Mallotus.] cxx[i. EUPuouBiACEit: (pkain). 027 



G5. MAIiLOTITS, Lour. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PL iii. 



31J). 



Flowers dicBcious, rarely monoecious, apetalous. Male : Calyx 

 globose, closed in bud, splitting into 3-5 valvate lobes. Stamens usually 

 numerous, rarely definite, inserted on a slightly elevated receptacle ; 

 filaments free, occasionally accompanied by inter-staminal <^lands; 

 anthers dorsifixed low down, 2-celled, cells opening longitudinally, 

 sometimes slightly separated by a widened connective. Rudimentary 

 ovary or rarely minute. Female : Calyx shortly or deeply imbricately 

 or valvately 3-5-lobed or subspathaceous. Disk usually 0. Ovary, 

 usually 3-celled, rarely 2- or 4-celled ; ovules solitary in each cell ; 

 styles free or connate at the base, undivided, recurved, papillose or 

 fimbriate on the inner face. Capsule globose or 3-dymous, rarely 

 2-dymous, dividing into 2-valved cocci. Seeds ovoid or globose ; testa 

 crustaceous, sometimes spuriously arillate ; albumen fleshy ; cotyledons 

 broad, flat. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, petioled, 

 rather broad, entire, toothed or lobed, sometimes peltate, usually with 

 basal glands on the upper side. Spikes simple or paniculate ; male 

 flowers numerous, small, fasciculate ; females fewer, solitary. Capsule 

 pubescent, glandular or echinate. 



Species over 80, throughout the tropics of the Old World, but in Africa 

 si>armgly represented. 



Leaves not gland-dotted ; stipules rigid ; fruit bristly . 1. M. suhulatiis. 



Leaves gland-doLted beneath; stipules flexible; fruit 



smooth 2. M. oppositifollus. 



1. M, subulatuSy Mull. Arg. in LinnceajXxxiv. 192. Shrub, 6-15 

 ft. high; twigs subscabridly stellate- pubescent. Leaves petioled, opposite, 

 membranous, oblong or rarely ovate, acute, base widely rounded, rarely 

 fiubcordate, margin entire, 4-7 in. long, 3-4 in. wide, bright green, glab- 

 rous on both surfaces, not glandular beneath, 3-nerved from the base ; 

 petiole J-2J in. long, stellate-pubescent ; stipules subulate, rigid, 3-4 lin. 

 long. Racemes axillary, stellate-pubescent, 1-2 in. long; male flowers 

 glomerate ; pedicels shorter than the buds ; females solitary ; pedicels as 

 long as the flowers. Male : Calyx obovoid, 3-4-partite ; lobes valvate, 

 densely stellate without. Stamens 40-50 ; filaments free. Rudimentary 

 ovary sometimes present. Female sepals usually 3, densely stellate- 

 pubescent, recurved. Ovary 3-celled, globose, rugose ; stigmas densely 

 papillose on the inner face. Capsule 3-coccous, 6-8 lin. wide ; cocci 

 2-valved, covered with firm rather wide-based slightly hooked bristles. 

 Seeds globose, 2 J lin. across.— DC. Prodr. xv. ii. 970 ; Pax in De Wild. 

 & Durand, Contrib. Fl. Congo, i. 50 ; De Wild. <fe Durand, Reliq. 

 Dewevr. ii. 211; De Wild. Etudes Fl. Bas- et Moyen-Congo, ii. 280; 

 Th. & Hel. Durand, Syll. Fl. Congol. 495. M. Buettneri, Pax in Engl. 

 Jahrb. xix. 89. 



Upper Guinea. Ivory Coast: Aboisso, Chevilier, 17825! Gold Coast: 

 Axim, Chipp, 50! Southern Nigeria: Benin, Un>nn, 38! Bonny, Monteiro! 

 Calabar, Williams, 32! Oban, Talbot, 621! 623! 6'5! Cross River, Johvsfon! 



