472 LVIII. LYTHRACE^ (HIERN). [NesCBU. 



about 1 in. long" by J in. wide, penninerved, with lateral veins anasto- 

 mosing near the margin. Internodes often rather longer than the 

 leaves. Cymes 1-6-flowered ; common peduncle \- 1 in. long, slender ; 

 pedicels short. Bracts subulate, -^ in. long. Calyx urceolate-cam- 

 panulate, 6-7-8-lobed, J in. long-, with only callous points instead of 

 distinct cornua ; lobes deltoid, one-third length of calyx. Petals 

 2-6-8, very shortly clawed, red, varying from a \ " i in. long. Sta- 

 mens 18-21, in one row. Ovary 4-celled ; ovules very numerous ; 

 placenta thick j style f in. long. Seeds very small, having- a tumid 

 edge at the top. 



Nile Land. Dembo, Hexiglin. 



3. N. linifolia, Welw. mss. Glabrous. Woody and reddish at the 

 base with many slender erect subangular pale-green stems and branches, 

 J— 1J ft. high. Leaves alternate opposite and in whorls of 3, linear- 

 subulate, J— 1 in. long, erect, patent, sessile. Inflorescence exceeding 

 the leaves. Flowers 1—3 together, on slender pedicels and long pe- 

 duncles, rose-red. Bracts opposite, small, at top of peduncles ; brac- 

 teoles opposite on the lateral pedicels. Calyx shortly campanulate, 

 with 8 or 7 lanceolate or deltoid acute lobes shorter than the tube, and 

 with as many external callous points or short cornua. Petals as many 

 as calyx-lobes, obovate-spathulate, shortly clawed, two or three times as 

 long* as the calyx, rose-coloured, fugacious. Stamens twice as many 

 as calyx-lobes, inserted at same level at base of calyx-tube, equal ; fila- 

 ments reddish, much exserted ; anthers yellow, oblong or oval, curved. 

 Ovary sessile, enclosed in calyx-tube, 4-celled ; style much exserted, 

 long", thicker than filaments ; stig-ma capitate. Capsule dehiscing by 

 slits from the apex, ultimately 1 -celled, membranaceous, scarcely as long 

 as the calyx ; placenta thick, 4-lobed. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Huilla, fl. and fr. November to January, Br. Welwitsch ! 



Closely related to N. lovgijpes, A. Gr. in PI. Wrightianse, i. 68, from Texas, which 

 differs from this plant by its longer, constantly opposite, and subauriculate leaves, and 

 by its solitary and hexamerous flowers. 



4. N. heptamera, Hiern. Glabrous. Stem somewhat woody at 

 base, erect, branched from the base, quadrangular, 10-16 in. high. 

 Leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, rounded or subcordate at base, sessile, 

 opposite, |-1J in. long", by T ^— $7 in. wide, sub-1-nerved. Internodes 

 rather shorter than leaves. Peduncles slender, J in. long, usually 3- 

 flowered. Pedicels about l-30th in. long, equalling the lanceolate bracts. 

 Flowers usually heptamerous. Calyx urceolate, about 4 m - l° n g> 

 with 7 deltoid acute lobes, and 7 intermediate short patent cornua ; lobes 

 about one-third the length of calyx. Petals 7 (?), longer than the 

 calyx. Stamens 14 (?), exserted. Ovary 2-celledj placenta thick j 

 style long, curved. 



nXozamb. Distx- Zomba and Lake Shirwa, Dr. Meller! 



5. N. pe die ell at a, Hiern. Glabrous, with erect or ascending slightly 

 branched quadrangular stem, 4-7 in. high. Leaves narrowly elliptic 



