Evpho7'hia.] cxxii. EurnoRBiACE-E (brown). 543 



is a very variable plant, the typical form and var. minor being quite different in 

 appearance, but after closely examining and dissecting the specimens I can find no 

 absolute distinction besides that of size and number of leaves, the o-lands of the 

 involucre are very variable, sometimes on tlie same specimen. I believe var. minor 

 to be merely a weakened condition of the plant, consisting of the secondary growth 

 which springs np after the burningof the vegetation of the open country, as is often 

 demonstrated by the presence of the charred remains of taller and stouter stems on 

 the specimens, E. zamhesiana, Benth., and E . depauperata, Hoclist., vary inja 

 similar manner from the same cause. 



78. E. polyantha, Pax in Engl. Jahrh. xliii. 87 A woody shrub 

 3-4 ft. high. Branches alternate, glabrous or minutely puberulous 

 when young. Leaves alternate, thin in texture, 4-11 lin. lon^, 2-5 

 lin. broad, cuneately obovate or oblaneeolate, rounded to subacute at 

 the apex, tapering from above the middle into the short petiole, 

 glabrous on both sides or with a thin excessively minute pubescence 

 beneath. Stipules reduced to minute glands. Inflorescence terminal, 

 at first consisting of 1 sessile involucre and 3 radiating buds on peduncles 



1 J-2| lin. long, which develop into small forked cymes forming an umbel 

 about 1 in. in diara,, with a whorl of 3 leaves at the base and a pair of 

 elliptic bracts 1-2 lin. long at the forks. Involucres 1J-1J> lin. in 

 diam., cup-shaped, with 5 glands and 5 broadly rounded fringed lobes, 

 glabrous outside ; glands about \ lin. in their greater diam., transversely 

 oblong, peltate, slightly convex, entire. Ovary shortly exserted, erect, 

 glabrous; styles about | lin. long, united for | of their length, with 

 ascending bifid tips. Capsule and seeds not seen. 



Wile Ziand. British East Africa : Taru district, Scott-Elliot, 6172 ! Mbuyuni, 

 Scott-Elliot, 6224 ! a very common shrub below 3000 ft., Scott-Elliot, 6264 1 

 Mozamb. Dlstr. German East Africa : edge of the Rift, MerTcer, 578 ! 



70. E. commiphoroides, Dinter, Deutsch Sudw.-Afr. 90. A tree- 

 6-20 ft. high, with a trunk J-1 ft. in diam. ; bark papery. Ulti- 

 mate branches usually widely diverging or making nearly a right 

 angle with those they arise from, slender, glabrous, bearing small 

 densely leafy branchlets \-}-f in. long, arising from the axils of their 

 fallen primary leaves. Leaves shortly petiolate, 3-10 lin. long, li-3J 

 lin. broad, lanceolate, elliptic-oblong, elliptic or orbicular, obtuse, rounded 

 or subacute at the apex, rounded or cuneately narrowed into the petiole, 

 very minutely puberulous on both sides. Involucre solitary and ter- 

 minal on the short leafy branchlets, male or hermaphrodite, subsessile, 



2 lin. in diam., cup-shaped or obconic, glabrous or very minutely 

 puberulous, with 5 glands and 5 broad transverse fringed pubescent 

 lobes ; glands about | lin. in their greater diam., transversely elliptic, 

 entire. Ovary globose-trigonous, minutely puberulous, with a calyx at 

 its base, having 3 deltoid-lanceolate lobes J-J lin. long and exserted 

 on a rather stout minutely puberulous pedicel and curved to one side ; 

 styles 1 J lin. long, united for half their length, then recurved-spread- 

 ing, entire at the apex. Capsule about \ in. in diam., much exserted 

 on a recurved pedicel, glabrous. Seeds 2 lin. long, tipped with a small 

 caruncle, ellipsoid -oblong, smooth, pale grey with patches of darker ^'rey. 



