Tabula 2840. 



NECTAROPETALUM KAESSNERI, Engl: 



Erythroxylaceae. 



N. Kaessneri, Em/J. Bot. JaJirb. vol, xxiv. p. 151 ; ab altera specie 

 liujus generis floribus nuilto luiuoribus, iiectarii sqnaniis 2-(Iontatis, 

 antheris ininoribus distinctuiii. 



Frutex glaberrimus, raniis temiibus cortice niox cincrascentc. Folia 

 elliptica vel oblongo-elliptica, basi obtusa, apice obtiisa rarius sub- 

 acuta, 5-8 cm, longa, 2-5-4 cm. lata, papyracea, subtus glaucescentia, 

 nervis lateralibus utrinque circiter 8 uti venis elegantor aiiasto- 

 mosantibiis utrinque proniinulis ; petiolus 6-10 mm. longus, castanou^ : 

 stipulae e basi latiuscula subulata, ad 5 mm. lougae. Flores in foliorum 

 axillis fascirulati, 4-2, rarius solitarii, brevis:sinie pedicellati. Calycis 

 segmenla ovata vel ovato-oblonga, acuta, 2*5 mm. lon<:a. PetaJa 

 obovato- vel oblongo-spathidata, angusta, 12 mm, longa, 3 mm. lata, 

 lutea (?), basin versu? squama brevi transversa 2-loba instructa. 

 Stamina 10; filamenta basi in tubum brevem coalita, episepnla quam 



epipetala distincte longiora ; antlierae 1*5 mm. longae. Ovarium 

 oblongunij biloculare, loculis 1-ovidatis ; stylus stamina superans ; 

 stigmata duo recurva, latiuscula. 



British East Africa : Borne River ; Kaessner, 306. 



Engler (I.e. vol. xxxii. p. 109, and in Engl, und Prantl, Natiirl. Pflan- 

 zenfam. Naclitr. p. 181) refers this genus to Linaceae without, however, 

 being able to assign any definite position to it in that family, as the 

 fruit of Nectar opelalum is still unknown. It appears more satisfactory 

 to place the genus in Erythroxylaceae to which the whole facies and 

 the scales at the base of the petals point. In the young ovaries the 

 placenta has two longitudinal ridges or wing?^ in each cell between which 

 the ovule is placed. — Otto Staff. 



Fig. 1, pair of stipules attached to axis; 2, a flower; 3, genitalia; 4, u petal; 

 5, cross-sectii^n of ovary ; 0, K)iigj(ii<linal section of ovary ; 7, ovule. All enlarged. 



