HyalocystisJ] xc. convolvulace^e (baker and rendle). 115 



towards their insertion, and ciliated with glandular hairs. Disc low, 

 ring-like. Ovary ovoid, 1-celled, 4-ovuled ; style undivided, filiform ; 

 stigmas 2, spherical. Capsule spherical, indehiscent ; pericarp thin- 

 walled, transparent ; seed solitary, spherical. — A prostrate, sticky herb, 

 with stalked shortly palinati-lobed leaves. Peduncles axillary, 1-3 

 flowered. 



Endemic and monotypic. 



~Not seen. Very near Merremia, the distinguishing feature being the indehis- 

 cent one-seeded capsule. 



1. H. viscosa, Hallier f. I.e. 228. A prostrate herb, densely 

 covered, especially on the branches, leaf-stalks, peduncles, sepals and 

 young shoots, with glandular sticky hairs ; branches elongated, up to 

 1^ ft. long, ^ to 1 lin. thick, almost simple. Leaves reniform-sub- 

 orbicular in outline, reaching about 1 in. long and broad ; lobes very 

 short, rounded, spinous- dentate on both surfaces on the excurrent 

 nerves ; the young leaves puberulous, the adult glabrescent, except on 

 the nerves which are yellowish glandular-pubescent beneath, palmately 

 5— 7-nerved ; petiole up to 5 lin. long. Peduncle shorter than the 

 petiole, sparsely hirsute with spreading hairs, like the bracts, minute 

 linear bracteoles and sepals ; pedicels scarcely exceeding 1 lin. long. 

 Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute, pale green, 4 lin. long, the 2 outer 

 serrate, the inner smaller, shorter, entire. Corolla 1 in. long and 

 about 9 lin. broad, spreading suddenly from a very short narrow tube, 

 pale dull violet, hirsute with grey spreading hairs. Stamens uneqiial ; 

 anthers linear-sagittate. Ovary and lower part of style densely hairy. 

 Capsule about 3 lin. in diam., pubescent. Seed black, opaque, laxly 

 grey pilosulose. 



Nile Land. Somaliland : Rolecc7ii-JBricc7iefti, 339. 



21. LEPISTEMON, Blume ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. 873. 



Sepals 5, ovate, subequal. Corolla suburceolate, the broad tube 

 narrowing upwards ; limb small, spreading, shortly 5-lobed. Stamens 

 inserted low down in the corolla-tube ; filaments short, filiform, spring- 

 ing from the back of five ovate scales, which arch over the ovary ; 

 anthers linear-oblong. Disc cupular, truncate. Ovary 2-celled, 4- 

 ovuled ; style short, subulate ; stigma capitate, 2-lobed. Capsule 

 4-valved. Seeds glabrous. — Climbing herbs. Leaves broad, entire or 

 lobed. Flowers small, in sessile or peduncled axillary cymes. 



Species 5, extending through Tropical Asia to Xew Guinea and North 

 Australia. 



1. L. africanum, Oliver in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 1270. Stems wide-climb- 

 ing, clothed with long spreading pale brown stinging hairs. Leaves 

 cordate-ovate, membranous, acute to obtuse, 2-6 in. long and broad, 

 green and more or less hairy on both sui'faces, usually irregularly 

 sinuate, with deltoid lobes ; petiole long, deciduously hairy like the stem. 



