346 LII, COMBRETACES. [Combretum 
opposite or sub-opposite, often ternate, upper ones sometimes 
alternate, elliptical, narrowly acuminate at the apex, but little 
attenuated at the base, unequal especially the lower ones at the 
base, rigidly and thinly coriaceous, deep-green above, paler 
beneath, 23 to 5 in. long by 3 to 2 in. broad, those of the barren 
branches softly whitish-silky (turning reddish-brown in drying), 
those of the flowering branches more or less smooth and glabrescent ; 
petiole rather longer than usual in the genus, ranging up to 1 in. 
or more; flowers tetramerous, sessile or subsessile, crowded in 
dense clusters arranged in axillary and terminal spikes forming 
oblong or pyramidal more or less leafy panicles, scarlet or 
blood-red, brilliant ; bracteoles minute, narrow, shorter than 
the ovary, quickly caducous; calyx 4 to 4 in. long; calyx-limb 
elongate-campanulate, silky-pubescent outside, pubescent inside ; 
teeth from a deltoid base acute and bearded at the apex ; petals 
very broadly ovate or suborbicular, always but very little attenuated 
or apiculate at the apex, shortly exceeding the calyx-teeth, over- 
lapping on the margins, glabrous or nearly so; stamens 8, 
moderately exserted, scarlet like the petals; style rather firm, 
erect, shorter than the filaments. 
Punco ANDonGo. On a red-clay soil in the thickets of Cabanga, 
sparingly ; fl. Jan. 1857. No. 4301. In bushy places on rich ferru- 
ginous clay at the borders of primitive forests near Quibanga, rather 
rare ; fl. Jan. and Feb. 1857. No. 4365. 
This species is nearly related to C. virgatum Welw., from which it 
differs by the oblong calyx, smaller bracteoles, less permanent tomentum. 
on the foliage, etc. \ 
12. C. eleagnoides Klotzsch in Peters, Mossamb. Bot. p. 73 
(1862); Laws. in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. ii. p. 426. 
MossaMepes.—A bush or small tree 8 to 12 rarely 15 feet high, 
with the habit and clothing of an Elcagnus; stem much branched 
from the base ; branches divaricate, spinescent when old ; wood 
excellent, very hard, durable, tenacious ; branchlets compressed, many 
abortive and passing into elongated straight spines, the younger ones 
as well as the lower face of the leaves and young parts clothed with 
discoid ferruginous or at first silvery scales after the fashion of Elaagnus- 
In shrubby sandy places on the right bank of the estuary of the river 
Bero (Garganta do Rio Bero) at Boca do Rio, 9 or 10 geographical miles 
from the ocean, amongst tall bushes, sporadic ; leafy branches without 
either fl. or fr., July and 10 August 1859. Nos. 4283, 4387. 
In the absence of flower and fruit it is impossible absolutely to 
confirm this determination. 
13. C. truncatum Welw. ex Laws. in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. ii. 
p. 427 ; non Engler, quod C. Oliverianum Eng). 
BENGUELLA.—A tree of moderate size, with a spreading broad leafy 
head ; leaves rounded, obtuse, scaly on both faces ; fruit proportion- 
ately rather small, scaly all over, truncate at the base ; seed hexagonal, 
angles obtuse but fairly prominent. In wooded sandy maritime 
situations between the city of Benguella and the river Catumbella - 
fr. June 1859. No, 4372. 
