Begonia.] lxv. begoniace2E (hooker). 579 



shorter than the petioles, with one female and several male flowers ; pedi- 

 cels very slender, J-J in. ; bracts small ovate or orbicular, hair-pointed. 

 Flowers \ in. diameter, males the largest, pale rose-coloured. Sepals 

 elliptic-ovate, subacute; petals smaller, 2 equal, with often a third much 

 smaller one. Anthers minute, elliptic, obtuse ; filaments connate at 

 the base. Ovary 3-gonous, with 2 narrow and 1 produced wings; 

 placentas of two flat plates ; styles 3, very short ; stigmas forked, arms 

 twisted, obtuse, papillose band continuous. Capsule J by f in., mem- 

 branous, two of the wings short straight, the third produced almost 

 horizontally into an elongated triangular form, obtuse at the tip ; valves 

 broad, dehiscing from the base upwards and almost deciduous, chiefly 

 adhering to 3 spongy cellular plates which occupy the sinus between 

 the wings and are continuous with the 3 principal vascular cords of the 

 capsule ; as the capsule breaks up the valves and these cellular plates 

 separate from the wings and central placentiferous axis. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, prov. Pungo Andongo, alt. 2000-3800 ft., Dr. Welivitschl 

 Fl. April. 

 Allied to B. Sutherland ii and other Natal species. 



23. B. elseagnifolia, Hook. f. Dioecious ? Stem very long and 

 slender, as thick as a sparrow's quill, creeping, rooting at the nodes 

 only, and with the petioles, peduncles, and leaves beneath clothed with 

 minute, membranous, fimbriate, appressed scales. Leaves solitary at 

 the distant nodes, erect, petioled, 2 J— 3 by §— 1 in., rather coriaceous, 

 elliptic-lanceolate, long-acuminate, slightly oblique, base subacute, 

 quite entire or obscurely few-toothed, 3-nerved at the base, dull green 

 and opaque above, paleoe reddish and glistening with the scales beneath ; 

 petiole slender, shorter than the blade; stipules subulate-lanceolate, 

 quite entire, \ in., caducous. Peduncle axillary, \-^ in., 2-flowered ; 

 bracteoles minute, membranous ; pedicels slender, \ in. Male fl. : 

 Sepals 2, pink, orbicular, \ in. diameter. Petals much smaller, linear- 

 oblong, obtuse. Anthers linear, obtuse ; filaments combined into a 

 short column. Female flower and fruit unknown. 



Upper Guinea. On trees, bierra del Crystal, Gaboon river, Mann! Fl. July. 



24. B. squamulosa, Hook. f. Stemless. Rootstock woody, creep- 

 ing, rooting all along, as thick as a goose-quill, and, as well as the 

 peduncles, petioles, and leaves beneath, clothed with minute mem- 

 branous fimbriate appressed scales. Leaves solitary, rather distant, 

 erect, coriaceous, 6-9 in. by 2J-4J in., elliptic-oblong, slightly oblique, 

 abruptly acuminate, base rounded or acute, green and glabrous above, 

 reddish with scattered scales below, nerves alternate, distant, slender ; 

 petioles stout, shorter than the blade ; stipules very large, 1 in., convo- 

 lute, base broadly ovate, tip long subulate, scaly, persistent. Peduncles 

 1 in. long, stout, erect, 6-10-flowered; bracts broad, membranous, ob- 

 tuse, persistent, scaly, forming an involucre ; pedicels slender, umbel- 

 late, \ in. Male fl. : Sepals 4, rose-red, outer orbicular, \ in. diameter, 

 concave, scaly on the backs ; inner much smaller, linear-oblong. 



