324 xlvii. <$ mimoseje (oliver). [Parkia. 



1. P. biglobosa, Benth. in Hook. Journ. Bot. iv. 1842, 328. Tree of 

 40-50 ft. Leaves averaging from 9-18 in. in length by 5-10 in. in 

 breadth ; rachis pubescent or puberulous, occasionally faintly ridged or 

 angular with sessile glands at the base of the last or last two pinnae ; 

 pinnae alternate or subopposite in from 14-30 pairs; leaflets linear- 

 oblong, obliquely pointed (or obtuse), obtusely subauriculate on the 

 lower margin at the base, usually in 50-70 pairs, 3—6 lines long, 1 line 

 broad more or less, 1-nerved with divergent lateral veinlets. Legume 

 8-12 in. long, f in. broad more or less, compressed, valves often dis- 

 tinctly depressed between the seeds, straight or falcate, on a stipes of 



1 in.— Inga biglobosa, Willd. Sp. PI. iv. 1025 ; P. de Beauv. Fl. Ow. 

 et Ben. ii. 53, t. 90. I. senegalensis, DC. Prod. ii. 442 ; Mimosa taxifolia, 

 Pers. Syn. ii. 266. Parkia africana, R. Br. in Plants of Oudney, &c, 

 29. P. uniglobosa, Don, Gen. Syst. ii. 396. For Indian synonymy see 

 Mr. Bentham's paper cited above. 



Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Perrottet ! Sierra Leone, Barter ! and others. 



Nile Land. Upper Nile (Schweinf. et Asch. Enum.). 



No doubt in North Central Africa, but I cannot give any precise locality. 



It occurs also in India. 



The pulp of the pods is eaten and the torrefied seeds are used as coffee or chocolate. 



2. P. intermedia, Oliv. Tree of 30-50 ft. Leaves 1-1 J ft. long, 

 8-10 in. broad ; rachis subterete glabrate, with glands at the base of 

 the uppermost pinnae ; pinnae in 8-12 pairs ; leaflets linear-oblong, 

 obtuse, glabrous in 25-32 pairs, lower lateral nervures directed for- 

 wards, early evanescent, 6-8 lines long, 1J lines broad. Peduncles at 

 length elongate, somewhat panicled at the extremities. Heads clavate, 

 3 in. long, 2-2 J in. in diameter. Legume compressed, about 6 in. 

 long, f-1 in. broad, falcately curved, on stipes of about 1 in., the 

 valves smooth and faintly or not at all depressed between the seeds. 



Upper Guinea. Island ol St. Thomas, Dr. Welwitsch! Mann! 



3. P. filicoidea, Welw. mss. Trees of 40-50 ft. ; leafless or with 

 young leaves only at the time of flowering. Leaves 1-1 \ ft. long by 

 f-1 It. broad; pinnae approximated in about 6-9 pairs, each with 

 16-24 pairs of opposite or alternate oblong obtuse more or less dis- 

 tinctly triplinerved leaflets, the upper lateral nervure looping and 

 often evanescent, glabrous or at first minutely pubescent on the mar- 

 gin, \-\ in. long or slightly longer, 2-3J lines broad ; rachis usually 

 puberulous with sessile glands at the base of the upper pinnae and 

 sometimes between the pairs of leaflets. Flowers red or scarlet in 

 clavate heads as in the preceding species. Calyx \ in. long. Legume 

 smooth, compressed, though not so much as in the other African 

 species, or scarcely subterete, 10-18 in. long-, f in. broad, on stipes of 



2 in. more or less. 



Upper Guinea. Niger Expedition, Barter I 

 Lower Guinea. Angola, prov. Pungo Andongo, Dr. Wehcitsch! 

 Mozamb. Distr. Shire valley, Zambesi land, Dr. Kirk ! 



The mealy contents of the legumes are eaten, and the crushed seeds are used in 

 native cookery. 



