XXXIX. 01,ACINE/K (oi.IVKU). 353 



9. LASIANTHERA, ?. do Beauvois ; Biiitli. a Hook. f. (nii. 

 PI. i. 350. 



Flowers hermaplirodite (or polygamous). Calyx shortly and l)roa(lly 5- 

 lobed. Petals 5, hypogytious, valvate in icstivatioii (united below in the 

 following species). Disk fleshy, unilateral (or inconspicuous). Stamens 5, 

 alternate with the petals, free or adiiate at the base to tin- petals ; anthers 

 tufted behind with a pencil of soft hairs. Ovary free, 1 -celled, narrowed 

 above; stigma miiuite. Ovules geminate, penduloiis. Fruit coriaceous, ob- 

 h)ng. cou)pressed (perhaps only seen abortive in the following spccirs). 

 " Seed pendulous, with a small embryo within the apex of a Meshy albumen." 

 — Glabrous trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, entire. Flowers small, capi- 

 tate ; peduncles umbellate, leaf-opposed. 



A small genus, confined to the tropies of the Old 'World. The African species h vn- 

 dcniic. 



1. L. africana, P. Je Beauv. ; DC. Prod. \. 030. A glabrous shrub 

 of 10-12 ft. ; extremities terete. Leaves submembranous, obovate- or oblan- 

 ceolate-oblong, finely and often rather abruptly acuminate, narrowed to the 

 petiole and more or less cuneate at the base, entire or obsoletely denticulate, 

 3-4 in. long, 1 to nearly 2 in. broad ; petiole 2-3 lines. Peduncles extra- 

 axillary or leaf-opposed, ^-1 in., dividing into 3-5 umbellate branches. 

 Flowers ly-2 lines, in close heads \-\ in. across. Calyx cu()idiform, broadly 

 5-lobed. Hypogynous disk or gland unilateral, fleshy. The only fruits which 

 I have seen are oval-oblong, compressed, incurved, nearly ^ in. long, but 

 perhaps imperfect. — Fl. Owar. t. 5L 



Upper Guinea. Near Chama, Gold Coast, P. de Beauvois ; Fernando Po and Gaboon 

 river, Matni ! 



10. DESMOSTACHYS, Planch.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 350. 



Calyx small, deeply 4-lobed (or cupuliform, S-toothed). Petals 4(-5), 

 thin, oval or oblong, valvate in aestivation. Stamens as many as petals, alter- 

 nate ; filaments filiform or slightly compressed ; anthers rotundate or sub- 

 didymous (or oblong), minute, glabrous. Disk inconspicuous or 5-lobed. 

 Ovary obovate, rather suddenly narrowed into the slender filiform style ; 

 stigma small, subcapitate. Ovules geminate, ])endulous. Fruit not seen. — 

 Small trees or shrubs, sometimes scaudent, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. 

 Leaves membranous or coriaceous, alternate, entire. Flowers small, sessile, 

 in elongate, slender, solitary or fasciculate axillary spikes. 



A small genus, confided to tropical Africa and Madagascar. 

 I-eaves submembranous, 5-7 in. Spikes 3-15 in. Anthers mi- 

 nute, rotundate. Ovary glabrous 1- D tfnuifoltu4. 



Leaves veiny, coriaceous, 2-4 in. Spikes shorter than leaves. An- 

 thers oblong. Ovary pilose -■ ^ Flamchonfnus. 



1. D. tenuifolius, OUv. A shrub or small tree, varying from 10 30 

 ft. ; extremities glabrous or nearly so. Leaves submembranous, petiolate. ob- 

 VOL. I. II 



