Plate 2400. 



LUFFA? BATESII, C. If. Wriyht. 



4 



CucuRBiTACE.^, Tribe Cucumekixe^. 



I.? Batesii,^ C. H. Wright {sjh nov,)\ suffruticosa, scandens, 

 caulibus striatis, foliis petiolatis subcoriaceis profunda cordatis acu- 

 minatis sinuato dentatis puberulis venis ultimis utrinque conspicuis 

 densissime reticulatis, cirrhis lateralibus bifurcatis, racemis ^ quam 

 foHa^ paulo longioribus, calyce extus pubescente infundibuh'formi 

 dentibus 5 subulatis tubo inferne inflato, petalis 5 luteis ovatis 

 acuminatis^ breviter unguiculatis venis primariis 3 basi apiceque 

 convergentibus, staminibus 5, filamentis latis calycis fauce iiisertis, 

 antheris omnibus sinuatim bilocularibus, floribus ? et fructu non visis* 



Hab. West Tropical Africa : Cameroons River, G, Mann (No. 

 719); Batanga, G. L. Bates (No. 338); Angola, 70 miles from 

 Ambriz, on the road to Bembe, Monteiro, 



Caules 20 ped, longi (fide G, Mann). Folia 7 poll, longa, 5-6 poll, 

 lata ; petioli 1-2 poll, longi. Racemi 9 poll, longi. Ccdycis tubus 

 6-8 lin. longus. Corolla 3 poll. diam. 



This differs from the typical species of L^'ffo^ in having suffrutescent 

 stems, subcoriaceous leaves, and 5 bilocular anthers, which last 

 character, as well as the eglandular petiole, separates it from the genus 

 Sphmrosicyos^ Hook, f., to which its inflorescence bears some resem- 

 blance. A knowledge of the female inflorescence and fruit, at present 

 a desideratum, may cause this to be elevated to the rank of a distinct 

 genus, as proposed in manuscript by Dr. Schweinfurth, for an allied 

 species collected by himself in Central Africa. — C. H. Wright. 



Fig. 1. A bud with bracteole on pedicel. 2. Caljx and androecium, the hollow 

 tube of the former in vertical section. Both enlarged. 



m 



