216 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



short subulate reflexed branches generally disappearing early. From 

 the base of the cell rises a central placenta, bearing on each side two 

 rows of rather numerous ascending imbricated anatropous ovules, 

 with the micropyle looking downwards and outwards. The fruit is 

 dry, indehiscent, generally monospermous ; and round it persists the 

 calyx, its pieces more or less accrescent, and becoming dry, rigid, 

 very unequal wings. One of these surpasses all the others in 

 length. 1 The seed encloses under its coats a large fleshy embryo, 



Lophira alula. 



Fig. 219. 

 Gynaeceum (*). 



Fig. 220. 

 Placenta bearing ovules (f). 



Fig. 221. 

 Fruit (i). 



with inferior radicle, and thick subequal' cotyledons. Only one 

 species of this genus is known — L. alata? It is a fine pyramidal tree, 

 native of Western Tropical Africa. The leaves are alternate, simple, 

 entire, elongated, often undulated, penninerved, and the nerves parallel, 

 numerous, scarcely reticulated. The flowers 3 are collected at the 

 apex of the branches, or in the axils of the leaves, in more or less 

 ramified compound racemes. 



1 It represents the most exterior sepal. Sepal 

 2 is often tolerably developed in the flower and 

 round the oblong pointed fruit. The inequality 

 of the leaves begins from the bud, where sepals 

 3, 4, and 5 are shortest, almost orbicular, obtuse, 

 membranous, while the other two, which arc 

 thicker, approach the lanceolate form. 



a Banks, loc. cil. — Gutllem. & Peee., Fl. 

 Seneg. Tent, i. 109, t. 24.— Oiiv., Fl. Trop. Apr., 

 l. 174. — Walp., Sep. v. 128. — L. simplex Don, 

 Gen. Syst., i. 814. — L. ofricana Don (ex A. 

 DC. Prodr., xvi. 639). 



3 Whitish. 



