114 ME HIERST, ON EBENACE.3E. 



Young parts rufous or fuliginous, hirsute ; branches glabrescent, cinereous ; leaves crowded, 

 subsessile, oval or ovate, cordate at base, midrib depressed above, veins indistinct, coriaceous, 

 rufous-hirsute when young, glabrescent except on margins and midrib beneath, 1 2J in. 

 long by f; 1 in. wide ; petioles shorter than the emargination at the base of the leaves. 



jj . Flowers on very short nodose pubescent 3 5-flowered cymes ; flowers (in bud) 

 ovoid-oblong, rufous-hirsute. Calyx in. long, campanulate-oblong, shortly 3-fid, smooth inside ; 

 lobes deltoid ; corolla shortly 3-fid, hirsute outside, glabrous inside ; stamens 3, hypogynous, 

 glabrous; filaments distinct; anthers linear, dehiscing laterally by longitudinal slits; ovary 

 pubescent, small, rudimentary. 



9 . Fruiting peduncles 1 3-flowered ; calyx 3-lobed ; fruit ferruginous-tomentose. 



Feejee Islands, Wilkes!; New Caledonia, Panclier! 301; Muthuata and Ovolau, alt. 

 2000 feet, Feejee Islands, Asa Gray, I.e. 



8. MABA RUFA, Labill. Sert. Austr. Caled. p. 33. t. 36 (1824). 



M. foliis ovalibus vel oblongis, apice lanceolatis vel breviter et obtuse acuminatis vel 

 rotundatis, basi angustatis vel rotundatis, junioribus utrinque rufo-sericeis, scepius glabrescentibus, 

 coriaceis, breviter petiolatis ; inflorescentid et fructibus rufo-serieeis ; floribus masculis 3 o-nis, 

 brevissime cymosis, axillaribus, trimeris, corolld tubulosd, staminibus 3 6, glabris; floribvs 

 femineis solitariis, subsessilibus, staminodiis 0, ovario dense sericeo 3-loculari, fructibus sub- 

 globosis vel ellipsoideis, calyce fructifero cupuliformi. 



Alph. DC. Prodr. vm. p. 241. n. 10 (1844). 



M. sericocarpa, F. Muell. Fragm. V. p. 164 (1866), Benth. Fl. Austral. IV. p. 289, 

 n. 2 (1869). 



M. cupulosa, F. Muell. Fragm. v. p. 164 (1866), VI. p. 253 (1868). 



Diospyros sericocarpa, F. Muell. Austr. Veg. in Intercol. Exh. Ess., 1866 67, p. 35 (1867). 



D. cupulosa, F. Muell. I. c. 



M. revoluta, Vieill. MSS. in Hb. N. Caled. n. 2876. 



A shrub or tree 20 feet high; branches terete, slender, spreading at about 45 50, 

 rufous-sericeous when young, leafy. Leaves oval or oblong, lanceolate or shortly and obtusely 

 acuminate or rounded at apex, narrowed or rounded at base, coriaceous, appressedly rufous- 

 sericeous when young, usually glabrescent, 1 4 in. long by | 2f in. wide ; midrib depressed 

 on the -upper surface, margins recurved (sides revolute in H. revoluta, Vieill.) ; petioles 

 Jj5 Jin. long. 



<$ . Inflorescence rufous-sericeous, axillary on young branches ; cymes 3 5-flowered ; 

 common peduncle -f in. long ; pedicels very short ; flowers ovoid-oblong, \ J in. long. Calyx 

 tubular, shortly 3-lobed, \ J in. long, crass, tomentose on both sides. Corolla tubular, 

 shortly 3-lobed, sericeous outside, glabrous inside ; lobes ovate. Stamens 3 6 (-7), glabrous, 

 hypogynous; filaments slender. Ovary rudimentary, pilose. 



? . Flowers solitary, subsessile, about J in. long, ferruginous-hairy ; bracts imbricated, 

 caducous. Calyx campanulate, shortly 3-fid. Corolla tubular, 3-lobed at apex, with rounded 

 imbricated lobes. Staminodes 0. Ovary 3-celled, densely sericeous; style 3-lobed at apex. 



