6 SOUTH NIGERIAN PLANTS 



carpellis 15-20 extrinsecus cinei'eo-tomentosis ovulis pluribus 

 ventrale biseriatim dispositis. (PI. 2.) 



Oban ; n. 1496. South Nigeria, Dennett, n. 44 (Herb. Kew.) 



Leaves 9-14 cm, long, 4' 5-6 cm. broad; lateral nerves not 

 conspicuous, glabrous except the midrib ; petioles 3-4 mm. long. 

 Peduncles short. Petals 3, uniseriately valvate, 10-11 mm. long. 

 Stamens about 1 mm. long. 



A very curious and interesting tree, at once distinguished by the 

 2 rarely 3 sepals, the 3 rather thick, concave, valvate petals, the 

 numerous small stamens with the connective very slightly produced 

 and the 15-20 carpels with the ovules biseriately arranged. 



Named in honour of Mr. R. E. Dennett, who first collected this 

 tree in Southern Nigeria and whose specimens are in the Kew 

 Herbarium. 



The alliance of this genus is with Thonnera, but the flowers are 

 hermaphrodite and not on long peduncles, and the receptacle is a 

 different shape. Mr. H. N. Ridley, who kindly examined this plant, 

 considers that it should be placed in the Group Xylopieac next to 

 Melodoriim. It is also allied to certain rather abnormal species of 

 Anona of the Sect. Attse, especially A. cchinata Dunal. 



VIOLACE^. 



Alsodeia erassifolia Bak. fil. sp. nov. Frutex ramulis 

 teretibus ; foliorum petiolo mediocri, lamina papyraceo-coriacea 

 glabra magna elliptica vel oblongo-ovata vel ovato-lanceolata 

 apice acuminata basi late cuneata margine iutegro nervis 

 lateralibus 10-12 ante marginem arcu intramarginali conjunctis 

 superne nitidis subtus pallidioribus ; florihus racemoso-paniculatis, 

 inflorescentiis petiolo longioribus ; bracteis lanceolatis ; sepalis 

 ovatis concavis petalis brevioribus ; petalis oblongis margine 

 ciliatis ; staminum tuho quam antheris breviori, connective ultra 

 thecas producto ; ovario glabro stylo tereti glabro columnari ; 

 capsula triloculari. 



Oban ; n. 1260. 



Shrub 2-3 metres high {fide Mrs. Talbot). Leaves 15-27 cm. long, 

 6-10 "5 cm. broad; petioles 2*5-4 cm. long. Panicles 2*5-6 cm. 

 long. Sepals ± 3 mm. long. Petals + 4 • 5 mm. long. Staminal tube 

 short ; filaments short. Anthers appendagcd ; connective produced 

 into an ovate-triangular appendage. Caiyside 20-22 mm. long. 



This is probably identical with the plant collected by Mann in 

 the Gaboon and referred to A. Wehvitschii Oliver in the Flora of 

 Tropical Africa. It differs in several points from Welivifsch, u. 882, 

 from Golungo Alto. 



[Petals dull yellow.— P. A. T.] 



Alsodeia obanensis Bak. fil. sp. nov. Arbuscula ramulis 

 cortice cinereo tectis ; foliorum 'petiulo mediocri, lamina membra- 

 nacea apice acuminata basi in petiolum alatum angustata nervis 

 lateralibus utrinquc 9-15 ante marginem arcu intramarginali 



