304 xlvii. § oesalpinie^ (oliver). [Crypto sepalum. 



unequal teeth, 1 lobe sometimes petaloid. Petal 1, posterior, elliptical 

 obovate or orbicular, sessile. Stamens 3, distinct, filaments short subu- 

 late-filiform, all perfect or one anantherous ; anthers elliptical, versatile, 

 unappendaged, dehiscing- longitudinally. Ovary shortly stipitate, com- 

 pressed ; 2-4-ovulate, ventral suture somewhat thickened or channelled; 

 style involute, shorter than or equalling the ovary ; stigma capitate. 

 Legume unknown. — Small unarmed trees or shrubs ; branch-buds pro- 

 tected by imbricating scarious squama?. Leaves abruptly pinnate. 

 Stipules subulate or inconspicuous, caducous. Flowers in axillary or 

 terminal simple racemes ; involucral bracteoles spreading at flowering. 



Confined to Tropical Africa. The two new species differ much in aspect from the 

 original species upon which the genus was bas«d by Mr. Bentham, but the floral 

 structure is almost identical. Their affinity may prove to be with Brachystegia, from 

 which the number of stamens seems for the present to distinguish them. As the fruit 

 of Cryptosepalum is unknown, the time for satisfactory consolidation has not jet come. 



Leaflets usually 2-jugate, upper larger. Kacemes axillary. 



Ovules 2 l.C. tetraphyllum. 



Leaflets 6-7 -jugate. Racemes terminal. Ovules 4 2. C. maraviense. 



Leaflets 15-25-jugate. Racemes or corymbs ternjinal. Ovules 2 3. C. mimosoides. 



1. C. tetraphyllum, Benth. in Linn. Trans, xxv. 315, t. 43, B. A 



small much- branched tree ; the extremities minutely puberulous, glabres- 

 cent; leaflets 2-jugate or sometimes 1-jugate, rather coriaceous, very 

 obliquely ovate or ovate-lanceolate or even subfalcate, obtusely pointed, 

 the leaflets of the upper pair usually much larger than the lower which 

 are not strictly opposite, glabrous or very nearly so, excepting some- 

 times upon the midrib beneath, veiny below ; upper leaflets 1-1 J in. or 

 larger on flowerless branches. Racemes axillary, shorter than the 

 leaves. Bracts very early caducous; involucral bracteoles elliptical, 

 subacute, under 2 lines long. Calyx-tube \ line, urceolate ; segments 

 4 ovate, \-\ line long. Petal orbicular. Ovary glabrous, biovulate. 

 Legume . . . . — Cynometra? tetraphylla, Hook. f. Fl. Nigrit. 329. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, Don 1 Barter I 



2. C. maraviense, Oliv. Extremities slender, shortly and thinly 

 pubescent. Leaves about 3 in. long ; leaflets sessile or subsessile, in 

 6-7 pairs, oblong-lanceolate or obliquely- oblong, usually slightly nar- 

 rowed to the obtuse apex, base rounded, oblique, very thinly pubescent 

 or glabrate and veiny above, paler or thinly pubescent beneath, f-1 in. 

 long. Stipules apparently minute caducous. Flowers in terminal 

 simple racemes of 1 J-2 in. Bracts minute, membranous, lanceolate ; 

 involucral bracteoles elliptical, broadly pointed, thinly pubescent exter- 

 nally, 2 lines long. Pedicels equalling the flowers, slender. Calyx- 

 tube turbinate, J line or less, lobes at length obsolete, unequal, subulate 

 or deltoid-lanceolate, £-J line or one petaloid. Posterior petal rotun- 

 date or obovate, about equalling the bracteoles. Ovary below and on 

 dorsal suture pubescent, 4-ovulate. Legume .... 



Moiamb. Distr. Maravi country, west of Lake Nyassa, Dr. Kirk! 



