64 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



We have no flowers of this plant, but it is quite a distinct species, finding its 

 nearest allies in Lannea (now Odina) velutina, Guill. et Perr. (Flor. Seneg. 

 i. 154, t. 42), and 0. Barteri, Oliv. (Flor. Trop. Afr. i. 446), from Upper Guinea- 

 From some forms of the Indian O. Wodier, Roxb. (Flor. Ind. ii. 293), it is not 

 far removed. Oliver (loc. cit.) mentions a plant, 0. fraxinifolia, Fenzl., and in 

 Schweinfurth's catalogue of .^Ethiopian plants the same name occurs for a 

 Nubian plant ; but apparently no description has been published. The name 

 would lead one to expect it must have some resemblance with our species. 



Wellsted (in Journ. Roy. Geog. Soc. v. (1835), 199), thus writes of this tree : — 

 " One of the largest trees on the island is the Ukshare, which produces a species 

 of wild grape, bearing however but little resemblance to that fruit, unless in its 

 clustering form and rounded shape. The distribution of the branches of this 

 and all the other large trees (excepting the eshaib) is fantastic, tortuous, and 

 knotty." 



2. O. asplenifolia, Balf. fil. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Eclin. xi. (1882), 508. 



Arborea ramis glabris interdum spinosis ; foliis parvis 13-21-foliolatis ad apices ramulorum 

 lateralium abbreviatorum cont'ertis rhachi alata ; foliolis subrhomboideis v. obcuneatis v. 

 subobovatis apice dentatis v. subintegris sessilibus v. subsessilibus sursum sensim minori- 

 bus glabris glaucis ; racemis tenuibus axillaribus. 



Arbor parva balsaniiflua cortice albo-griseo. Rami glabri, juveniles brunnei saepe spinosi v. 

 ab extremitate deorsum marcescentes, laterales ssepe contracti v. subsuppressi. Folia 

 aspleuioidea ad ramos juveniles alterne dispersa sed ad apices lateralium ramorum abbrevi- 

 atorum conferta, sessilia v. subsessilia 1^-1 f poll, longa rhachi anguste alata, 13-21- 

 foliolata glabra ; foliola opposita sed s?epe versus basin rhacheos alterna, versus apicem 

 gradatim minora \ poll, longa v. minora rarissime \ poll, longa \ poll, lata subrhomboidea 

 v. obcuneata v. subobovata apice 3-5-dentata v. subintegra, a medio deorsum integra 

 cuneataque, foliolo terminali saepissime maximo plerumque pinnatifido acuto v. obtuso, 

 venulis primariis prominulis albidisque in pagina glauco-viridi. Racemi axillares tenues 

 subpubesceutes; bracteolse amplexicaules pubescentes. Alabastri globosi. Flores tetra- 

 meri. Caet. ignot. 



Socotra. On the hill slopes, often at a high elevation. B.C.S. n. 710. 



Distrtb. Endemic. 



A small tree, of which we have incomplete specimens, fully developed 

 flowers and fruits being unknown. From the young inflorescence, however, I 

 have been able to determine the genus, and there is no doubt that it is a new 

 species. 



It is a very graceful tree, with small asplenium-like leaves. It yields a gum- 

 resin. I obtained, however, no definite information regarding the collection 

 of, or the special attributes of this, except that it is a bad Luban. In this 

 respect the tree is homotonous with the 0. obovata, Hook. fil. (Oliv. Flor. Trop. 

 Afr. i. 447), from Somali Land, which is said to yield a poor Luban not collected 

 by the Somalis. In that species our Socotran plant finds the nearest affinity, 



