] cxxiiic. MORACE.E (Rendle). 239 



long-stalked, large, divided almost to the base into nunioroiis 

 radiately spreading segments ; segments entire, naiiow , wedge- 

 shaped, rounded above and abruptly shortly acuminate, penni- 

 veined, folded in bud lengthwise along the midrib with several trans- 

 verse folds in the upper part. Stipules large, connate, enclosing the 

 young bud and the inflorescence, soon falling. Male inflorescences 

 solitary or in pairs in the leaf-axils ; peduncle bearing several re- 

 peatedly forked branches ; flowers in numerous small round heads 

 each of which terminates a short ultimate branch. Among the 

 flowers are scattered slender long-stalked bracts ending in a small 

 round or half-round blade. Female inflorescences in pairs in the 

 leaf-axil ; flowers minute, very numerous, densely arranged on all 

 sides of a somewhat compressed ovate or oblong disc borne erect on 

 a stiff stalk, with interspersed threadlike bracts which are united 

 below with the perianth. 



S^)ecics 1, tropical Africa. 



1. M. Smithii, B. Br. App. Tuck. Com/o, 453. Stem often un- 

 branched and reaching 30 ft. in height, or branched forming a large 

 crown when it may reach over 40 ft. with a diameter of 16-20 inches, 

 or according to Gossw^eiler 80 ft. with a trunk diameter of 5 ft. ; 

 prop-roots often occur round the base. The upper ends of the leafy 

 stem and branches stout, to IJ in. thick, fully elongated internodes 

 1-1|: in. long with a stout pith. Large groups of mucilage-cells and 

 mucilage-spaces occur in pith and cortex. Leaf-segments to 1(3 in. 

 long, 2-3f in. wide below^ the top, polished and green above, greyish 

 with the short tomentum beneath ; lateral nerves numerous, regular, 

 somewhat ascending, from 2-4 lin. apart, very conspicuous on the 

 lower face and joined by numerous regular subparallel veinlets ; 

 petiole to 2 ft. long, sometimes with a few long hairs. Stipular 

 sheaths 6-8 in. long, 1-lJ in. wide, scarlet outside and densel}- hair^-. 

 Peduncle of male inflorescence about 4 in. long : heads of flowers 

 about 2 lin. in diam. ; bracteoles about as long as the perianth, 

 -J lin. ; perianth hairy below the apex. Female inflorescence 5-| in. 

 long, and about J in. thick, with a peduncle 2-5 in. long, in the 

 mature fruit yellowish-green, succulent, 2J-5 in. long, lJ-2 in. 

 broad. Endocarp narrowly ovoid, pale brown, about 1 lin. long. — 

 Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. B. 181,^292, C. 162, and Monogr. Morac. Afr. 42, 

 t. 18 ; Durand & Schinz, :6tudes Fl. Congo, i. 250 ; De Wild. & 

 Durand in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2me ser. i. 49 ; De Wild. Not. PI. 

 Utiles &c. (lu Congo, 11. and Miss. t. Laurent, 72; Th. ct Hel. 

 Durand, Syll. Flor. Congol. 511 ; Mildbraed. Wiss. Ergebn. Deutsch. 

 Zentr. Afr. Exped. 1907-8, ii. 182. 



Upper Ouinea. Sierra Lt'our, Jfzdiiisl ]'oh^t)i : ^mythc. 222 ! (lniHui.*\ 

 Barter ! Liberia : Tappi, Bunting, 34 ! 35 ! Ashanti, Trddir ! Coomaj^.sic. 

 Cummins, 108! Togo: Agome Mountains. Bdumunn, 2(.HJ I CJukl Cou.sf : 

 Tano River, Chipi>, 337 ! Burton d- Cameron ! Canieroons : River Ja, Bates I 



