PolycarpfBa.'] xvii. cahyophyllacf./E (olivf.k). 14.') 



ing pseudo-verticils. Stipules scarioiis. Flowers in difl'use or compact, 

 panicled corymbose or solitary cymes, with scarious, silvery, sometimes ro>«: 

 or purple flowers. 



A considerable genus of the warmer parts of both hemispheres. One of the followin;: 

 species has a wide extra-African range. The species are very difficult to define. I hnvc 

 bestowed considerable time upon the tropical African species, and yet must regard them n* 

 treated provisionally. 



Sepals lanceolate, very acute. Leaves narrow-linear or linear-subu- 

 late. 



Flowers in distinct and loosely panicled or confluent spreading cymes. 



2-3 in. to 1 ft \. P. cnryynboxn. 



Flowers in small, 10-14-flowered, capitate, divaricate cymes . . . 2. P. stellnta. 



Flowers in deuse, hemispherical or globose, solitary or loosely 



panicled, many-flowered heads, ^-1 in. diam. 1-3 ft. . . . . 3. P. lineanfolta . 

 Sepals ovate, acute. Leaves linear-lanceolate, subacute. Flowers in 



dense, many-flowered capitate cymes ^-1 in. or more in diam. . . 4. P . glahrifoUa . 

 Sepals ovate-elliptical, apiculate, centre thickly herbaceous. Leaves 



linear-lanceolate, revolute, mucronate. Flowers fascicled. Hoary . 5. P.fiagilis. 

 Sepals ovate-lanceolate. Leaves oblanceolate-spathulatc, rosulate. 



Flowers densely fascicled. Glabrous 6. P. spicaia. 



Sepals ovate-lanceolate ; inner slightly longer and obtuse ; centre her- 

 baceous. Leaves linear or spathulate. Flowers single. Glabrous. 7- P. prostrata. 



1. P. corymbosa. Lam.; DC. Prod.Wi. 374. An erect or decumb-nt 

 herb, 2 or 3 in. to 1 ft. high, often diffuse. Stems hoary-tomentose-pubcs- 

 cent (sometimes thinly), repeatedly and often densely forked. Leaves luir- 

 row-linear or linear-subulate with axillary tufts forming pseudo-verticils, 

 pubescent or glabrous, much exceeding the lanceolate or subulate, finely- 

 pointed, scarious stipules ; \-\ in. long or longer. Flowers erect, in terminal 

 dense or rather lax, silvery, many-flowered cymes, in the much-branclied 

 forms confluent, so as almost to hide the ))lant. Sepals scarious, sometimes 

 coloured below on the median line, lanceolate, very acute, glabrous or pilose, 

 much exceeding the petals which vary from one-third to two-thirds the length 

 of the sepals. Capsule one-half to two-thirds as long as the sepals. — P. 

 te7iuifolia,DQ.\.c.'^ P. eriantha, Hochst. ; Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 303. P. 



fallax and P. humifasa, J. Gay, mss. in Herb. Kew. 



Upper Guinea. Senegambia ! 



Nile Land. Kov^ohxi. Kotschj ! ^cnn^r, Husson ; '[S-A)\x-v\-.\h\ii^ {Schiceinf.et Asch. 

 Enum.) 



Loxver Guinea. Huilla, Angola, Dr. Welwitsch .' 



South Central. Lat. 23° S., Chapman avd Baines ! 



Mozamb. Distr. Zambesi, Dr. Kirk! 



Yar. efusa. Cymes confluent. 'N\^er, Barter ! M&di, Spei-e a»d Grant! Huilla, .An- 

 gola, Dr. Welwitsch Zambesi, Dr. Kirk ! 



Ydx. parviflora. Erect, slender. Flowers smaller, golden-brown. Loand.i, Antrola. 7)r. 

 Welwitsch ! Perhaps a distinct species. 



Occurs at the Cape, also in India, Australia, and the New World. 



2. P. stellata, DC. Prod. iii. 374. An erect or diff"nsc herb, sometimes 

 repeatedly forked from the base, sometimes with numerous, erect, slender 

 branches given oft" above. Stem shortly tomentose-pubesccnt. Leaves 

 spreading, naiTOw-linear or linear-lanceolate, glabrous or pubescent, usually 

 with axillary leafy tufts. Stipules lanceolate or ovate-lanrcolate, finely 

 pointed. Flowers in rather compact, small, capitate, about 10 IC-flownrd 



