Iritis.] XLIII. AMPELIDE^ (BAKEU). 405 



leaflet oblong-lanceolate, If-S in. long, |-1 in. broad, the point aruniinale, 

 the edge sharply but not deeply toothed, the base rounded or even cordate, the 

 petiolule |-1 in. long, glabrous or slightly pubescent, the lateral ones smaller, 

 often unequal-sided, texture membranous, not very thin, both sides with a few 

 small scattered rather bristly hairs. Flowers in copiously compound lax 

 cymes, 3-4 in. broad. Peduncles 1-2 in. long. IVdicels 1-1 i lines long, 

 slender, finely downy only when young. Calyx | line "broad, naked, cyatln- 

 form, not lobcd. Corolla cylindrical, 1 line long. Petals and stamens 4. 

 Style subulate, nearly as long as the corolla. Fruit globose, naked, about | 

 in. each way, with two laj-ge pyriform seeds. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, T. Vogel ! Nupe, Niger country, Bailer ! 

 North Central, liornw, E. Vogel ! 



Lower Guinea. Angola, in numerous localities, Br. Weltoitsch ! 

 " Stems 8 ft. long ; underside of leaves glaucous." Very like V. gracilis in general habit, 

 but the corolla quite different. 



48. V. adenocaulis, Steud. in Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. Ill (Cisaus). Stem 

 firm, rather woody, branched and very wide-trailing, angular, striated, clothed 

 with scattered deciduous setse. Petioles 1-2 in. long, glabrous or slightly 

 setose. Tendrils copious. Leaves with 3, 5, or occasionally 7 leaflets, the 

 axillary petioles forked above the middle, terminal leaflet ovate-oblong, 2-3 

 in. long, H-2 in. broad, the apex pointed, the edge inciso-dentate, the base 

 rounded or cordate, the petiolule f-1 in. long, the lateral ones similar but 

 smaller, texture firmly membranous, both sides glabrous or slightly pubescent. 

 Flowers in copiously-branched cymes, 1-3 in. broad. Peduncles 1-3 in. 

 long. Pedicels about 1 line long, finely pubescent. Calyx ^ line broad, cya- 

 thiform, not lobed, finely pubescent. Corolla cylindrical, 1 line long. Petals 

 and stamens 4. Style subulate, nearly as long as the corolla. Fmit black, 

 globose, naked, about ^ in. broad, 3-seeded in cur specimens. — Walp. Ann. 

 ii. 230. 



Nile Iiand. Abyssinia, Schitnper ! Unyoro, Speke and Grant ! Gallabat, Schwein- 

 furth ! 



49. V. macropus, Welw. in Journ. Linn. Soc. viii. 77 (Ci-ssus). Root 

 consisting of long cylindrical subsimple fibres, the trunk forming a large 

 ovate-conical bulb at the base. Stem 1^-2 ft. high, suberect, very thick and 

 succulent. Branches 6-18 in. long, 2-4 in. thick, covered, like the petioles 

 and leaves, with white arachnoid hairs when young, glabrous when mature. 

 Petioles 2-3 in. long, thick and succulent. Leaves with 3-5 plicate leaf- 

 lets, the terminal one short-stalked, 4-5 in. long, l|-2 in. broad, obovate or 

 ovate-elliptical, the edge irregularly and closely, but not deeply toothed, the 

 base rounded, the lateral ones sessile, texture very succulent, both sides, when 

 young, arachnoid. Flowers in copiously-compound glabrous cymes, 3-4 in. 

 broad. Peduncles 2-4 in. long. Pedicels } in. long, slender. Calyx cya- 

 thiform, scarcely lobed, succulent, about 1 line broad. Corolla i in. deep and 

 about as broad, slightly pubescent. Petals and stamens 4. Style equalling 

 the petals. Berry the size of a pea, globose, reddish-violet. — Bot. Mag. 5479. 



Iiower Guinea. Angola, Dr. Welwitsch ! 



A very curious and distinct species. Its nearest ally is the Namaqualaod V. Bainesii^ 



