MR HIERN, ON EBENACILE. Ill 



1. MABA DIFFUSA, sp. nov. 



H. ramulis patentibus, fuligineo-jmbescentibus ; foliis ovatis vel ovalibus, uncialibus, apice 

 obtuse angustatis, basi subrotundis, glabris, nitentibus, subcoriaceis, breviter petiolatis ; fructibus 

 ellipsoideis, appresse subsericeis, trilocularibus, 1 2-spermis, brevissime pedunculatis ; calyce 

 fructifero minima, trifido, non appresso. 



Stem and branches terete, dark or cinereous; branches fuliginous-pubescent, patent, 

 slender. Leaves ovate or oval, nearly rounded at base, obtusely narrowed at apex, glabrous 

 and shining on both sides, subcoriaceous, margins thickened, somewhat wavy ; midrib depressed 

 on upper side ; lateral veins patent very numerous and delicately raised on both sides ; of 

 a rich brown colour on both sides when dry ; to 1 in. in length by J to in. in width ; 

 petioles ^in. in length, pubescent. Known only in fruit. Fruit shortly pedunculate, near 

 ends of branches, solitary ; fruiting peduncle ^ J$ in. in length. Fruiting calyx loosely concave 

 or horizontal, small, somewhat pubescent, about ^yin. in length, roundedly 3-fid. Fruit 

 somewhat appressedly silky, of rich brown colour, straight, ellipsoidal, J to Jin. in height 

 by to J in. or more in thickness, 3-celled, 1 2-seeded ; seeds black, \ in, in length ; 

 albumen not ruminated ; embryo nearly flat. 



N.W. Madagascar, PervilU! 



2. MABA MUALALA, Welw. MSS. 



M. glabra, foliis ellipticis, apice seeping obtuse acuminatis, basi leviter angustatis vel 

 sub-rotundis, tenuiter coriaceis, persistentibus, nitentibus, reticulatis, breviter petiolatis ; fructibus 

 solitaries vel binis, subsessilibus, globosis, glabris; calyce fructifero trifido, minima, patents, 

 glabrato. 



A fine glabrous tree, 15 35 feet high in the interior of the country,, or near the 

 sea-coast scarcely more than a bush 3 5 feet high; very rarely flowering. Trunk strict; 

 branches terete, leafy. Wood very hard, valuable, black in the centre but not always so. 

 Leaves alternate, elliptical, in most cases obtusely acuminate, slightly narrowed at base or 

 nearly rounded, thinly coriaceous, evergreen, deep green, highly polished, 1J 4Jin. long 

 by | If in. wide, delicately reticulated; midrib depressed above; margins slightly undu- 

 lated ; petioles ^ in. long. Flowers unknown, 9 axillary, in very short 1 3-flowered 

 cymes. Fruit solitary or two together, subsessile, globose, shining, glabrous, black-purplish, 

 slightly nerved, about J in. in diameter, 1-seeded ; seed globose, nearly \ in. in diameter ; 

 albumen white, cartilaginous, not ruminated; fruiting calyx 3-fid, spreading, J Jin. in dia- 

 meter, glabrate ; lobes ovate, subacute. 



West tropical Africa, Distr. Golungo Alto, in dense woods, fruits in March, Dr Welwitsch ! 

 2539, 2540, 2541 ; Do. Distr. Loanda, very rare, in thickets, Dr Welwitsch ! 2542 ; native 

 name Mualdla. 



3. MABA HEMICYCLOIDES, F. Muell. ex. Benth. Fl. Austr. iv. p. 290. n. 3 (1869). 



M. glabrescens, foliis ellipticis vel oblongis, utrinque plus minus angustatis, apice obtusis, 

 subcoriaceis, breviter petiolatis; fructibus solitariis, brevissime pedunculatis, subglabris, oblique 

 ellipsoideis ; calyce fructifero minima, patente, trifido, leviter pubescente. 



