LEGUMIN0S2E-MIM0SE2E. 29 



Xcrocladia 1 is a small bushy shrub, of the habit of several 

 species of Strombocarpus, with recurved spinescent stipules, and 

 its flowers collected into globular, axillary, pedunculate capitula. 

 But the sessile ovary only contains a single ovule, 2 and becomes, we 

 are told, a flattened, ovate-falciform, or half orbicular, indehiscent, 

 one-seeded fruit, with the inferior suture flattened out into a wine 

 X. Zeyheri Harv., is the only known species of this genus, and is 

 found at the Cape of Good Hope. 



The genus Bichrostachyi derives its name from the peculiar 

 appearance of the expanded inflorescence, due to the two kinds of 

 flowers composing it. Those of the upper part of the spike 4 are 

 fertile and hermaphrodite, like those of Gagnebina ; while towards 

 the base they are neuter or male 5 through some of their stamens 

 becoming much elongated and bearing pollen ; but the gyna?ceum 

 still remains sterile and rudimentary. In the hermaphrodite flowers, 

 the stamens are much shorter and hypogynous, and their anthers are 

 surmounted by a globular gland, which is borne on a filiform, rela- 

 tively much elongated stalk. The fruit is a pod of a single cavity, 

 compressed and more or less irregularly bent on itself, with a coria- 

 ceous pericarp, either indehiscent or dehiscing irregularly by the 

 separation of its valves and sutures. The seeds are those of Adai- 

 anthera, but more elongated and obovate, and the embryo is sur- 

 rounded by a coriaceous albumen. Four or five species of this 

 genus 6 are known, one African, one Australian, and the rest Asiatic. 

 They are shrubs, whose branches often abort to some extent and 

 are transformed into spines, with alternate bipinnate leaves, and 

 solitary or geminate spikes, often drooping and usually borne on 

 little peculiar branches that end in a spine, and bear closely-set 

 leaves, inserted with numerous bracts towards the base. 



In inflorescence, Neptunia 7 comes very near Dichrostachys ; for 



1 HARV., Fl. Cap., ii. 278.— B. H., Gen., 6 Roxb., PL Command., t. 171.— Wight, 

 591, n. 383 (a very doubtful genua). Icon., t. 357. — I'knth., in Hook. Joitni., i\. 



2 " 1- (v. 2-) ovidatum" (B. H., loc. cit.). 353 ; Fl. Austral., ii. 299.— Habv. & So.vd., 



3 DC, Mem. Legum., 428, t. 67 ; Prodr., ii. Fl, Cap., ii. 278.— Wai v.. Hep., i. 863 ; Ann.. 

 445.— Wight & Arn., Prodr., i. 271.— B. H., iv. 615.— Oliv., Fl. Prop. Afr., ii. 332. This 

 Gen., 592, n. 384. — Caillea Guill. & Perk., author admits two species. 



Fl. Seneg. Tent., i. 239.— Enm., Gen,, n. 6826. 7 Lour., Fl. CocMnch., e"d. 1 (1790), 654.— 



4 Its axis is here swollen. The surface is DC, Prodr., ii. 445. — Endl., Gcii., n. 6828, a. 

 pitted with hollows in which the flowers, axil- — B. II., Gnu, 592, n. :<sr,. Most autl 

 lary to narrow bracts, are inserted. make (his genus only a section of Desmanthtu : 



8 These are white lilac or red, while the but the anthers of the latter lark the terminal 



upper flowers are yellow. gland. 



