2 
Ledermann, 335, 1981, 2066, 2086, 2299, 2977. Lower Guinea: 
Gaboon ; Bata, Trilles, 157. Span nish Guinea ; Nschadum, Tessmann, 
285 ; Alen, Tessmann, 138. pee Congo ;  Ngombe-Mgama, Mild- 
braed, 2874. Angola; Malanje, Marques, 333. Belgian Congo; islands 
of aa River, Dewevre, 856; Eala, Laurent, 2035; Bolombo, 
Laur 
The genus Spondianthus was first dealt with by Pierre, but nothing 
relating to it was published by him. Specimens were distributed under 
the name of Megabaria Trillesu, Pierre, and assigned to the tribe 
Phyllantheae of Epo aceae. Later Pierre’s name was taken up by 
De Wildeman (l.c.), who, however, did not publish a description. 
The writer, whilst estas with the genus for the Flora of Tropical 
Africa, published a Latin diagnosis in the Kew Bulletin (.c.) and included 
a second closely allied species from Uganda (M. ugandensis). He was 
at that time unaware of Spondianthus, Hasict. containing two species, 
which had been placed by its author in Anacardiaceae. Subsequently 
(in Notizblatt Kénigl. Bot. Gart. Berlin, 1911, No. 48, p. 240) Engler 
transferred Spondianthus to Euphorbiaceae, at the same ‘ie admitting 
its identity with specimens distributed by Pierre as Megabaria Trillesii 
represents quite a distinct genus, and was described and figured as such 
y the writer at tab. 2929 of this work under the name Protomegabaria. 
i Spondianthus in a restricted sense (i.e..S. Preussti and S. ugandensis) 
the leaves are subverticillate, the inflorescence paniculate, there are 
petals in the male flowers, and the capsule is loculicidal ; in Protomega- 
baria the leaves are scattered, the inflorescence racemose, there are no 
petals, and the capsule is ee . Hurcuinson. 
Fies. 1 and 2, male flowers ; 3, stam tary pistil of same ; 
4, young fruit; 5, longitudinal section “of same ; ot raion All enlarged except 6. 
i 
" 
i 
pia as St 
