DR. B. SEEMANN ON THE CRESCENTIACE^E. 7 
« 
the oldest name (Tripmna) would seem forced upon me ; but in yielding to this I should 
he obliged to disturb a whole series of well-established names ; and that I cannot bring 
myself to do as long as no specimens of Lourciro's doubtful plant have been examined. 
There is another reason which prompts me to pause. The habit of all Coleas with opposite 
leaves and terminal flowers is very different from that of the Coleas with verticillate 
leaves and flowers growing out of the old wood, rendering it probable that these differ- 
ences may be accompanied by important generic distinctions, which, when the flowers 
and fruit of. all the species shall have become better known, may justify a breaking up of 
Colea into at least two distinct genera. Loureiro's Trip'nnia might then be restored, and 
the name of Colea be restricted to Colea Mauritiana and its allies. Even now it will aid us 
in the classification, if we divide the genus sectionally into Colea genuine and Tripinna. 
I have added four new species, three of which were discovered by recent travellers, whilst 
one (C. Bojeri) had been misplaced under Bignonia, This will in some measure com- 
pensate for the reduction of species it has been necessary to make. Colea ramijlora, 
DeCand. and C. obtusifolia, DeCand. have been united with C. Manri/iana, Boj., there 
being no specific distinction between them. C '. jloribunda , Boj., like all Coleas established 
by Bojer, proves a good species, of which C. caulijlora, DeCand. and C ? Commersonii 
are undoubtedly synonyms. C. purpurascens, Seem, seems a very distinct species : I must, 
however, own that I entertain doubts whether it may not fall, together with C. Bojeri 
(Bignonia Bojeri, DeCand.), of which I have seen no specimens, and which is but imper- 
fectly described. C. Seychellarum, Seem, and C. hispidissima, Seem, arc founded upon 
very distinctive characters, and will probably stand. C. tetragona, DeCand. is also a 
good species, the branches of which are, however, apt to have more than four sides. 
C. decora is perhaps the most variable species, the leaves being simple, trifoliated, and 
imparipinnate, whilst the flowers (normally placed in simple racemes) are often quite 
isolated on a bracteate rachis. Owing to this extreme variation, the species has seldom 
been recognized, and a host of synonyms has been the consequence. Colea nitida, 
DeCand., C. ChapelieH, DeCand., Bignonia racemosa, Lam., and B. compressa, Lam., 
are the names under which it appears in our systematic works. C. Telfairice, Boj. and 
C. mvolucrata, Boj. are also good species, to the latter of which Bignonia bracteosa, 
DeCand. must be added as a synonym. 
§ I. Folia verticillata. Flores e trunco ramisque ortl (Coleae genuinae). 
1. Colea floribunda ; arbuscula ; ramis obtuse angulatis glabris, foliis 4-5 -no- verticil- 
latis 5-8-jugis cum impari, foliolis petiolulatis elliptico-oblongis vel oblongo-lanceo 
latis acuminatis, utrinque glabris, racemis e caule ramisque ortis, calyce glabro 
corolla (lutea) extus velutino-scabrida, intus villosa, staminibus ovario stylo fructuqiu 
elongato cylindraceo subtoruloso glabris. (v. v. cult, et sp. s.) 
Colea jloribunda, Bojer, Hort. Maurit. p. 220 (1837) ; Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1841, 1. 19; DeCand. Prodr. ix 
p. 241, n. 3 (1845). 
Colea} Commersonii, DeCand. Prodr. ix. p. 242, n. 11 (1845). 
Jifl 
m 
Nomen vernaculum Madagascariense : " Rei-rei" 
