148 RUBiACEifc. [Iledyotis. 



or remain indelriscent. Seeds angular. — Herbs, undershrubs, or rarely 

 climbers. Stipules united with the petioles in a short sheath, entire or fringed 

 with bristle-like subulate lobes. Flowers in axillary clusters or terminal pa- 

 nicles, or rarely in axillary pedunculate cymes. 



A large genus, widely spread over tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa, with a few 

 American species. 



Stipules truncate, with long bristles. Flowers umbellate, in terminal 

 panicles. Capsule free at the top, opening septicidally and loculi- 



cidally (Sect. Macrandria) 1. II. recurva. 



Stipules ovate or triangular. Capsule separating septicidally into the 2 

 carpels whieh open along their inner edge (Sect. Diplophragma) . 

 Cymes 2- or 3-chotomous, loose, axillary or terminal. Stipules 

 entire. 



Stems acutely 4-angled 2. H. acutangula. 



Stems terete or obtusely angular. 



Cymes terminal 3. H. Vachellii. 



Cymes axillary 4. H. loganioides. 



Clusters sessile, axillary or terminal, nearly globose. Stipules fringed 5. H. uncinella. j 

 Stipules truncate, with long bristles. Flowers in axillary sessile clus- 

 ters. Carpels indehiscent (Sect. Metabolos) 6. H. auricularia. 



1. H. recurva, Benth. in Lond. Journ. Bot. i. 486 ; and in Kew Journ. 

 Bot. iv. 170 ; Seem. Bot. Her. £.84. A tall glabrous somewhat climbing 

 herb, the branches terete or nearly so. Stipulary sheaths short, with several 

 bristles on each side, 3 or 4 lines long. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 2 to 2^ in. long, with 3 or 4 oblique nerves on each side of the midrib, in- 

 dented above, very prominent underneath. Flowers 10 to 20 together, in 

 little umbels, on short peduncles in the upper axils, the upper ones forming a 

 terminal oblong panicle. Calyx-teeth recurved outwards. Corolla-tube very 

 short ; the lobes about 3 lines long, spreading or recurved. Capsule project- 

 ing from the calyx, separating septicidally in the upper part into 2 carpels, 

 which open loculicidally in 2 valves. Seeds numerous, very small. 



Abundant in ravines, Champion and others. Also on the adjacent continent, but not 

 found out of S. China. The H. macrostemon, Hook, and Am., another species of the same 

 section, apparently common in S. China, but not yet detected in Hongkong, differs chiefly in 

 the dense pubescence of the stem and foliage, the more compact inflorescence and smaller 

 flowers. 



2. H. acutangula, Champ, in Kew Journ. Bot. iv. 171; Seem. Bot. 

 Her. £.85. A tall glabrous plant, apparently somewhat shrubby at the base. 

 Branches erect, very acutely quadrangular, or even 4-winged at the base, less 

 so under the inflorescence. Stipules ovate or triangular, entire or slightly 

 toothed. Leaves nearly sessile, ovate-lanceolate, 2 to 3 in. long, rather thick, 

 the oblique nerves but little conspicuous. Flowers small, sessile, numerous, 

 in loose dichotomous or trichotomous cymes, forming an oblong or corymbose 

 terminal panicle. Calyx-tube about 1 line long; the lobes shorter, ovate. 

 Corolla-tube about 1 line long ; the lobes scarcely so long, ovate-lanceolate. 

 Capsule not prominent above the calyx, separating into the 2 carpels which 

 open along the inner face. Seeds several, small. 



Common in ravines, Champion and others. Also on the continent of S. China, but not 

 known from elsewhere. 



3. H. Vachellii, Benth., n. sp. A tall glabrous plant, apparently more 



