192 



FLOBA INDICA. \_Menisperninn'fT\ 



Plant. Jav. Ear. Ifi7. Menispermum laurifolium, Bo.vb. M. fuel. iii. 

 815. 



Hab. Ill Himalaya siibtropica media et occidentali, alt. 2-5000 ped. ; 

 in Nipalia centrali, H^all ! Kuraaon ! Simla! Jamu ! — (Fl. vere.) (». v.) 



DiSTBlB. Japonia, IlasskarL 



Arhor parva, vol frutex trunco abtreviato. Tiami divaricali, apice penduli, sfcpe 

 elongati et sarmcntosi, angulati, striatuli, gkbri ; ramuli basi fasciculo pilorum cir- 

 cumdati. Folia lanceolata, coriacea, liicida, subtus pallida, acuta vcl acuminata, mu- 

 cro)iulata, trinervia, 3-6 poll, longa, \-\\ lata, petiolo i-|-pollicari. Faiucidfe 

 a.xillares vel paullo snpra-axillares, solitarisc, vcl 2 supi-rpositse, basi fasciculo pilorum 

 stipatjc, l-2-pol]icares, corymbose ; masculas plevumquc majores. BracteiB Diinuta3, 

 cito deciduie. Flores minuti. Sepala exteriora interioribus dimidio minora, acuta. 

 Fetala profuade biloba, lobis obtusis vel acutiusculis. Stamina sterilia in llore 

 fcmineo 6. Ovaria late ovalia. Stt/li cylindrici, reflesi. Drujpcn minimEe, rotun- 

 data:. Futamen fragile, dorso obscure carinatum, rugis transversis validis notatum, 

 utrinque profunde excavatum, impcrforatum. 



This plant is remarkable in the Order for its erect habit. It is, however, often 

 decidedly sarmentose, and on the ticket attached to Wallich's Nipal specimens in the 

 Liunean Society's collection (Cat. No. 4905 A), we find it noted that the plant is 

 " valde similis M. launfolio, Roxb., scd scandit." The axillary corymbs vary much 

 iu size. Sometimes they are very short, and eight or ten flowered, as described by 

 De Candolle. ilore rarely, in very luxuriant specimens, they are expanded into 

 coinpound panicles, leafy at top. A Java specimen from Mr. liobb (we presume cul- 

 tivated) is broader-leaved than the ordinary state of the Himalayan plant, but we can 

 see no other difference. 



3. C. Leseba (DC. Syst. i, 529, Prod. i. 99); foliis giabnusculis 

 oblongis vel tiapezoideis integris vel lobatis, floribus in axillis fasoicu- 

 latis, f'ccmineis subsolitariis. — A. Richard, Fl. Snieg. i. 13 ; Jl'ebb, Spic. 

 Gorg. in Uoolf. Niger Flora, p. 97. C. Cebatha, BC. Syst. i. 527, 

 Prod. i. 99; Miers in Hook. Niqcr Flora, p. 215. C. ellipticus, I)C. 

 Si/d. i. 527, Prod. i. 100. C. Epibaterium, DG. Syst. i. 530, Prod, i, 

 I'OO. C. lEBvis, Trail. Cat. 49 75 ! C. glaber, TFight et Am. Prod. i. 13. 

 Leaiba et Cebatha, Forsh. Fl. JEgypt. Arab. Epibaterium, Fomter, Gen. 

 t. 54. Menispermum Le;cbii, Del. Fl. Aig. t. 51./. 2, 3. M. edule, 

 I'ald, Lam., tnild. M. elliptioum, Point. 



Hab. In Carnaticse montosis aridis prope Madura, Wight! et Coim- 

 bator, Gardner.' in dumetis aridis Sindh, Vicaryf Panjab, Edgeworth! 

 usque ad Firozpur! etLodhiana!; et in Afghanistan, Griffith! — (Fl. 

 per totum annum.) {v. u.) 



DisTiiiB. Arabia ! iEgyptus ! ins. Cap. Viridis ! Senegambia ! 



Frutex alte scandens, ramis glabris cinereis, ramulis elongatis vimineis gracillimis 

 pube minuta incano-puberulis demum glabratis. Folia forma valde varia, oblonga 

 aut trapezoidea angulis rotundatis, aut obscure triloba rarins obtuse 3-5-loba, interdum 

 lincari-oblonga, plcrnmque obtusa cum mucrone, basi cuneata vel rarius rotundata, 

 Juniora incano-pubcrula vel glabrata, adulta glabra utrinque glauca, \-\\ poll, longa, 

 \—\ lata, petiolo 3-3 lineas longo. Flores axillares, tubcrculo piloso inserti ; mas- 

 citli in fasciculum densiflorum petiolum vix a;quantem congesti, pedicellis unifloris ; 

 fceminei solitarii vel bini, rarius in speciminibus luxuriantibus plures, pedicellis petiolos 

 lequantibus pubescentibus. Drwfue minimse, 1-2 lin, longfe. 



Of this very variable plant, which has a wide range iu the hot desert regions of 

 Africa and Asia, W£ have been able to compare extensive suites of specimens. C. 



