Begonia.] lxv. begoniace^ (hooker). 575 



the cup, pedicel stout, 1 in. Sepals 2, orbicular, 1J in. diameter. 

 Anthers small, sessile, linear, obtuse. 



Upper Guinea. Fernando Po, on trees, alt. 2000 ft., and Cameroons mountains, 

 alt. 4000 ft., Mann! 



12. B. peperomioides, Hook.f. Monoecious. Stemless. Glabrous 

 except the rusty pubescent young- petioles and nerves beneath. Root- 

 stock woody, rooting* copiously, as thick as a goose-quill. Leaves sub- 

 terminal, long-petioled, rather coriaceous, erect,. 5-6 in. by 2-2J in., 

 very obliquely elliptic-obovate or oblanceolate, gibbous, long-acumi- 

 nate, base acute or attenuate, quite entire or obtusely sinuate-toothed 

 above the middle, 3-nerved at the base, midrib with alternate nerves, 

 dull green above, paler below ; petioles very slender, longer or shorter 

 than the blade, with sometimes a few spreading setae at the base ; sti- 

 pules sheathing*, fimbriate at the tip. Peduncle radical, very short, 

 with one female and several male shortly pedicelled terminal flowers. 

 Male fl. : Sepals 2 1 orbicular, \ in. diameter, glabrous. Anthers linear, 

 obtuse, filaments very short. Female fl. : Sepals as in the male. 

 Styles 3 ; stigmas forked, arms rather long ; papillose band continuous, 

 twisted. Ovary 3-gonous. Fruit decurved, coriaceous, glabrous, ob- 

 conic, 3-angied; wings erecto-patent, narrow, coriaceous, acute or 

 obtuse, variable in length ; placenta much branched. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra del Crystal, Gaboon river, Mann I Fl. July. 



13. B. hirsutula, Hook.f. Stemless. Rootstock woody, creeping, 

 rigid. Leaves peltate from very near the base, petioled, coriaceous, 

 4-5 in. by 1-1J in., obliquely linear-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, sub- 

 falcate, acuminate, base usually contracted, unequally rounded or sub- 

 auricled, irregularly obtusely toothed or serrate, above glabrous, 

 opaque, dull green and red, midrib and alternate nerves beneath sub- 

 hirsute or giabrate ; petiole 1-2J in., stout, strigose-hirsute ; stipules 

 lanceolate, fimbriate. Peduncle radical, giabrate, much shorter than 

 the petiole; several-flowered. Flowers not seen. Fruit decurved, 

 coriaceous, turgid, 3-lobed, rhombic, broader than long, J in. diameter, 

 3-angied, glabrous ; wings coriaceous, produced laterally, longer than 

 the fruit is broad. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra del Crystal, Gaboon river, Mann J Fl. July. 



14. B. Scutulum, Hook. f. Monoecious. Stemless. Rootstock 

 woody, creeping*. Leaves peltate, petiole long*, distant from the margin, 

 4 in. by 3J in. ; coriaceous, broadly obliquely ovate, obtuse or acute, 

 obscurely crenate, rounded at the base, margin ciliate here and there ; 

 both surfaces glabrous, palmately 7-8-nerved, nerves hirsute below; 

 petiole 4-5 in., stout, densely crinite, with long* shaggy subpaleaceous 

 hairs; stipules ovate-lanceolate, fimbriate. Peduncle radical, shorter 

 than the petiole, slender, hirsute, with one female and several male 

 flowers at the top ; bracteoles ^ in., oblong and fimbriate. Male fl. : 

 Pedicels J-l in., slender, hairy. Sepals 2, orbicular, f in. diameter, 



