Neea 



NYCTAGINACE^ 



15S 



4. NEEA Ruiz & Pav. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite. Flowers small, with 3 

 minute bracteoles, dioecious, in solitary terminal stalked paniculate 

 corymbiform cymes. Male flowers : perianth tubular-campanu- 

 late, slightly urceolate, 5-toothed ; stamens 8, included, inserted 

 with the aborted ovary at the base of the flower ; filaments 

 unequal. Female flowers : perianth tubular-urceolate, 5-toothed ; 

 stamens with sterile anthers inserted at the base of the ovary ; 

 style included ; stigma penicillate at the mouth of the perianth. 



Fig. 52. — Neea nigricans. Fawc. & Rendle. 



A, Alale flower x 5. 



B, Do. with perianth removed x 5. 



C, Female flowers x 5. 



D, Female flower cut lengthwise x 5. 



E, Fruit in section x 5 ; p, : pericarp ; 



e, endosperm ; c, cotyledons. 



Anthocarp somewhat fleshy on the outside, crowned by the 

 persistent perianth (otherwise agreeing with Pisonia). 



Species about 43, natives of tropical America, chiefly South 

 America, a few in Central America and the West Indies. 



Tomentum of buds and twigs white '... 1. N. nigricans. 



Tomentum of buds and twigs reddish 2. N. rotuitdifoUa. 



1. N. nigfricans comb. nov. ; twigs, petioles, inflorescence and 

 buds white-tomentellous ; leaves narrowly elliptical to oblong- 



