68. AMARANTACEAF. 185 



20. (g.) Spurious staminodes interposed bctv\ecn the stamens 21 



Spurious staminodes none 26 



21. Spurious staminodes small, entire. Ovary hairy. Either perianth clothed 



with long silky hairs or leaves alternate 22 



Spurious staminodes usually quadrate and fringed, more rarely narrow, 

 but then perianth not clothed with long silky hairs and leaves (as nearly 

 always) opposite. 25 



22. Ovary with a horn-like appendage. — Species 6. South and Central Africa. 



(Under Sericocoma Fenzl) Cyphocarpa Lopr. 



Ovary without a horn. (See 14.) Sericocoma Fenzl 



23. Partial inflorescences consisting of 3 fertile flowers without sterile ones. 



Perianth hairy. Erect shrubs. — Species 4. South and Central Africa. 



(Under Sericocoma Fenzl or Cyphocarpa Lopr.) Sericocomopsis Schinz 



Partial inflorescences consisting of fertile and sterile flowers, or of 2 fertile 



ones only 24 



24. Stem woody, climbing. Leaves ovate. Sterile flowers reduced to long 



tufts of hairs. Perianth glabrous. Spurious staminodes narrow, entire 

 or toothed. — Species 2. Equatorial regions (Uganda and Cameroons). 



Sericostachys Gilg & Lopr. 



Stem herbaceous or woody at the base only, erect or ascending. Sterile 



flowers usually reduced to spines. Spurious staminodes usually broad 



and fringed 25 



25. Perianth-segments thickened and hardening at the base, yellow or red. 



(See 17.) Centema Hook. fil. 



Perianth-segments not hardening. — Species 15. Tropical and South 

 Africa. Some are used in medicine. {Desmochaeta DC.) Cyathula Lour. 



26. (20.) Partial inflorescences consisting of 2 fertile flowers without sterile 



ones, and arranged in globose heads. Perianth white, with silky hairs. 

 Ovary hairy. Shrubs. — Species i. German South-West Africa. 

 (Under Marcellia BailL, Sericocomopsis Schinz, or Sericocoma Fenzl) 



Leucosphaera Gilg 



Partial inflorescences consisting of fertile and sterile flowers, the latter 



sometimes reduced to bristles or spines 27 



27. Perianth-segments thickened and hardened at the base, yellow or red. 



Ovary glabrous. (See 17.) Centema Hook. fil. 



Perianth-segments not hardening 28 



28. Sterile flowers consisting of hooked spines. — Species 6. Tropical and 



South Africa Pupalia Juss. 



Sterile flowers consisting of not hooked spines, bristles, or hairs. . . 29 

 2q. Partial inflorescences consisting of 2 fertile and 2 sterile flowers, the latter 



reduced to bristles or spines. Ovary hairy. Herbs or undershrubs. 



— Species 10. Southern West Africa to Namaland. (Under Sericocoma 



Fenzl) Marcellia Baill. 



Partial inflorescences consisting of i — 3 fertile and 4 — 6 sterile flowers. 



Ovary glabroiis 3^ 



