214 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



\ 



very few African J/io/inrcie were known, but which is now linked to 

 Popoicia cnffra and its nei<,'hbours by a larn;e number of intermediate 

 species. The flowers of C. Vof/elii, in form and size analogous to 

 those of certain species of Bocagoa, or of the sections Polj/alihia and 

 Kcntia of Ufiona, have a slightly convex receptacle, a short gamo- 

 sepalous calyx, scarcely marked by three crenulations, three outer 

 petals, triangular sessile and valvate ; three inner ones somewhat 

 shorter, valvate above, and not touching one another by their con- 

 tracted bases. The stamens, from six to ten in number, are collected 

 into a sort of crown around the gynieceum. Their form is singular 

 (tig. 254) ; each, as in Pojwiria raffrn, is a truncated py- 

 ramid with the large base upwards, very oblique, con- 

 tinuous with the connective, and like it covered with a 

 soi-t of irregular glandular tissue On its sides, which in 

 • he bud touch those of the two neighbouring stamens, 

 iiid as it were stick to them, we see the two anther-cells, 

 l^ \ somewhat oblique, each dehiscing by a longitudinal 

 cleft between the two half-cells, one of which is placed a 

 little higher than the other. The gyna^ceuni, consisting 

 of about half a dozen carpels, is similar to that of P. 

 caffra, each ovary containing several ascending ovules. 

 Here, as in Popow'ia proper, the stamen gra- 

 dually alters in form from one species to another. The si/e and 

 obliquity of the anther vary ; either its cells are quite thrown l)ack 

 to each side,or they approach each other towards the 

 outer face of the anther. This is continuous, without 

 any appreciable line of demarcation, with the lilament, 

 which, short and thick in certain species, such as 

 P. cfiffra Qx fornicatcC (tigs. 251, 253), becomes elon- 

 gated and tapers towards the base in others, especially 

 /■*. I'of/c/ii (fig. 254). The su})erior base of the sort of 

 ]>yramid to which we have compared the connective 

 becoming less and less oblicpie convex, finally, in 

 /-*. Jlcin/r/ofi' (fig. 255), has a nearly horizontal direc- 

 tion and is slightly concave. In P. Hditcri,'' the sort 



Popowia 



(Clathrospermum) 



Voyelii. 



Fig. 254. 



Stamen ('y"). 



I'opouia 



( Clalh rotpi-nn urn ) 



J/eudeloli. 



FlO. 255, 



Stamen (7). 



479.— H. Bn., Adantonia, viii, 315. 

 Trap. Afric, 24. 



' 11. IJ.v., ryy». <i7., 318. 



-Oliv., /v. - H. nN.,o;j.ri7.,32tt,uote 2 (ecc tlie text for th 



foinplicati'il (lcUil» of the fornt* of the ttaiucn*) 

 ■• 11. I5.V.. op. cU., 324. 



