Part 1, 1907] OXALIDACEAE 57 



9. BIOPHYTUM DC. Prodr. 1 : 689. 1824. 



Annual plants, the naked stem terminating in a congested cluster of foliage and inflores- 

 cence. Leaves elongate, spreading ; blades equally pinnate, the leaflets numerous, opposite, 

 verv inequilateral. Flowers borne in congested cymes terminating naked flower-stalks, the 

 bracts imbricated, persistent. Sepals 5, the inner ones narrower than the outer. Petals 5, 

 obovate to cuneate, mostly yellow. Stamens 10, alternately longer and shorter. Styles 5, 

 distinct. Capsule elongate, the five valves separating from each other and the column, and 

 radiating from the base. Seeds tubercular-papillose. 



Type species, Oxalis sensitive/, L. 



1. Biophytum dendroides (H.B.K.) DC. Prodr. 1: 690. 1824. 



Oxalis dendroides H.B.K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. S: 250. 1822. 



Plants 3-26 cm. tall ; stem terete, retrorse-strigillose, often densely so near the top, 

 simple ; leaves crowded, 3-12 cm. long, the rachis closely pubescent, the leaflets mostly 

 20^10, those near the base of the rachis ovate, those near the apex obovate or cuneate, all 

 obliquely acute or abruptly pointed, slightly broadened at the base, ciliate and with scat- 

 tered hairs beneath, with fewer scattered hairs above, or glabrous ; peduncles stout and 

 densely pubescent during anthesis, more slender and sparingly pubescent in age, 1.5-5 cm. 

 long ; cymes congested, mostly less than 1 cm. long ; bracts imbricate, long-attenuate ; 

 sepals 6-8 mm. long, acuminate, the outer broadly linear to linear-lanceolate, the inner 

 narrowly linear ; petals yellow, about twice as long as the sepals ; styles pubescent ; 

 capsules oblong, 4-5 mm. long. 



Type locality : Colombia. 



Distribution: Mexico, Central America and northern South America. 



10. AVERRHOA L. Sp. PI. 428. 1753. 



Trees with forking stems, the ultimate branchlets leafy at the end only, or throughout. 

 Leaves alternate, elongate ; blades unequally pinnate, the leaflets opposite, or nearly so, 

 several or rather numerous, the lateral ones slightly inequilateral. Flowers borne in panicle- 

 like axillary or lateral cymes, the cymules more or less congested, the bracts minute, 

 deciduous. Sepals 5, the inner ones slightly narrower or broader and longer than the outer. 

 Petals 5, obovate to spatulate, white, red or purple. Stamens 10, alternately longer and 

 shorter. Styles 5, distinct. Berry elongate, more or less lobed, drooping. Seeds numerous. 



Type species, Averrhoa Bilimbi L. 



Flower-clusters borne on the trunk or branches; petals 14-20 mm. long. 1. A. Bilimbi. 



Flower-clusters borne in the leaf-axils ; petals 4.5-6 mm. long. 2. A. Carambola. 



1. Averrhoa Bilimbi L,. Sp. PI. 428. 1753. 

 A tree commonly 10-20 m. tall ; leaves mostly 4-7 dm. long, the rachis densely pubescent ; 

 leaflets numerous, usually 31-45, the blades various, those near the base of the rachis of an 

 ovate type, those higher up lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, rather long-acuminate, all 

 paler beneath than above and rather copiously pubescent ; flower-clusters borne on short 

 branchlets on the trunk or branches ; sepals finely pubescent, the outer ovate or oblong- 

 ovate, the inner oblong or linear-oblong, 6-7 mm. long, narrower than the outer ones ; 

 petals spatulate, 14-20 mm. long, reddish-purple; fruits oblong or clavate-oblong, 6-9 cm. 

 long, the ridges rounded. 



Type locality : India. 



Distribution: West Indies and Central America. Introduced from the East Indies. Widely 

 distributed in tropical countries, both cultivated and naturalized. 



Illustrations: Rheede, Hort. Mai. 3 : pi. 45,46; Rumpf. Amb. 1 : pi. 36; Cav. Diss fil 

 219 ; Lam. Encvc. pi. 385. 



