Sakersia.] LYII. MELASTOMACEiE (hooker). 459 



diameter ; pedicels J-J in., smooth ; bracteoles deciduous. Calyx-tube 

 hemispheric, Jin. in diameter. Petals Jin. long 1 . Anthers nearly \ in. , 

 longer than their connective, equalling- the filament. Seeds elongate, 

 angular, curved, young without appendages. 



Upper Guinea. Rio Pungas, Sierra Leone, Afzelius ! 



Clearly a species of Sakersia, though the young seeds want the curious cellular crests 

 of S. africana. 



11. DICELLANDRA, Hook. f. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 757. 



Calyx-tube turbinate, produced far beyond the ovary ; limb shortly 

 5-toothed, persistent, teeth with minute accessory ones at the back. 

 Petals 5, obovate, acuminate, glabrous. Stamens 10, unequal ; anthers 

 linear-subulate, pore single, larger curved, connective shortly produced 

 with two spines before and one behind ; connective of smaller anthers 

 hardly produced. Ovary J-adherent, 5-celled, top conic 10-angled 

 and winged, quite glabrous ; style filiform, stigma obtuse. Berry 

 5-celled. Seeds curved, oblong, hilum basal, raphe much thickened 

 and produced beyond the nucleus. — Tropical W. African herbs or 

 shrubs, glabrous or furfuraceous. Leaves large, membranous, long- 

 petioled, 3-7-nerved, denticulate. Flowers in small terminal pyra- 

 midal panicles. 



Pubescence furfuraceous 1. D. Barteri. 



Sparingly clothed with rigid bristles 2. D? setosa. 



1. D. Barteri, Hooh.f. Epiphytic. Stem very stout, 10 ft. long, 

 as thick as the thumb, spongy, rooting at the nodes, acutely 4-angled, 

 hispidulous, especially at the angles ; branches, petioles, young leaves, 

 nerves beneath, and inflorescence covered with minute rusty furfura- 

 ceous pubescence. Leaves 6-10 in. by 4-7 in., elliptic-ovate or broadly 

 ovate-cordate, acuminate, denticulate, transverse nerves distinct, quite 

 glabrous above, purple beneath ; petiole 3-8 in. Panicle 1-2 in. long; 

 branches short; bracts minute, subulate. Flowers purple, 1 in. dia- 

 meter, shortly pedicelled. Calyx-tube ^ in.. Petals \ in., membra- 

 nous. Anthers of large stamens strongly falcate, \ in. Berry \ in. long. 



Upper Guinea. Nun river, Barter I Fernando Po and Sierra del Crystal, on the 

 Gaboon river, Mann I 



2. D. ? setosa, Hook.- f. Branches obtuse, 4-angled, and petioles 

 sparsely covered with rigid spreading bristles. Leaves 5-7 in. by 1J-2 

 in., elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, 3-nerved, glabrous on both surfaces, 

 quite entire or obscurely denticulate, transverse nerves distinct ; petiole 

 1— 1J in. Fruit in short terminal panicles, quite smooth, capsular, 

 globose or very shortly urceolate, J in. diameter ; mouth of calyx con- 

 tracted ; top convex, 5-celled, with 5 small valves and a few terminal 

 bristles. Seeds obpyramidal or cuneate, truncate, straight or curved, 

 sides angled, hilum basilar, raphe thickened. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, Afzelius! 

 A very doubtful plant as to genus.- 



