Ficus] CXVII. HORACES. 1013 



branchlets hanging down from a little above the base of the 

 trunk up to the division of the top principal branches, obovoid- 

 globose, If in. long by li in. thick, with 2 or 3 smooth more or less 

 patent bracts a little below their base, flattened at the apex, with 

 the ostiole closed with small bracts, yellow-red when ripe, juicy, 

 eaten by the negroes and colonial travellers ; taste not unpleasant 

 but a little watery ; the skin resinous and very bitter ; about i in. 

 long ; some panicles bearing 60 to 80 or more receptacles, and the 

 trunk not rarely decked up to the height of a man with 5 to 8 or 

 12 pendulous panicles, all laden with bright rosy receptacles and 

 thus presenting an as^Dect of the highest fruitfulness. 



HuiLLA. — In the Monino forests ; without fl. or fr. Feb. 1860. No. 

 6368. In forests about Lopollo, plentiful ; ripe fr. 16 May 1860. 

 No. 6369. 



Nearly all the ovaries were pierced by a very long-tailed Hymenop- 

 tera, perhaps a species of Cynips. 



Yar. alnea. 



A densely frondose tree, resembling an alder in habit, 20 to 

 30 ft. high, or in secondary woods 15 ft., branched a' little above 

 the base ; head ovoid ; branches long, patent, rambling ; branchlets 

 glabrescent, purplish in the dried state, smooth, puberulous 

 towards the apex ; leaves alternate, entire or repand, ovate or 

 oval, obtusely pointed or rounded at the apex, more or less cordate 

 at the 3- or 5-nerved base, glabrous or nearly so, deep green, 

 glossy above, more or less glaucous, sometimes turning reddish 

 beneath, persistent, those on the younger plants large, 9 to 10 in. 

 long by 5 to 6 in, broad and but little coriaceous, those on the 

 adult or fruiting trees smaller 2 to 7 in. long by 1^ to 4 in. broad 

 and more compact ; lateral veins 3 or 4 on each side in addition 

 to the basal nerves, slender, feebly anastomosing ; tertiary veins 

 patent, weak ; reticulation delicate, inconspicuous ; interspaces 

 minutely dotted or on the smaller leaves marked with less minute 

 raised points ; petioles purplish, glabrous, f to 3^ in. long ; 

 stipules ovate, acute, more or less pubescent or silky on the back, 

 glabrous within, f to -| in. long, caducous ; receptacle pyriform- 

 globose, f to 1 in. long, not quite as thick, lateral, solitary, con- 

 taining male, female, and gall flowers ; male flowers with bipartite 

 perianth and 2 stamens ; female flowers with rather long style 

 proceeding from a side of the top of the ovary; basal bracts 3, 

 puberulous ; ostiole ~ in. in diameter, not very prominent ; 

 peduncle prominent, J- in. long. 



MossAMEDES. — In thickets grown up after destruction of the forests, 

 near the mouth of the river Giraul and Libata de Giraul, occasional, 

 without fl. or fr. (19 July?), 1859. No. 6377- 



Bumbo. — In forests at the base of Serra da Xella, in company with 

 Ranunculus ptnnatus Poir. (Welw. herb. no. 1209 ; ante, p. 4), and 

 '• Pao d'Oleo," that is, Ad'ma microcephala Hiern (Welw. herb. no. 3029 ; 

 ante, p. 434), sporadic ; fr. 20 Oct. 1859. No. 6376. 



HuiLLA. — From Monino towards Erne and at the river Mupanda, 

 sporadic ; fl. and fr. April 1860. No. 6367. 



Perhaps a distinct species. 



