PHANEROGAMS — PROFESSOR BAYLEY BALFOUR. 49 



Soeotra. On the hills at Adho Dimellus, and also near Feraigeh. B.C.S. 

 n. 603. 



We saw a few trees only on the island. 



Order XXI. BURSERACE.E. 



A small order of balsam-producing trees or shrubs, inhabiting tropical 

 regions in both the old and new worlds. The two perhaps best known genera 

 of the order, Boswellia and Balsamodendron, are represented in Soeotra, and 

 there probably more copiously than in any other area of like extent. Both 

 genera are restricted in distribution to Africa and western Asia, Boswellia 

 having the more limited range. 



1. BOSWELLIA. 



Boswellia, Roxb. PI. Corom. iii. 4, t. 207 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. i. 322. 



A small genus of trees, including five species besides the Socotran ones. 

 They are distributed in Nile Land and Somali Land, and one species has a wide 

 range in northern India and the Indian peninsula. On Soeotra there are three 

 species endemic, and possibly there is a fourth. 



1. B. Ameero, Balf. fil. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edin. xi. (1882), 505 ; Engl, in 

 DC. Monog. Phanerog. iv. (1883), Addit. 536. Tab. IX. 



Arborea cortice papyraceo ; foliis magnis multifoliolatis pubescentibus rhachi tereti, foliolis 

 subsessilibus oblongo-ellipticis obtusis crenato-dentatis subrevolutis ; racemis densis foliis 

 multo brevioribus, pedicellis longis flores excedeutibus ; capsulis 4-5-gonis turbinates 

 breviter stipitatis. 



Arbor balsamiflua cortice papyraceo rurnpente. Rami terminales crassi. Folia 11-16 poll 

 longa impari-multifoliolata (11-19) ad apices ramorum conferta, rhachi pubescente ; 

 foliola subopposita subsessilia 2-3^ poll, longa f-2j poll, lata oblongo-elliptica v. rarius 

 anguste oblonga, basi obliqua subrotundata, apice obtusa, irregulariter crenato-dentata 

 venoso-reticulata pubescentia. Racemi densi breves If —3 (rarius 4) poll, longi vix ramosi 

 axillares, rhachi paullo pubescente ; pedicelli \ poll, longi pubescentes floribus multo 

 longiores. Flores precoces expansi j% P°H- diam. Calycis lobi incrassati minuti deltoidei 

 concavi persistentes. Petala 5 interdum 6 ovata v. oblongo-ovata acuta \ poll, longa 

 £ poll, lata subtiliter velutina rosea. Stamina purpurea petalis vix eequilonga, filamentis 

 subulatis subcornplanatis papillosis ad medium disci extus insertis ; antherse filamentis 

 dimidio breviores oblongae sparsim puberulse. Discus purpureus glaber persistans 

 5-lobatus, lobis paullo concavis. Ovarium glabrum stipitatum (stipite quadrangulari) 

 4— 5-lobatum 4-5-(rarissime 3-)loculare sursum angustatum in stylum tetragonum crassum 

 stigmate spongioso subtetragono terminantem. Capsula turbinata 4-5-(rarissime 3-)gona 



_5_ 

 12 



poll, longa ^ poll, lata glabra, endocarpio albido 4-cornuto. 



Nom. Vern. Ameero (B.C.S.). Hammira (Schweinf.). Amaro (Wellst.). 



Hab. Soeotra. On the slopes of the Haghier hills about Tamarida ; also 

 about Homhill. Abundant. B.C.S. nn. 394, 565. Schweinf. n. 540. Hunter 

 n. 19. 



TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDJN. VOL. XXXI. G 



