Laguncularia.] lv. combretace^ (lawson). 419 



6. LAGUNCULARIA, Gsertn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. 



Plant, i. 688. 



Flowers polygamous, in long spikes from the axils of the upper leaves. 

 Calyx-tube turbinate, not prolonged above the ovary; bracts 2, adnate; 

 limb urceolate, 5 -fid, persistent. Petioles 5, minute, caducous. Sta- 

 mens 10 in 2 rows, included. Ovary crowned by an epigynous disk j 

 ovules 2. Fruit coriaceous, crowned by the limb of the calyx, elon- 

 gate-ovoid, subtrigonous. Seed obovoid-oblong. — Small shrub with 

 opposite petiolate leaves, between fleshy and coriaceous. 



One species common to the shores of Tropical America and Western Africa. 



1. L. racemosa, Gcertn.; DC. Prod. iii. 17. .Leaves oblong or 

 elliptical obtuse, with 2 glands on the petiole just below the lamina. — 

 Conocarpus racemosa, Linn, and Schousboa commutata, Spreng., DC. I.e. 



Upper Guinea. Grand Bassa, and Fernando Po, T. Vogel! Sierra Leone, Dr. 

 Kirk! 



7. COMBRETUM, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, i. 688. 



Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous. Calyx-tube cylindrical or 

 4-5-angled, constricted but not prolonged above the ovary;' limb 

 campanulate tubular-campanulate or trumpet-shaped, 4-5-toothed, 

 deciduous, generally villous at the base within. Petals 4-5, inserted 

 between the lobes of the calyx. Stamens 8-10 in 2 rows. Ovary 1- 

 celled ; style subulate ; ovules 2-6. Fruit coriaceous, 4-5-angled or 

 -winged. Seed elongated, angled or sulcate. Cotyledons angled, pli- 

 cate contortuplicate or deeply sulcate or convolute. — Shrubs, more 

 rarely trees, generally scandent. Branches sometimes spinose. Leaves 

 opposite or ternate, rarely alternate, petiolate, entire. Flowers in spikes, 

 racemes or panicles. 



A genus of very variable plants, which renders the limitation of the species exceed- 

 ingly difficult. Very widely distributed throughout the whole of the Tropics. No 

 Asiatic or American species have been found in Africa. 



I. Flowers mostly pentamerous. Cotyledons convolute. 

 Flowers in panicles. 



Panicles large and diffuse. 



Young branches hispid. Flowers sessile or nearly so ; 



bracteoles springing from the rachis 1. C. Jmpidum. 



Young branches puberulous. Flowers pedicellate ; 



bracteoles springing from the pedicels 2. C. comosum. 



Panicles small and contracted. 



Young branches hispid . . • • 3. 0. Klotzschii. 



Young branches glabrous . 4. C. confertum. 



Flowers in racemes or spikes. Fruit winged. Climbing 

 shrubs. 

 Flowers small, under \ in. 



Spikes conical, 4 in. long 5. C. oxystachyum. 



Racemes about 2 in. long 6. C. ceiastroides. 



Flowers large, above an inch in length and showy. 



Flowers red, secund : calyx-tube trumpet-shaped . . 7. C. grandlflorum. 

 Flowers not secund ; calyx-tube swollen at the base . 8. C. constrictum. 



