MR HIERN, ON EBENACE^E. 125 



24. MABA MAJOR, G. Forst. PL Escul. Insul. Ocean. Austr. p. 54, n. 21 (1786). 



M. arborea, fructibus edulibus bipotticaribus, ceterum M. ellipticce similibus, 2 S-spermis ; 

 seminibus triquetris. 



. Cook, Voyage to the Pacific Ocean in 177680, edit. ii. p. 393 (1785) ; Alph. DC. Prodr. 

 VIII. p. 242. n. 15 (1844). 



A tree known only from its fruit, which is 2 in. long, " roundly oval," like that of 

 M. elliptica Forst., but three times the size, tough, egg-shaped, and containing 2 or 3 trique- 

 trous seeds in cells. The taste is insipid, but nevertheless is used by the natives of the 

 Friendly Islands for food, and is frequently planted near their houses; they call it Maba or 

 Mabba. 



Tongatabu, Namoka, E-uwa, Hapa-i, and other of the Friendly Islands, G. Forster, 

 Capt. Cook. 



25. MABA GRISEBACHII. 



M. glaucescens, foliis rotundato- vel ovali-ovatis, apice spinuloso-apiculatis, coriaceis, basi 

 rotundis vel subcordatis, brevissime petiolatis, reticulatis ; floribus femineis solitariis, axillaribus, 

 brevissime pedunculatis, trimeris; corollce lobis ovatis, acutis ; staminodiis 6, glabris, uniseriali- 

 bus; ovario ovoideo-conico, hirsuto, apice glabro, 6-loculari, 6-ovulato. 



Macreigktia buxifolia, Grisebach, Catal. Plant. Cubens. p. 169 (1866). 



Pale glaucescent shining stiff (shrub ?), with terete branches spreading at about 50 60, 

 glabrous except the flowers. Leaves alternate, crowded, rotund, oval, or ovate, spinulose- 

 apiculate, coriaceous, rounded or subcordate at base, shortly petiolate, average size $ in. 

 long (including petiole and apiculus) by T 3 ^ in. wide ; petioles ^ in. long by ^ in. wide, dilatato- 

 concave ; veins reticulated, in relief on both sides, more conspicuous on under-side. 



9 . Flowers solitary, crowded, in axils of upper leaves, shortly pedunculate, \ in. long, 

 trimerous ; peduncle equalling or slightly exceeding the petiole, hairy ; calyx \ in. long, thickly 

 coriaceous, covered outside with close short pale hairs and inside with denser hair except 

 near base ; lobes \ in. long, broadly ovate, suddenly acuminate at apex, with sides revolute 

 and sub-auricular at base, somewhat concave within to make room for the ovary. Corolla 

 fa in. long, hairy like the calyx outside except near base, glabrous inside ; lobes ^ in. long, 

 ovate, acute, spreading ; tube triangularly prismatic. Staminodes 6, -fa in. long, glabrous, 

 nearly equal, uniseriate, inserted near base of corolla. Ovary j in. long (including style), ovoid- 

 conical, continuous with the 3-lobed style, covered except at apex with short dense pale hair, 

 6-celled, cells 1-ovuled. 



E. Cuba, near St Antonio, Wright ! No. 2938. 



26. MABA CARIB^A. 



M. glaucescens, foliis obovatis, apice rotundatis vel emarginatis, basi angustatis, coriaceis, 

 glabris, reticulatis, breviter petiolatis ;' floribus masculis brevissime cymosis, pubescentibus, tri- 

 meris, staminibus 8 ; floribus femineis solitariis, sessilibus vel breviter pedunculatis, trimeris, 

 staminodiis 3 6, ovario dense hirsuto, 6 1-loculari, G-ovulato ; fructibus subglobosis, glabris, 

 nitentibus; albumine ruminato. 



