FloSCOpa.] CXLIII. COMMELINACE.E (CLARKE). 85 



panicle with minute or no bracts (in F. axillaris the panicles are mainly 

 axillary) ; ultimate branches of the panicle bearing 2 rows of very short- 

 pedicelled flowers, are defined by Bentham as " 1 -sided, not scorpioid 

 cymes" ; bracts at the base of the pedicels minute or 0. Corolla from 

 purple to rose-colour except in F. flavida ; colour unknown in F. 

 Schiveinfitrthii and F. tuherculata, which are allied to F. jlavida. 



Species 15, very closely allied, found in the hotter parts of Africa, Asia, and 

 America. 



Stems 1-2 ft. lon^, rather stout (except in F. axillaris 

 and F, Mannii), decumbent and often rooting at 

 the base, scarcely ever branched. 

 Leaves quasi-petioled, i.e., much contracted above the 

 sheath. 

 Leaves oblong-lanceolate . . . . . 1, F. africana. 



Leaves elliptic, with triangular tip . . . 2. F. Mannii. 



Leaves sessile on the leaf- sheaths. 

 Leaves 1-4 in. long. 



Seeds with ribs radiating from the embryostega 3. F. rividaris. 

 Seeds smooth, without ribs . . . . 4. J", glomerata. 



Leaves i in. long . . . . . . 5. F. axillaris. 



Stems 3-10 in. long, erect, anni:a], often branched (except 

 F, tubercidata). 

 Leaves elliptic . . . . . . . Q. F. Scliweinfurthii. 



Leaves oblong *7 . F. tuherculata. 



Leaves narrowly lanceolate . . , . .8. F.jlaoida. 



1. F. africana, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 2G7. 

 Sparingly hairy, except the inflorescence. Stem 8-24 in. long, scarcely 

 divided (except the inflorescence), decumbent at the base, rooting from 

 the nodes. Leaves up to o| by J in., lanceolate, acuminate, tapering 

 at the base into a pseudo-petiole often 1 in. long. Panicle terminal, 

 oblong (often 4-6 by J in.) wath numerous flowers (but see var. /3) ; 

 upper part without leaves or bracts ; viscid-pubescent not very hairy ; 

 ultimate cymes often J-| in. long. Capsule about yV ^"' ^^^oJ seeds 

 with radiating ribs. — Durand k Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v, 4;^);'), and 

 Etudes Fl. Congo i. 271 ; Durand ik De Wild, in Comptes-rendus Soc. 

 bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87; Ilua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 122. 

 Aneilema africanum^ Beauv. Fl. Owar. ii. 57, t. 93, fig. 1. Commeliiia 

 Chantransia, Koem. k, Schultes, Mant. i. Addend, i. o7G. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone : in mud, near Regent, Scott-Elliot, 3918 ! 

 Lomaburn, near the Kiver Scarcies, Scott-Flliot, 5030 ! Lagos : by streams at 

 Agagee, Jfi7Ze«, 2! 95! by water, Kohovo, Millen,lo^\ Benin, Beauvois ! Came- 

 roons ; Katanga, near the River Lobe, Bates, 183 ! Bipinde, Zenker, 1219 ! Yaunde, 

 2750 tt., Zenker .^' Staudt, 143 ! 



Iiower Guinea. Gaboon : Gaboon River, Mann, 1022 ! Munda ; Sibange 

 Farm, Sotjaux, 357 ! Fresch Congo : Ogowe River, Thollon, 240, 276 ; Lower 

 Congo: Lispa, 1000 ft., Hens^ C, 168! Bingila, Diipuis ! 



Var. /3 majtiscula, B. C. Clarke. Stems stouter ; leaves attaining 4-6 in. long ; 

 panicle 5-6 by 4 in., ovoid, ultimate cymes often 2 in. long ; capsules rather larger. 



Upper Guinea. Lagos, Millen^ 97 ! Punch ! Cameroons : Yaunde, 2600 ft. 

 Zenker Sf Staudt, 143 ! 



This does not match the tyi)ical F. africana but the points of difference are trivial. 



VOL. VI II. D 



