160 xl. ampelidEjE. [Cissus 



cordate-ovate, shortly acuminate, distantly and sharply serrate, fleshy, 

 soft ; petiole acutely 4-angular, deeply channelled, l{ in. long. In the 

 winter or dry time (June to August) the stems denuded of leaves hang 

 from branched trees after the manner of Rhipsalis or of Cereus ; at the 

 commencement of the spring-rains the plant reassumes the habit of 

 Cissus. Peduncles obtusely quadrangular ; pedicels terete ; flowers pale- 

 yellowish ; calyx somewhat repand — 4-dentate ; petals 4, fleshy, rigid, 

 reflexed at the time of flowering ; stamens 4, erect, exceeding the firm 

 style which is stigmatose at the apex ; ripe fruit red, ovoid-globose, 

 as large as a good-sized pea, 1-celled, 1-seeded ; seed wrapped in 

 mucilaginous membrane, erect, black, rather rough, rather large. Not 

 uncommon in grassy fields and thickets, climbing on species of Stercidia, 

 Ficus, and Adansonia ; fl. near Penedo Feb. 1858, young fr. near 

 Oamutamba April 1858 ; common about the city of Loanda, fl. Jan. 

 1854. No. 1497. Fr. March 1858. Coll. Carp. 338. 



12. C. aralioid.es Planch. Monogr. Ampelid. p. 513. 



Vitis aralioides Welw. ex Baker in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. i. p. 411. 

 V. constricta Baker, I.e., p. 409. 



Golungo Alto. — A robust shrub, climbing extensively and to a 

 great height, and then gracefully pendulous, the whole plant and 

 especially the ample inflorescence resembling an Aralia ; stem cylin- 

 drical, succulent but hard, jointed, violet-purple, densely scattered with 

 small black rather raised points ; petioles 2 to 4 in. long, somewhat 

 furrowed ; leaflets 5, all more or less broadly elliptic-lanceolate, un- 

 equal at the base, attenuate at both ends, distantly toothed, subglabrous, 

 dark green and with a velvety-metallic gloss above, herbaceous-green 

 beneath ; teeth subulate, red ; nerves more or less purplish ; tendrils 

 simple or bifid, spirally twisted, rather long, purplish ; calyx very 

 narrowly and shortly fringed on the margin ; petals 4, red ; stamens 

 opposite to the deep erect thick rounded-obtuse yellowish channelled 

 lobes of the disk ; style elongated, capitate-stigmatose at the apex ; 

 fruit rather elongated, blue-purplish, edible, as big as a good-sized 

 olive, 1-seeded. In damp dense primitive woods, climbing especially 

 on Khaya anthotheca CDC, and on species of Spondiese, along the 

 streams Cuango and Quiapoze ; fl. April 1856, fr. June 1856, with 

 foliage without fl. or fr. Jan. 1855. The most robust of all the 

 species of vines seen by Welwitsch in Angola, nearly arborescent at 

 the base ; stem 2£ to 3 in. in diameter at the base, cylindrical-jointed 

 as in Rhipsalis, somewhat furrowed on one side, nodose at the insertion 

 of the branchlets leaves and tendrils. It is a remarkable ornament 

 when in fruit to the trees on which it grows, and favours especially 

 river-side trees ; at Quiapoze, in fr. May 1855. No. 1484. 



13. C. gracilis Guill. & Perr. Fl. Seneg. p. 134 (1832); Planch. 

 Monogr. Ampelid. p. 565. 



C. membranacea Hook. f. in Hook. Niger Fl. p. 266 (1849). 

 Vitis gracilis Baker in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. i. p. 404 pro parte. 



Ambriz.— In hilly exposed shortly bushy places between the mouth 

 of the river Loge and Quizembo, sparingly ; fr. Nov. 1853. No. 1494. 



Barra do Bengo. — In damp woods at the banks of the river Bengo 

 near the convent of St. Antonio (several specimens accidentally sunk 

 in the deep parts of the river) ; fr. Dec. 1853. No. 1496. 



Golungo Alto. — A herb, climbing high, with small green somewhat 

 purplish flowers. In very shady primitive forests near the stream 

 Delamboa ; fl. Feb. 1856. No. 1477. By the thickets in the more 



