Folygala.] xv. polygalp:^ (oliver). 131 



^-| in. Raceme terminal, shorter than or cquallinji; the upper leaves, ratlier 

 dense and conical above. Flowers very shortly pedicellate ; pedicels | line 

 or less ; bracts early deciduous. Outer scp.ds free. "Wing-sepals obovate, 

 faintly nerved, nerves diverging from the base ; deciduous. Lateral petals 

 oblong, obtuse, equalling the keel. Capsule obovate-rotundate, retuse, gla- 

 brous. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra del Crystal, Mann ! 



12. P. irregularis, Boiss. Biag. i. Fasc. i. 8. A low, spreading, wiry 

 plant, branching from a woody stock ; branches ))u])erulous, with niinute, 

 appressed hairs. Leaves, especially the lower, oblanceolate or obovatc-oblong, 

 obtuse or retuse, often with a miimte, recurved mucro ; upj)er vcrv small, 

 narrower, strigillose-puberulous or glabrescent, more or less glaucous in our 

 specimens, not exceeding ^ in. in length. Flowers remote, in loose, terminal, 

 spreading racemes ; pedicels equalling the outer, free, broadly-elliptical 

 sepals ; bracts early deciduous. Wing-sepals broadly-ovate, with 3 nerves 

 united above and minute, spreading, lateral veinlets. Lateral petals ample, 

 extremely delicate, broadly obovate-cuneate. Capsule obliquely-obovate, 

 winged, glabrous. 



Nile Iiand. Seiinar, Kotschy ! 



Also in Arabia, I think, as P. arabica, Boiss., seeras scarcely different. 



13. P. paludosa, St.Hil. FL Bras. Merid. ii. 8, var. A very slender, 

 filiform, erect, glabrous annual, of 4-12 in., with forking, ascending branches 

 and scattered, acicular or filiform leaves, of -^ in. or less. Flowers in erect, 

 terminal racemes, very small ; pedicels about equal to the outer free sepals, 

 spreading ; bracts subulate, early deciduous Wing-sepals persistent, ellip- 

 tical, obtuse, with 3 faint nerves, the lateral ones soon lost. Lateral petals 

 lanceolate, nearly equal to the keel. Capsule elliptical, a little narrowed at 

 the base, rather obtuse, equal to the wings. Seeds estrophiolate, pilose, with 

 appressed hairs. — P. paniculata, Linn., var. africana ? DC. Frod. i. 329. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone ! 

 Also in Brazil. 



14. P. capillariSy F. Mey. {Harv. in FL Capensis, i. 93), var. angolm- 

 sis. A very slender, erect, glabrous annual; of 1 ft. or more, usually branched 

 from the base. Leaves scattered, very small, erect, lanceolate or linear, about 

 ^ in. long. Flowers small, cream-coloured or greenish, in erect, rather 

 dense, terminal, spicate racemes. Bracts subulate, very early deciduous ; 

 pedicels equalling or shorter than the outer free sepals. Wing- sepals ellip- 

 tical-rotundate, with the lateral faint nervures dying out. Lat4'ral petals 

 ovate-lanceolate, nearly equalling the keel. Capsule ovate-orbicular, minutely 

 apiculate or scarcely emarginate when dry, two or three times shorter than 

 the wings. Seeds with short, curved hairs ; strophiole obsolete. 



Iiower Guinea. Angola, prov. Huilla, Br. Welioitsch ! 

 Occurs also south of the tropic. 



15. P. micrantha, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. i. 39. An erect, branching 

 or simple, glabrous annual, of 2-6 in. Leaves scattered, rather fiesliy, 

 linear, acute, about \-\ in. long. Flowers minute, in terminal, leafless ra- 

 cemes, often crowded towards the apex ; pedicels filiform, not exceeding the 



