848 xcvii. LABiATiE. [Ocimn7n 



XCVII. LABIATE. 



Plants of this order are scarce in the coast regions of Angola, 

 and are not plentiful in the mountainous forest districts, but 

 in the highland-plateau regions they gradually increase both in 

 genera and species, and become so abundant in individuals that 

 they exercise a decided influence on the physiognomy of the 

 pastures and banks of streams. Some genera are especially 

 conspicuous in consequence of their large white or rosy bracts 

 at the base of the white or violet-coloured flowers ; several 

 species have filipendulous rhizomes, and some are very pleasantly 

 aromatic ; the two species of Tinnea furnish from their dried 

 leaves antiscorbutic powders; and the genw^ Alvesia, when seen 

 without its flowers, much resembles rosemary, 



1. OCIMUM L. ; Benth & Hook. f. Gen. PL ii. p. 1171, partly. 



1. 0. americanum Miller ex L. Diss. Cent. PL i. p. 15, n. 42 

 (1755) {Ocymum); Mill. Gard. Diet., edit. 8, n. 4 (17G8). 



0. stamineum Sims, Bot. Mag. t. 2452 (1824), with descript. 

 0. canum Sims, I.e., name. 



Ambriz. — Iq fr. No. 5566. 



LoANDA. — A rather dwarf annual, often whitish-hirsute throughout 

 when in young flower. By pools in a sandy clay soil, near Forte de 

 Conceicao ; fl. and fr. 12 July 1854. Xo. 5618. An annual, erect, 

 rather much-branched herb, 1 to 2 ft. high, bright' green in the living 

 state, soon becoming hoary in drying ; aroma agreeable ; flowers white 

 or whitish lilac. In dry hilly sandy and also on a moist clay soil, 

 throughout the district, plentiful ; in the pastures behind Penedo ; fl. 

 and fr. end of Feb. 1858. Xo. 5583 (partly). An annual herb, 1 to 

 2 ft. high, branched like a broom ; flowers violet-whitish. In rather 

 dry hilly places about Loanda, plentiful ; at Maianga del Rei, fl. and 

 fr. Jan. 1859. Nos. 5570, 5567, 5568 (partly). 



GoLUNGO AL'i'O.^Between Trombeta and Cabonda ; fl. and fr. 

 Sept. 1854. No. 5571- An annual herb, met with during the whole 

 year on rubbish heaps, very pleasantly fragrant ; in cultivated and 

 also in uncultivated places at the margins of drying-up streams, 

 plentiful ; at Sange ; fl. and fr. July 1855. No. 5569. Wild every- 

 where and probably indigenous ; at Sange ; fl. March 1856. The 

 " Machericao (N-xilic;i) " of Golungo Alto. No. 5573. A low 

 shrublet, 1 to 2 ft. high ; the lower branches woody, very crowded, 

 decumbent, tortuous, densely intricate ; the flowering branches and 

 branchlets erect ; leaves hoary-green, without gloss, paler beneath, 

 with a peculiar scent which was not noticed in the rest of the genus 

 and nearly resembled that of the lemon ; flowers very fugacious ; 

 corolla whitish, here and there spotted with violet, bilabiate, the upper 

 lip obtusely 4.1obed, the lower Up ovate-spa thulate and entire, both 

 lips long-ciliate, the tube naked ; stamens much projecting ; anthers 

 whitish ; style deep purple, bifid at the apex. On very dry declivities 

 on the right bank of the river Delamboa, rather rare : fl. and fr. end 

 of March 185G. No. 5574. At Pereira's house ; fr. end of March 

 1856. Coi.L. Caki'. 853. Flowers whitish-reddish. In the hilly parts 

 of Quilombo Quiacatubia, in short grass ; fl. and fr. No. 5617- 



MossAMEDES.— An annual herb, a foot high, pyramidally branched. 



