformibus 9-12, subremotis ad 

 basin in cupulum coalitis quam calyce longioribus, sepalis circiter 

 J poll, longis ad apicem truncatis externe ferrugineo-pubesceutibus, 

 pe talis If -2 poll, longis pracipue ad dorsum pubescentibus, ovario 

 5-loculare, externe dense hirsuto, loculis 3-4-ovulatis. 



Hab. Eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, near Kareni. "A tree 

 20 ft.," October (in flower and very young fruit), No. 8356, Li. F. 

 Scott Elliot ! 



A tree with branchlets of a greyish colour, towards the extremi- 

 ties stellately puberulous. Leaves coriaceous, of a rather grey or 

 cinereous colour above, generally palmately trilobed, middle lobe 

 longest, except for the lobing, the margin almost entire, occasion- 

 ally sub-5-lobed or hardly lobed at all, glabrous above, below between 

 the network of veins finely pubescent, palmately 7-9-nerved from 

 the base, the nerves being prominent below, base subcordate. 

 Flowers axillary ; peduncles grooved, jointed above the middle, 

 generally 2-2^ in. long. Bracts 9-12, subulate, rather distant 

 from each other, puberulous, forming a cup below. Calyx in bud 

 forming a cup, dividing by fission into generally four sepals, ex- 

 ternally fei'ruginous, stellately pubescent, internally paler, strigose 

 pubescent. Petals thick, pubescent on both sides, but especially 

 on the back, lf-2 in. long. Staminal column f in. long, the 

 stamens being given off at a point one-third of an inch from the 

 base, and from theuce to the apex. Stigmas confluent, longitudi- 

 nally stigmatose. Style and stigmas IJ in. long, stigmatic portion 

 about I in. Style pubescent at the base. Ovary externally hairy. 

 Young capsule pointed ; loculi 2-3-seeded. Seetls brown. 



Oiu- specimens do not show whether or no the capsule is woody 

 when fully developed, but the trunk being 20 ft. high, and the 

 stigmas confluent, show that the plant must be placed in this genus. 



Four species of Thespemi have already been recorded from 

 Tropical Africa — T. populnea Cav., T. Lampaa Dalz., T. Danis 

 Ohv,, and T. Garckeana F. Hoffm. — to which last the present 

 species is most nearly allied. It differs, however, in its involucral 

 bracts and in the shape of the leaves. 



D. Bracts of the involucre persistent, numerous (12-15), linear, 



acuminate. 



G. T. Gauckeana F. Hoffm. Beitr. zur Kmntniss von Central 

 Afrika, ex Engler, Pjlanzenw. Cht Aj'rikos, Theil C, 268 (1895). 



Hab. Tropical Africa : Kilimanjaro District, Dschallasee, 

 6r. Volkens, No. 301 ! Kitui, Uganda. 



E. Bracts of the involucre 3, persistent, ovate-lanceolate, patent. 

 7. T. Danis Ohv. in Hook. Iron. I'hint. t. 1336 (1881). 



Hab. East Tropical Africa : Nyika, Ribe, also in the Galla 



