12 II. DILLENIACE^ (oLIVEr). 



ternate, rarely-divided, simple leaves. Stipules or inconspicuous. Flowers 

 usually white or yellow, hermaplirodite or sometimes unisexual. 



A considerable tropical and Australian family, of which . the only African genus belongs 

 to a Tribe {Belimees) characterized by peuniveined, often scabrous leaves, and filaments 

 dilated at the apex. 



1. TETRACERA, Linn. ; Hook. f. and Benth. Gen. PL i. 12. 



Sepals 4-7, coriaceous. Petals as many or fewer. Stamens indefinite, 

 free or very slightly coherent below ; filaments dilated at the apex ; anther- 

 cells minute, on the margin of the dilated connective, approximate or distinct 

 at the apex, more or less divergent or nearly parallel below, dehiscing longi- 

 tudinally. Carpels free, usually 3, with several or numerous ovules upon 

 the ventral suture, when ripe coriaceous, dehiscing by both sutures or by 

 the ventral suture only. Seeds 1-5 in each carpel ; ariUus laciniate. — 

 Usually climbing shrubs, with denticulate or entire, often scabrous leaves, 

 the lateral nerves parallel with the margin. Plowers usually white, paniculate ; 

 panicles terminal and from the axils of the upper leaves. 



A genus of 20 to 30 species, widely dispersed through the tropics of both the New and 

 Old World. The African species are all endemic, though nearly allied to Brazilian and 

 Indian species. 

 Panicles usually many-flowered, exceeding the leaves. 



Tlowers f in. diam. or less. Leaves glabrescent or with adpressed 

 hairs beneath. 

 Sepals densely silky-hairy within. Leaves usually distinctly den- 

 ticulate above \. T. obtusata. 



Sepals glabrous or nearly so within. Leaves entire or obscurely 



denticulate above 2. T. alnifoUa. 



Flowers few, scarcely or not exceeding the leaves, nearly 1 in. diam. 



Leaves oblanceolate, denticulate, tomentose beneath, rugose above. . Z. T. Boiviniana. 



1. T, obtusata. Planch, in Hb. Kew. Branches scabrous. Upper 

 leaves obovate or "elliptical, usually obtusely rounded and denticulate at the 

 extremity, either narrowed into the petiole or rounded at the base, more 

 or less scabrous and often with scattered hairs on the upper surface, the 

 midrib and strong lateral nerves with appressed hairs beneath, 1^-3 in. 

 long, 1-li in. broad ; petiole \-\ in. long. Panicles with appressed hairs' 

 or glabrescent and scabrid. Pedicels shorter than or exceeding the lanceolate 

 or ovate bracts, rarely over 3 lines, or flowers subsessile. Plowers 3-6 lines 

 in diam. Sepals either nearly glabrous or with silky appressed hairs outside, 

 silky within, usually ciliolate. Minute anther-cells usually distinctly sepa- 

 rated by the apex of the connective, but variable. Ovaries glabrous or hairy. 

 —T. alnifoUa, DC. Syst. Veg. i. 401 {non Willd.). 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, Don ! and others. Senegarabia. Abbeokuta, Irving I 

 Var. eriantha. Flowers about \ in. diam. Sepals silky outside. Fernando Po, 

 Mann ! 



2. T. alnifoUa, Willd. Sp. PL ii. 1243 {non DC). Branches smooth 

 or obsoletely scabrous. Upper leaves broadly elliptical or obovate-elliptical, 

 rounded or cuneate to the petiole below, rounded obtuse or obtusely 

 pointed at the apex, entire or obscurely denticulate, glabrous glabrescent or 

 with appressed hairs beneath, smooth or slightly scabrid, 3-6 in. long, \\^ 



