134 XV. POLYGALE^ (oliver). \_Polygala. 



which are oval-oblong, acute, dilated below, rose-veiaed, glabrous. Lateral petals unguicu- 

 late, 2-lobed. Seeds conical, pubescent, with a yellow arillus. 



IHIozamb. Distr. Mombase Island, Bojer. 



I have not identified this plant, and doubt under which section in the ' Clavis ' it belongs. 



2. SECURIDACA, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PL i. 138. 



riowers irregular. Sepals 5, unequal, two (wing-sepals) raucli larger, 

 petaloid and wing-like. Petals 3, distinct from each other, adnate below to 

 the sheath of stamens, median petal (carina) galeate ; if 5 petals the 2 upper 

 squamiform and rudimentary. Stamens 8, monadelplious, the slieath split 

 above and adherent at the base to the petals ; anthers 2-celled, dehiscing by 

 a triangular recurved valve in front. Ovaiy 1-celled (one cell being abor- 

 tive), with 1 ovule. Style oblique, incurved above. Fruit a samara. Seed 

 estrophiolate, glabrous, exalbuminous. — Shrubs usually scandent, or small 

 trees. Leaves alternate, entire. Plowers in terminal and axillary racemes or 

 panicles. 



A considerable genus in Tropical America, represented by few species in the Old World 

 and but by two in Africa, one of which is widely distributed and very variable. 



Branches pubescent. Leaves more or less oblong, obtuse, rarely 



exceeding 1-2 in. by ^-f in. Flowers in racemes . . . . \. S. longipedunculata. 

 Branches glabrous. Leaves broadly elliptical or obovate, shortly 



acuminate, 2-4 in. by 1-2 in. Mowers in racemes or panicles 2. S. Welwltschii. 



1. S. longipedunculata, Fres. in Mns. Senck. ii. 275. A much- 

 branched divaricate shrub sometimes attaining 8-10 ft., the extremities mi- 

 nutely pubescent or shortly hirsute, rarely glabrate. Leaves coriaceous, ob- 

 long to linear- lanceolate- or ovate-oblong, obtuse or rounded at the apex ; 

 margin more or less revolute when dry, glabrous or glabrescent, paler and 

 venation usually obscure beneath, f-2 in. long, i-| in. broad; petiole 1-3 

 lines. Plowers rose or shades of purple or violet or variegated with white, 

 in terminal spreading racemes of i-3 in. or upon short lateral shoots ; bracts 

 and bracteoles minute, lanceolate, deciduous ; pedicels \-^ in., pubescent. 

 Lateral petals ovate to obovate-elliptical, a little recurved at the tip. Samara 

 li-2|- in. long with a notch at the base on the side of the aborted cell of 

 the ovary, wing variable, the ventral margin nearly straight or much curved, 

 gradually or abruptly narrowed into the smooth or rugulose nut, with nu- 

 merous, curved, parallel, forking nervures, ^-1 in. broad. — Lophostylis oblon- 

 gifolia and L. angustifolia, Hochst. in Flora 1842, 231 ; Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 

 39-40; Atlas, t. 10. L. pallida, Klotzsch in Peters' Mossamb. Bot. 115. 

 t. 22. 



Upper Guinea. Senegal, Sieber ! Quorra. T. Yogel ! 



Nile Iiand. Abyssinia, Schimper ! Seimar, Cienkowski. 



Mozaxnb. Distr. Rovuma river and Manganya Hills, Drs. Kirk and Meller I 



Var. parvifolia. Leaves considerably smaller, often elliptical (wing of fruit rather 

 abruptly narrowed at base in Angola sp.). 



Upper Guinea. Nupe, Niger, Barter ! 



laOTver Guinea. Angola, provs. Huilla and Pungo Andongo, Br. Welwitsch ! 



The bark of this plant affords the Buaze fibre of Zanibesiland. Dr. Kirk brought from 

 the Batoka Highlands a specimen in fruit only of what he considers a distinct species allied 



