3G0 Mr. J. Miers on rcme genera of the Icacinacese. 



UlIAPHIOSTYLIS. 



This genus, suggested by Dr. Planchon, was first announced 

 by Mr. Bentham, who gave an outline of its characters in the 

 ' Niger Flora/ p. 259. It differs little from Apochjtes, its di- 

 stinguishing features consisting in its inflorescence, with small 

 axillary fasciculate flowers, and the peculiar somewhat lateral 

 glandular appendage, seen on the summit of the ovary, and near 

 the base of the style : it bears somewhat the appearance as if it 

 had originally possessed three styles, one of which had acquired 

 much growth, and the other two, being abortive, exhibited only 

 rudimentary traces of their existence : on the other hand, this 

 process is evidently very analogous to the fleshy scutelliform 

 appendage seen in Apodytes, as well as to the large epigynous 

 gland observed in the fruit of Stemonurus. In its elongated 

 slender style (whence its generic name is derived) it has much 

 resemblance to Icacina : in its inflorescence and habit, it bears 

 greatly the appearance of the Phlebocalymna of Griffiths. The 

 following outline of its generic character is somewhat modified 

 from that given by Mr. Bentham, in order to distinguish it more 

 readily from other genera of the same family. 



Rhaphtostylis, Planch. ; Bth. (Flor. Nigrit.) — Flares perfecti. 

 Calyx breviter campanulatus, 5-dentatus, dentibus obtusius- 

 culis, persistens. Petala 5, sequalia, linearia, glaberrima, 

 hypogyna, scstivatione valvata, sub anthesi reflexa. Stamina 5, 

 cum petalis inserta, iisdem alterna ; filamenta carnosula, imo 

 dilatata, apice subulata ; antherce oblongse 2-lobse, 4-locularcs, 

 imo bifidse, connectivo tenui, dorso in sinu afhxse, lobis singu- 

 latim 2-locellatis, demum septicidis, et longitudinaliter evo- 

 lutim dehiscentibus. Pollen trigonum. Ovarium oblongum, 

 liberum, subgibbum, glabrum, disco parvulo stipitatum, ap- 

 pendice glanduloso dentibus 2 obtusis erectis ad basin styli 

 lateraliter coronatum, 1-loculare; ovula 2 juxta apicem loculi 

 subcollateraliter supei'posita, podospermio crassiusculo sus- 

 pensa. Stylus tereti-subulatus, gracilis, longitudine petalorum 

 excedens, apice iuflexus. Stigma obtusum, lateraliter sulcatum. 

 Fructus ignotus. — Frutices Africa tropica glabri, eocsiccatione 

 nigrescentes ; folia alterna, elliptica, integerrima, flores parvi, 

 plurimi, axillares, fasciculati, cum pedicellis brevibus articulati. 



1. Rhapliiostylis Beninensis, Planch.; Hook. Flor. Nigrit. 259. 

 tab. 28. Apodytes Beninensis, Hook. fd. Icon. pi. tab. 778 ; 

 — glaberrimus, foliis distichis, elongato-ellipticis, utrinque at- 

 tenuatis, summo obtusiusculo vel emarginato, subtus nervis 

 prominulis, margine revolutis, breviter petiolatis : floribus 

 axillaribus, paucis, virente-albidis, cum pedicellis sub-brevio- 

 ribus articulatis. — Cape Palmas (Vogel). — v. s. in herb. Hooker. 



