382 xLii. KHAMNE^ (hemsley). [Rhamitus. 



dorsal, ventral or lateral ; albumen fleshy. Cotyledons flat or with recurved 

 margins, thin ; radicle short. — Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate or subop- 

 posite, petiolate, deciduous or evergreen, penninerved, entire or dentate. Sti- 

 pules small, deciduous. Flowers axillary, racemose or cymose. 



A genus of about 50 species, chiefly from the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, 

 Asia, and America, rarer in the tropics. 



Unarmed. 



Leaves ovate lanceolate or oblong, acutely acuminate. Flowers 5- . 



merous, pedicellate 1. R. prinoides. 



Spinescent. 

 Leaves obovate-oblong, obtuse, rarely acute. Flowers 4-merous, pe- 

 dicellate 2. R. Sladdo. 



Leaves oval acute or obtuse. Flowers 5 -merous, subsessile . . . . Z. R. spiciflorus. 



1 . R. prinoides, VHer'it. ; DC. Prod. ii. 24. A shrub or small tree, 

 glabrous or young branches slightly puberulous. Leaves alternate, petiolate, 

 varying from elliptical to ovate lanceolate or oblong, acutely acuminate, ob- 

 tuse or narrowed to the base, serrate, 2^ in. long, coriaceous, shining above. 

 Flowers 5-merous, 2-4 together in the axils of the leaves; pedicels 4-6 

 lines long. Berry globular, 2-3 lines in diam., w^ith 3 or 4 1-seeded 

 pyrenes. — Sert. Angl. 6. t. 9. R. pauciflorus, Hochst. ; Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 

 137. 



Nile Iiand. Abyssinia, Schimper ! and others. 



Confined to E. and S. Africa, and very abundant in extratropical S. Africa, but we have 

 seen no specimens from the intermediate country. 



2. R. Staddo, Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 138. Usually a small shrub, but 

 sometimes attaining the dimensions of a tree. Branches tiiick, black, gla- 

 brous, terminating in spines. Leaves crowded, alternate, petiolate, obovate 

 or oblong, obtuse rarely acute, narrowed at the base, membranous, crenate, 

 glabrescent, about an inch long. Flowers spicate, glabrous, 4-merous, pe- 

 dicellate, on short, thick, lateral, scaly branches. Calyx -lobes somewhat 

 oval, acute, 3-nerved. Petals small, linear. Ovary 3-celled; stigmas 3. 

 (Description from Richard.) — R. infusionum, Ferr. et Galin. Vov. Abyss, 

 iii. 111. 



Nile Iiand. Abyssinia ! At an elevation of about 8000 ft. 

 We have only seen a barren branch. Endemic iuAfrica. 



3. R. spiciflorus. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 138. A shrub with long, 

 twiggy, pubescent branches, terminating in spines, bark greyish. Leaves 

 alternate or subopposite, very shortly petiolate, oval, acute or obtuse, coria- 

 ceous, entire, 5-8 lines long and 4-8 broad. Flowers small, 5-merous, 

 axillary solitary or in short spikes. Calyx-lobes oval, subacute. Fruit 

 subglobose, the size of a pea, obtuse, with 3 pyrenes. (Description from 

 Richard.) 



Nile Land. Abyssiuia. 



Endemic, in Africa. We have seen no specimens. This and the preceding one are im- 

 perfectly known and probably varieties of one species. 



