132 xlvii. § papilionaceje (baker). [Platysepalum. 



Corolla just as long- as the calyx, yellowish. Pod 3-3 \ in. long, f in. 

 broad, permanently pale brown velvety. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Golungo Alto, Dr. Welwitsch ! 



24. MICROCHARIS, Benth. in Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. 

 Plant, i. 501. 



Calyx minute, with a campanulate tube and five subequal teeth. 

 Standard orbicular ; keel and wings with a long 1 claw, the latter 

 shortest. Upper stamen free above the middle, the others all connate ; 

 anthers uniform, not distinctly apiculate. Ovary sessile, linear, multi- 

 ovulate, narrowed gradually into a short ascending glabrous style ; 

 stigma capitate. Pod sessile, linear, compressed, two-valved, thinly 

 septate between the seeds. — Diffuse annuals with simple leaves and 

 racemose flowers. 



Restricted to Tropical Africa, the three species very near to one another, perhaps all 

 varieties of one. 



Stipules setaceous. 



Corolla 1^ lines 1. M. tenella. 



Corolla 2-24 lines 2.M. angolensis. 



Stipules foliaceous 3. M. latifolia. 



1. M. tenella, Benth. in Linn. Trans, xxv. 297, t. 33 A. Stems 

 diffuse, very slender, finely grey-hispid. Stipules setaceous, 1-1 J lines, 

 spreading, persistent. Petioles 1-1J lines. Leaves lanceolate, reach- 

 ing 1-2 in. long-, 3-6 lines broad, narrowed to both ends, mucronate, 

 subcoriaceous, pale green, glabre scent above, obscurely grey-hispid 

 below. Flowers up to a dozen in copious, distinctly peduncled, axillary 

 racemes which equal or exceed the leaves. Bracts setaceous, \ line, 

 rarely foliaceous. Pedicels patent, J-l line. Calyx \ line, densely gTey- 

 hispid, the lanceolate teeth exceeding the tube. Corolla bright scarlet, 

 membranous, fugacious, \ in. long. Pod linear, slightly recurved, 8—9 

 lines long, f line broad, 8-10-seeded. 



Upper Guinea. Nupe and banks of the Quorra at Jeba, in crevices of rocks after 

 tbe rains, Dr. Vogel! Barter! 



2. M. angolensis, Baker. General habit of the preceding, but 

 more hispid, with less numerous and more distant leaves. Stipules 

 setaceous, 2 lines. Leaves narrow-lanceolate, subsessile, reaching 2-2J 

 in. long, 3-4 lines broad, dull green, both sides persistently grey- 

 hispid. Lower racemes reaching 3-4 in. long, including the short 

 peduncles, the flowers more numerous than in the last, the bracteoles 

 similar but all the lower ones barren. Calyx f line deep, the lanceolate- 

 setaceous teeth exceeding the tube. Corolla 2-2J lines. Ovary linear, 

 hispid. Pod unknown. 



Lower Guinea. Pungo Andongo, Angola, Dr. Welwitsch ! 



3. M. latifolia, Benth. he. cit. General habit just as in the two 

 others. Stipules 3-4 lines, foliaceous, ovate acuminate, deeply cordate on 



