ox. LAURACE^. 915 



2. PERSEA Plum. ; Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PL iii. p. 156. 



1. P. gratissima Gaertn. f. Suppl. Carpel, p. 222. t. 221 (1807) ; 

 Fioalho, PI. Uteis, p. 247 (1884) ; Henriques, Bol. Soc. Brot. x. 

 p. 155 (1893). 



Island op St. Thomas. — A handsome evergreen tree of moderate 

 height ; fruit like a large pear in size and shape : seed large, egg-shaped, 

 embedded in sweet-acidulous pulp. Cultivated on Monte Cafe, about 

 2000 ft. alt. ; fl. and fr. Dec. 1860. Formerly introduced from Brazil 

 and thriving well ; called " Abooate " or " Avacate," the alligator pear 

 of the English. No. 6429. 



3. CASSYTHA L. ; Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. p. 164. 



1. C. filiformis L. Sp. PI. edit. 1, p. 35 (1753). 



Cassyta Guineensis Schum. & Thonn. in Danske Vid. Selsk. iii. 

 p. 219 (1828). 



SiERKA Leone. — In wooded mountainous places about Freetown, 

 plentiful ; fl. and fr. Sept. 1853. No. 6426. 



PuNGO Andongo. — A climbing-twining plant, very densely covering 

 the heads of trees and shrubs, as for instance " Muzillo-XiUo " (cf . 

 Vitex CimhowsTdi Kotsch. & Peyr.) and " Musugu " (of. Gigalohium 

 abyssinicum), with coriacous tenacious golden-safCron, or like an egg- 

 yolk in colour ; flowers pale yellow ; bracteoles at the base of the 

 flowers about 3 ; style firm, acutely trigonous ; fruit scarcely becoming 

 baccate ; seeds with their outer coat horny-hard and thick, and thin 

 inner coat membranous and whitish. By the banks of the river Cuanza 

 in Sobato de Cavallo, 20' geographical miles distant from the prsesidinm 

 eastwards, sporadic but where present covering the broad heads of 

 shrubs and trees with a golden yellow colour ; fl. and fr. 30 Jan. 1857. 

 No. 6428. On various trees close to the river Cuanza, between Condo 

 and Quisonde, sporadic ; fl. and fr. 12 March 1857 ; also at Candambe 

 near Sansamanda, plentiful ; fl. and fr. No. 6427. 



Benguella. — In small maritime woods near the city of Benguella, 

 parasitical on Acacia trees (cf. A. etbaica Sohweinf. ; Welw. herb. no. 

 1819), towards the river Catumbella ; fl.-bud June 1859. No. 6424. 



MossAMEDES. — A shrublet or at least it might be called an under- 

 shrub, climbing far and wide and to a great height, green-yellow or 

 bright orange ; flowers always yellowish ; berries greenish-yellow, 

 hard. In thickets close to the banks of the rivers Bero and Giraul, 

 ubiquitous, not uncommonly completely investing and overcoming 

 species of Acacia and Tamarix (cf. A. albida Del., Welw. herb. no. 

 1824 ; and T. orientalis Forsk., Welw. herb. no. 1086) ; by the river 

 Bero, July ; by the Giraiil 19 July 1859 ; fl. and fr. No. 6425. 



4. HERNANDIA Plum., L. ; Benth. k Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. p. 164. 

 1. H. beninensis Welw. ex Ficalho, PI. Uteis, p. 247 (1884) ; 

 Henriques, Bol. Soc. Brot. x. p. 155 (1893). 



Island op St. Thomas. — Leaves spuriously quinquenerved or sub- 

 palmatinerved, subpeltate or obliquely seated on the petiole which is 

 attached a little within the blade ; flower-buds compact, somewhat 

 fleshy, greenish white ; male flowers constantly trimerous ; the female 

 flower intermediate. In the mountainous parts of the island, at an 



, elevation of 1800 feet on Monte CafE^ ; fl.-bud Dec. 1860. Negro 



' name " Bunga." No. 1240. 



