MR HIERN, ON EBENACE^E. 267 



A moderate-sized tree, with lax tortuous dark-cinereous branches leafy and angular at the 

 apex. Leaves alternate, elliptical rotund or obovate, rounded or obtuse at apex, rounded 

 and often unequal at base, very coriaceous, glabrescent and shining above, more or less 

 tomentose beneath, reticulated but inconspicuously so above, 3 6 in. long by 1 \ 3J in. wide ; 

 petioles \ Jin. long. Flowers monstrous in the specimen, the inflorescence consisting entirely 

 of densely imbricated ferruginous-tomentose foliaceous scales. 



W. Tropical Africa, Angola, Pungo Andongo, in sandy woods from Calunda to Condo, fruit 

 said to be edible, Dr Welwitsch ! no. 2531 ; native name Musolveira, the same as that of 

 Diospyros mespiliformis, Hochst, of which it may very possibly prove to be an aberrant form. 



164. DlOSPYEOS PLATYCALYX, sp. nOV. 



D. foliis alternis, obovato-oblongis, apice rotundatis, basi cuneatis, coriaceis, utrinque pu- 

 berulis vel glabrescentibus, petiolatis ; fructibus solitaries, subglobosis, glaberrimis, apice umbili- 

 catis, nitidis, 10 (ty-locularibus, breviter pedunculatis ; calyce fructifero profunde 5 6-lobo, plicato, 

 aucto, lobis late ovatis, cordatis, auriculatis ; seminibus compressis, albumine non ruminato. 



Tree of 20 feet ; young shoots with short patent whitish tomentum ; branches glabrescent, 

 terete, palish. Leaves obovate-oblong, alternate, coriaceous, undulated, rounded at apex, cuneate 

 at base, brown, shining, with slight veins, puberulous or glabrescent on both sides, of nearly 

 the same colour on both sides, 2 3 in. long by 1 in. wide ; petioles puberulous, \ in. 

 long ; midrib slightly depressed on upper surface. Fruit solitary, in axils of fallen leaves, on 

 shoots of previous season, ^ in. long (besides the calyx) by f in. thick, subglobose, quite glabrous, 

 umbilicate at apex, 10 (?)-celled, with cells 1-seeded, shining, paler than leaves and calyx. 

 Fruiting peduncle stout, with wide convex articulation, -^ f in. long, glabrate. Fruiting calyx 

 in. deep by 1 in. wide, concealing half the fruit, nearly glabrous, deeply 5 6-lobed ; lobes 

 widely ovate, acute, cordate, much auricled at base, firmly membranous, with sides of lobes 

 reflexed, folding with contiguous lobes and forming 5 dependent spurs the points of which 

 are \ in. below the level of the articulation of the fruit ; seeds compressed, ^ in. long or 

 more, albumen not ruminated. 



Seychelles Islands, PervilU! 640. 



165. DIOSPYEOS LEUCOCALYX, sp. nov. 



D. fruticosa, glabra, foliis alternis, oblongis, apice obtuse acuminatis, basi rotundatis vel 

 subcordatis, costd et nervis lateralibus subtus validis, petiolis validis tumido-crassis ; calyce 

 fructifero 4>-partito, intus albido-pruinoso, lato, lobis late cordatis, acuminatis, foliaceis. 



A small shrub, glabrous, dark green but shining. Leaves alternate, subcoriaceous, oblong, 

 obtusely acuminate at apex, rounded or subcordate at base, 1 foot long by 5 inches wide ; 

 midrib and lateral veins strong beneath ; petioles more than | in. long, strong, dark, tumid- 

 crass. Fruiting calyx 4-partite, white-pruinose within, 2 in. high by 3 in. or more wide, 

 erect-patent ; lobes widely cordate, ovate, acuminate at apex, foliaceous. 



Madagascar, Ambanivoule, Qoudot! A. D. 1833. 



342 



