PteroloMum.] xlvii. § CiESALPiNiEJE (oliver). 265 



usual form of which differs at first sight in the larger flowers, longer pedicels, and much 

 laxer inflorescence. A specimen, probably of this species, from Madras, in the Kew 

 herbarium, forms a connecting link between the two. 



Dr. Schweinfurth (Fl. iEthiop. pp. 5 and 255) indicates a second species as occurring 

 in Abyssinia and Sennaar, differing from P. abyssinicum in the smaller pinnse and the 

 number (20 pairs) of leaflets to each. No name or description is given. 



6. GLEDITSCHIA, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, i. 568. 



Flowers polygamous. Calyx-tube turbinate, segments 3-5 linear or 

 oblong", in aestivation open or slightly imbricate. Petals 3-5 sessile, 

 slightly unequal, imbricate. Stamens 6-10, free, unequal; anthers 

 small, uniform, ovate or rotundate, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary 

 stipitate (or sessile), villous, narrowed into the short style ; stigma 

 obtuse ; ovules 2-oo . Leg-ume indehiscent or tardily 2-valved ; in 

 the African species flat, coriaceous, nearly straight. " Seeds albumi- 

 nous." — Trees frequently armed with simple or branched spines. Leaves 

 bipinnate or simply and abruptly pinnate. Stipules inconspicuous. 

 Flowers small in simple or paniculate spikes or racemes. 



A small genus, occurring in North America and temperate Asia, as well as in Lower 

 Guinea. The following species is endemic. 



1. G. africana, Welw. ; Benth. in Linn. Trans, xxv. 304. Tree of 

 moderate size, with a spreading crown ; extremities as well as the 

 young leaves and inflorescence softly pubescent-tomentose or villous. 

 Leaves bipinnate, pinnae opposite, abruptly 3-4-jugate or occasionally 

 2-3-jugate with a terminal pinna ; leaflets in each pinna 8-13, alter- 

 nate, coriaceous, obliquely elliptical or varying from ovate- to obovate- 

 elliptical, obtuse or retuse, at length often glabrous at least above, 

 and shining with prominent venation, f-ljin. long. Common petiole 

 sometimes with a gland or papilla between the pinnae ; petiolules rarely 

 1 line. Spikes dense, villous, often interrupted slightly, 1J-3 in. long, 

 collected in a short terminal panicle of J ft. j flowers sessile solitary 

 or fascicled in the axil of small lanceolate bracts, mostly 5-merous, 2 

 lines long. Petals narrow-oblanceolate villous externally especially 

 towards the margin, but slightly exceeding the narrow-oblong calvx- 

 lobes. Stamens 10 or 1 or 2 imperfect, longer than the petals ; fila- 

 ments very thinly pilose. Ovary pilose, stipes below consolidated with 

 the calyx-tube ; style glabrous ; ovules about 5. Legume flat, straight, 

 oblong, usually very obtuse with a minute subterminal apiculus, nar- 

 rowed below into a stipes of J-^in.; 3-4 in. long, 1-1 J in. broad. 



Lower Guinea. Huilla and Pungo Andongo, Angola, Br. Welwitsch ! 



7. POINCIANA, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, i. 569. 



Calyx-tube short turbinate, persistent; segments 5, nearly equal, 

 valvate in aestivation, deciduous. Petals 5, imbricate, nearly equal, with 

 a rounded lamina and distinct claw. Stamens 10, free, decimate ; fila- 

 ments filiform, pubescent or villous at base ; anthers uniform, oblong, 



