48 Lxx. RUBiACE^ (hiern). [FiVecto. 



Leaves liuear-spathulate or oblanceolate. Flowers 



tetramerous 3. F. avgitstifolia. 



Stipules terminiited by 3-4 setaceous teeth 4. F. setigera. 



1. V. multlflora, Smith in Bees Cycl. xxxvii. n. 4. A tricho- 

 tomously branched and divaricate rigid herb, 1-3 feet bigb, 

 patently pilose and appressedly pubescent. Leaves lanceolate, acnte, 

 attenuate to a shortly petiolate base ; -1-3 by ^1 in. ; stipulea 2 

 together, narrowly lanceolate. Cymes ^1 in. long ; branches 

 crowded, spiciform. Flowers unilateral, about ^ in. long, white or 

 pink, very shortly pedicellate. Calyx-lobes 5, filiform, setose- pilose, 

 unequal, the longest \ in. long or more. Corolla- tube narrowly 

 funnel-shaped ;. lobes narrowly lanceolate, pilose outside. Filaments 

 long, slender. Disk consisting of two diverging or erect narrow cones. 

 Style much exserted. — Phyteumoides hirsuta, Smeathm. ex DC. Prodr. 

 iv. p. 414 (1830). 



Upper Guinea. Niger, Barter!; Sierra Leone, Smeathman! Dr. Barry! 

 Guest ! Afzelius ! (in Hb. Smith). 



Sipanea angustifolia, A. Rich, ex DC. Prodr. iv. p. 414 et in Mem. Soc. Hist. 

 Nat. Par. v. p. 276 (1834), from the coast of Angola has been doubtfully referred to 

 this species ; it is unknown to me, but the characters given do not agree. 



2. V. procumbens, Smith in Bees Cycl. xxxvii. n. 2. 

 Stem procumbent at least in some states, elongated, more or less 

 hirsute. Leaves ovate, scarcely acute, narrowed at the base, appres- 

 sedly hairy especially beneath ; ^-1^ by ^— | in. ; petiole pubescent, 

 ^-^ in. ; stipules solitary, entire, narrow. Flowers ^-^ in. long, fasci- 

 culate in the uppermost axils, shortly pedunculate, pentamerous, 

 apparently dimorphic. Calyx-lobes spathulate, pilose-ciliate at the 

 apex. Corolla bristly ; lobes narrowly lanceolate, acute, ^- in. long. 

 Stamens 5-7, prominent ; anthers purplish. Disk consisting of a trun- 

 cate cone. Fruit subglobose ^q in. diameter. — Firecto(sp.), Afzel. ex 

 Sm. I.e. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, Afzelius ! G. Don ! ; Bagroo River, Mann ! 



:LQwer Guinea. Congo, Chr. Smith ! ? Angola ex A. Richard. 



Sipanea elaiior, A. Rich, ex DC. Prodr. iv. p. 415 et in Mem. Soc. Hist. Nat. Par. 

 V. p. 276 (1834), i.e., Virecta? elatior, DC. Prodr. iv. p. 415, i.e. Pentas elatior^ Benth. 

 in Hook. Niger Fl. p. 402 ex Walp. Repert. vi. p. 57 (1846-7), has been douUtfuUy 

 referred to this species, but the characters given do not agree. 



3. V. angrustifolia, Hiern. Erect herb, 2-4 in. high, with fibrous 

 apparently annual root, simple or with few spreadiog pilose-hispid 

 branches. Leaves linear-spathulate or oblanceolate, obtuse, glabrous 

 or nearly so above, sparingly pilose-hispid beneath, attenuate at the 

 base ; ^-2 by ^-J in. ; petiole ranging up to ^ in. ; stipules solitary, 

 entire, small. Flowers few together, shortly pedunculate in the upper 

 axils, ^ in. long, tetramerous. Calyx-lobes linear or narrowly lanceo- 

 late, falling far short of the glabrous corolla. Corolla-lobes lanceolate. 

 Disk consisting of a truncated cone. Fruit subglobose, tV~8" ^^* 

 diameter. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra del Crystal, on rocks in rivers, 1° N. Lat., Mann ! 



4. V. setigrera, Hiern. Creeping or prostrate herb ; branches often 

 rooting below, shortly pubescent above, ranging up to a foot in height. 



