506 lxiii. passiflore>e (masters). [Paropsia. 



flowered, about three times the length of the leaf-stalk. Bracts 2 lines 

 long, subulate-lanceolate, deciduous. Flower-buds oblong, obtuse. 

 Flower about 1J in. in diameter. Sepals imbricate, patulous, sub- 

 coriaceous, linear-oblong, acute, covered with rusty tomentum on the* 

 outside and with paler down within, thinner and less densely covered 

 with hair on the covered edges. Petals resembling the sepals in form 

 and size. Corona cup-shaped, coriaceous, densely villous outside, half 

 the length of the petals, ultimately dividing into lobes. Stamens oppo- 

 site to the petals ; filaments thin, flattened, subulate, somewhat villous ; 

 anthers oblong, acute, sagittate at the base, 2-celled, introrse. Ovary 

 shorter than the stamens, subglobose, densely villous ; styles 3, short ; 

 stigmas capitate, large. Capsule subsessile, obovate or club-shaped, 

 greenish-yellow, at first hairy, ultimately smooth, exceeding the persis- 

 tent calyx, bursting by three valves. Seeds obovate, mucronate, com- 

 pressed. Testa whitish, pitted. 



Lower Guinea. Golungo Alto, 3r. Welwitsch ! 



In habit and general appearance this plant is precisely like a Smeathmannia. Its 

 floral construction, however, is that of Paropsia. 



2. SMEATHMANNIA, Soland. ; Benth. et Hook. f. 

 Gen. Plant, i. 812. 



Flowers dichlamydeous, hermaphrodite. Flower-tube very short. 

 Sepals 5, oblong. Petals 5, springing from the edge of the tube. 

 Corona cup-shaped, attached below to the throat of the flower-tube, 

 crenulate and ciliate at the free margin. Stamens about 20, connate 

 below in a narrow membranous ring fringed at the edge ; filaments 

 threadlike ; anthers introrse, oblong. Ovary shortly stalked or sessile, 

 ovoid ; styles 3-5, filiform ; stigmas large, capitate ; ovules numerous. 

 Capsule coriaceous, ovoid, 3-valved. Seeds obovoid, compressed ; testa 

 crustaceous, pitted ; arillus small, cup-shaped or none ; albumen none ; 

 cotyledons leafy. — Shrubs with coriaceous oblong leaves. Petioles 

 glandular. Stipules minute, caducous. Flowers large, white, axillary, 

 solitary or geminate. — Bulowm, Schum. et Thonn. PI. Gum. 246. 



A genus confined to Western Tropical Africa. 



Ovary villose. Capsule scarcely or not at all exceeding the per- 

 sistent calyx 1 . S. pubescens. 



Ovary glabrous. Capsule considerably longer than the calyx. . . 2. 8. laevigata. 



1. S. pubescens, R. Br. ; DC. Prod. iii. 322. A much-branched 

 shrub. Branches sulcate- striate, puberulous, purplish. Leaves sub- 

 sessile, coriaceous, 2-3 in. long, subglabrous or pilose on both surfaces, 

 oblong, obtuse, subcordate or rounded, rarely tapering at the base, 

 where they are provided on either side with two prominent stalked 

 glands, dentate, unicostate. Peduncle axillary, simple, less than an 

 inch long, covered with reddish silky hairs. Bracts lanceolate acumi- 

 nate. Flowers large, white, 2-2| in. in diameter when expanded. 

 Sepals quincuncially imbricate, oblong, acute, the exposed portions 



