Geophila.l Lxx. rubuce^ (hiern). 221 



2. G. hlrsuta, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. p. 422. Stems creep- 

 ing, hirsute, rooting at the nodes. Leaves ovate or oval, roimded or 

 obtusely pointed at the apex, reniform at the base, thinly chartaceous, 

 glabrescent above, except the midrib, somewhat hairy on the nerves 

 beneath, 1-lf in. long ; petiole ^1 in., hirsute ; stipules lanceolate, 

 bifid or bidentate, ^— ^ in. long. Flowers 4-5-merous, § in. long, 

 several together on very abbreviated peduncles which terminate the 

 short erect hirsute branches and are overtopped by the uppermost 

 leaves. Calyx half the length of the flower ; segments pilose-ciliate, 

 subulate. Corolla white ; lobes ovate. Anthers exserted. Fruit of 

 bright orange colour. 



XTpper Guinea. On the Nun River, Th. Vogel! Niger Expedition, at Brass, 

 Barter ! 



3. G. lancistipula, Hiern. Step creeping, rooting £tt the nodes, 

 glabrous. Leaves reniform, nearly rounded at the apex, deeply cordate 

 at the base, thinly chartaceous, glabrous, rather paler beneath, 1^2 in. 

 long ; petiole 1^3 in. long, glabrous or somewhat hairy ; stipules 

 geminate or bipartite, lanceolate, ^ in. long. Flowers solitary, brac- 

 teate at the base, ^ in. long ; bracts subulate ; peduncle ^J in. long, 

 bracteate about the middle, lateral from the prostrate stems. Calyx 

 •J in. long, somewhat hairy ; lobes subulate, persistent. Corolla white ; 

 lobes ovate-lanceolate. Anthers included. Fruit ovoid, § in. long. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra del Crystal, 1° N. Lat., Mann ! 



4. G*. uniflora, Hiern. Stem creeping with short erect branches, 

 rooting at the nodes, glabrous or nearly so. Leaves reniform or nearljr 

 orbicular, rounded at the apex or nearly so, deeply cordate at the base, 

 glabrous or very nearly so, submerabranous, rather paler beneath, 

 1-1| in. long ; / petiole f-l| in. long, puberulous ; stipules shortly 

 ovate or rounded, undivided, obtuse, if^-i^i in. long. Flowers solitary, 

 \—^ in. long, glabrous, bracteate at the base ; bracts lanceolate-subulate, 

 shorter than the calyx ; peduncles (usually) solitary, terminating short 

 erect leaf -bearing branches, ^-\ in. long. Calyx half the length of 

 the flower ; lobes lanceolate-subulate. Corolla white ; lobes ovate. 

 Anthers included. Fruit ovoid, ^ in. long exclusive of the persistent 

 calyx-limb. 



Upper Guinea. In shady woods, Niger Expedition, at Nupe, Barter ! 

 xrile Xiand. Niamniam-land, Schweinfurth ! 



5. G. Aizelil, Hiern. Stems creeping, puberulous, rooting at 

 the nodes. Leaves erect, ovate or cordiform, obtuse or nearly rounded 

 at the apex, cordate or reniform at the base, thinly chartaceous, rather 

 paler beneath, very nearly or quite glabrous, 1^2 by 1-1| in. ; petiole 

 }-3 in., more or less pubescent ; stipules broadly oval, bifid, |-^ in. 

 long, glabrous or nearly so. Flowers ^ in. long, pentamerous, about G 

 together, on short pedicels, bracteate, surrounded by a cup-shaped 

 involucre as long as the flowers ; bracts of the involucre oval, roundet^, 

 shortly pubescent outside, imbricated ; common peduncle solitary, ter- 

 minating short leaf-bearing erect branches, ^-1^ in. long, shortly 



