50 3. R. SUBERECTUS. 



mately nodding slightly at the top. Prickles few (except 

 near the base), small, slender, usually scarcely exceeding in 

 length the long diameter of their large dilated base (except 

 at the extremity of the stem), confined to the angles of the 

 stem, slightly declining. Leaves usually quinate, sometimes 

 pinnate-septenate, rarely ternate. Leajlets large, flat when 

 full-grown, thin, unequally serrate, green on both sides, 

 slightly adpressed-pilose and shiuing above, paler and hairy 

 on the ribs beneath, acuminate ; basal leaflets of the ternate 

 leaves lanceolate, intermediate ovate, terminal cordate- 

 ovate ; basal leaflets of the quinate leaves lanceolate, inter- 

 mediate ovate-lanceolate, terminal cordate- ovate ; basal and 

 intermediate leaflets of the septenate leaves like those of the 

 quinate leaves, but in place of one terminal leaflet there are 

 three leaflets of which the lateral are sessile and unequally 

 ovate, and the middle leaflet is shortly stalked and ovate- 

 lanceolate ; except as above-mentioned the leaflets are all 

 stalked, the basal very shortly, intermediate rather shortly, 

 terminal long-stalked; furrowed petioles and midribs beneath 

 with large-based hooked prickles. Stij^ules slender. 



Flowering shoot from dark brown scales, suberect, often 

 scarcely more than a leafy raceme, with short deflexed (but 

 often very few) prickles and sessile glands. Leaves ternate; 

 leaflets all ovate, rounded or narrowed not cordate at the 

 base; lateral subsessile, terminal stalked; uppermost leaves 

 simple, ovate-lanceolate. A panicle or raceme ; lower 

 flowers axillaiy, usually long-stallied. Sepals reflexed, un- 

 armed, ovate, leaf-pointed, externally dark green and gla- 

 brous but edged with white felt. Petals large, obovate, 

 narrowed below, entire, white, much exceeding the sepals. 

 Filaments and anthers " rather fuscous." Styles " greenish," 

 falling short of the stamens. Primordial fruit-stalk shorter 

 than the sepals. Fruit dark red, ultimately of a deep red 

 (port-wine) coloui-, sourish. 



