Slephania .'] TV. MKNisPERMACE.t (oliver). 47 



A small genus of 3 or 4 species, confined to the Eastern hemisphere. The description of 

 the embryo is from the Gen. Plantarum. 



Leaves entire or nearly so. Flowers in compound umbels, usually shorter 



than the leaves - • • \. S. abi/ssinica. 



Leaves crenately undulate. Flowers in long racemose (3-pinnate) panicles, 



exceeding the leaves 2. S.? lalificata. 



1. S. abyssinica, Rkh. Fl. Abyss, i. 9. ^. 4 (Slenaphia). A twining 

 or climbing shrub with subdeltoid rotundate or ovate, acute or obtuse, 

 peltate, glabrous leaves, entire or undulate, paler or somewhat glaucous be- 

 neath, usually I3— 2|(-5) in. broad, lJ-4(-5) in. long. Petiole f-2 in. 

 Peduncles axillary, short or sometimes equalling the leaves. Umbels twice 

 or thrice compound. Petals 3 or 4, shorter than the inner sepals, broadly 

 obovate or transversely rhomboid-elliptical, varying in breadth. — Clypea ahys- 



'sinica, Dill, et Rich, in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. 2. xiv. 38. CissnmpeJos nymphece- 

 folius, Br. in Salt. App. 65. Menispennum (Cocculus) Schimperi, Hochst. 



in PI. Schimp. Abyss. Ileocarpus Schimperi, Miers in Ann. Nat. Hist. 



Ser. 3. xiv. 373. 



Upper Guinea. Clarence Peak, Fernando Po, 3-5000 ft. (S. laevigata, Miers in 

 Ann. Nat. Hist. Ser. 3. xviii. 16), Mann I Camaroons mountain, 7000 ft. (5. bullulata, 

 Miers, 1. c), Mann ! 



Nile Ijand. Abyssinia, Dillon and Petit ! dindi others. 



It is very nearly allied to S. rotunda, Lour., as well as to S. hernandifolia, Walp., with 

 the latter of which it is united in the ' Flora Indica.' The inflorescence, however, is that 

 of S. rotunda. 



The portion of the endocarp around which the seed is curved (condyle) in S. hernandi- 

 folia is usually minutely perforate, though sometimes the orifice is entirely obliterated. The 

 latter is the case in the tropical African fruits (both Abyssinian and Western) which I have 

 examined, but it is also the case occasionally in Indian specimens of S. hernandifolia (Ca- 

 char, Drs. Hooker and Thomson). Upou this distinction Mr. Miers chiefly bases his genus 

 Ileoca7-pus. 



2. S. ? Isetificata^ Miers fPerichasma) in Ann. Nat. Hist. Ser. 3. xviii. 

 22. A widely spreading climber, the branches loosely pilose, with long spread- 

 ing hairs. Leaves ovate or rotundate-ovate, peltate, obtuse or rather acute, 

 apiculate, undulate-crenate, laxly ciliate, glabrous or with a few hairs on the 

 midrib above ; paler or glaucescent, pilose, at length glabrescent beneath ; 4-5 

 in. broad, 5-6 in. long. Petiole with a few long loose hairs or glabrous, 

 3-5 in. long. Male flowers shortly pedicellate, in long, slender, axillary 

 panicles nearly twice as long as the leaves, with lateral branches of 1-2 in., 

 more or less puberulous, minute. Sepals 6, 3 outer rather shorter, 3 inner 

 obovate. Petals 3, shorter than the inner sepals, rather thick, rotundate. 

 Anthers peltate-capitate, the outer margiti of the poUiniferous disk patcUi- 

 forni after dehiscence. Female flowers and fruit unknown. 



Upper Guinea. Fernando Po, Mann ! 



From the resemblance of the male flowers to those of a true Stephania, this plant may 

 well be left here until the fruit be obtained. 



GENERA IMPERFECTLY KNOWN. 



8. RHIGIOCARYA, Miers in Ann. Nat. Hist. Ser. 3. xiv. 100. 

 In Mr. Barter's Niger collections there is a very imperfect specimen in 



