104 THALAMI FLORA;. 



to form a subglobose 5- angular 5-celled capsule ; finally distinct. 

 Seeds solitary. 



3. Riedleia virgultosa. Twiggy Riedleia. 



Leaves ovato-lanceolate serrated appresso-villous, 

 raceme terminal, interrupted, leafless, stem hairy. 



R. Jaraaicensis, Bertero, apud De Cand. Prod. I. 492.(?) 

 Melochia venosa,(?) Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. 1137. Riedleia 

 venosa,(?) De Cand. Prod. I. 492. 



HAB. Road from Norbrook to Dolly-Mohun's Gap, and near 

 Maryland cooper shop, St Andrew's. 



FL. After the May and October rains. 



Frutescent : stem about 2 feet in height : branches few, sub- 

 simple, virgultose, terete, hairy, subtomentose, coloured. Leaves 

 alternate, with short leafy branchlets in their axils, petiolate, 

 elongato-ovate, rounded at the base, acute at the apex, serrated, 

 penni-nerved, rugulose, pubescent along the nerves above, 

 villous beneath with the hairs rufescent, and appressed ; pe- 

 tiole terete, villous. Stipules setaceo-subulate. Inflorescence 

 terminal, interruptedly racemed ; flowers yellow, in clusters, 

 shortly pedicelled. Common peduncle leafless, elongated, 

 slightly compressed, villous : pedicels about 2 lines in length, 

 villous, furnished at the base with a subulate ciliated bractea. 

 Calyx externally villous ; segments lineari-subulate, acute. 

 Petals 5, about twice the length of the calyx, obovato-oblong, 

 entire, shortly clawed. Stamens 5 ; filaments monadelphous ; 

 anthers 2-celled. Ovary ovate, white, sericeo-villous. Styles 5, 

 erect : stigmata puberulous. Carpels 5, united into a subglo- 

 bose 5-lobed 5-celled capsule, afterwards distinct, externally 

 velutino-villous, apiculated, 1-seeded. Seeds solitary, 3-gonal, 

 externally to the glass puberulous, black. 



I have no doubt but that this is the R. JAMAICENSIS of JBer- 

 tero, and R. VENOSA of Swartz. I have changed the specific 

 designation to VIRGULTOSA, as being more appropriate. The 

 flowers are rather showy. It does not appear to be a very 

 common plant. 



4. Riedleia serrata. Serrated Riedleia. 



Leaves ovate sub-cordate irregularly serrated fer- 

 rugineo-subtomentoso-hirsute, stipules lanceolato-lin- 

 ear generally the length of the petiole, flowers in 

 clusters of 3-5 subsessile arranged along a terminal 

 interrupted spike. 



Vent! choix. t. 37. De Cand. Prod. L 492. 



HAB. Savannahs, St Thomas in the Vale. 



FL. October December. 



