Tabula 282L 



PEOPANAX PROCIIMBENS, Hemal 



Araliaceae. 



Geopanax, Ilemsl, Genus novum ex affinitate H^ptaphnri et 

 Schpfflerap, differt petal is connatis staminibus et ovarii loculis quam 

 petalis duple pluribus, 



G. proCTiinl)ens, JlemsL (species unica). Frutex in rupibus pro- 

 cunibens, praeter inflorescentiam glaber, ramis ultimis crassis, cortico 

 ruguloso. Folia in ramorum apicibus conferta, digitatim composita ; 

 petioli teretes, 5-10 cm. longi ; foliola saepius 8, coriacea, inaequalia, 

 distincte petiolulata, oblonga vel lanceolate oblonga, cum petiolulo 

 10 17 cm longa, integra, acute acuminata, venis immersisinconspicuis ; 

 stipulae circiter 1 cm. longae, intra petiolum connatae, acutae. Flores 

 racemose capitati ; racerni circiter 15 ciii. longi ; capitula circiter 

 10-flora, sessilia vel inferiora breviter pedunoulata, Calycis limhus 

 angustissimus, truiicatus. Petala 5, in calyptram deciduam cohae- 

 rentia. Staailna 10. Ovarium 8-10 loculare, stylis breviasimis. 

 Frurfu,'^ deest, 



Seychelles ; Malie ; Cascade Estate, at 450 metres, growing on and 



among rocks of rough clifF, //. F, Thomasi^et^ 192. 



I am puzzled as to the genus of this plant. It belongs perhaps to 



Scheffleray as extended by Harms {EngJer S Prantl^ NatiirL Flanzenf, 



iii. 8, p. 35), who includes in it Sciadophyllum^ P. Browne, Actino- 



phyllum, lluiz tt Pavon, Parapanax^ 3Iiq., AgaJiua^ Miq., Actino- 



morphe^ Miq., Ileplapleunnnj Gaertn., Faratropia, DC, and Astro- 



panax\ Seem. ; but I am unable to accept this combination without 



investigation, though it may be a sound one. Schefflcra digifata^ 



Forst., on which the genus was founded, differs from the plant here 



described in having a distinctly toothed calyx limb, free, persistent 



petals and only five stamens ; and Geopanax da^i^vs from U*'ptaplpnr\nn^ 



as limited by Bentham and Hooker (6V?*,. Flanf, i. p. 942), in having 



> ii I'll I tiii*ii 1*1* 



connate petals, and in the stamens and cells of the ovary being twice 

 as ntiTnerous as the petals. On the wljole it is pieferable to treat 

 this plant as representing a new genus, — W. Botting IIemslev, 



Fig. l,n flowf^r-l^iifl ; 2.Mamens and pistil ; 3,calyptraf e petals ; 4, stamen?? ; '*>, pistil ; 

 6, lono;iti;diiial section of the SHine; 7, cross .spotion of the Siuue. All enhrued. 



