COMBRETACEJE. 15 



and nerves, and nppresso-pubescent beneath : petiole short, 

 compressed. Peduncles about six together, below and 

 close to the cluster of young leaves, nearly an inch in 

 length, compressed, aureo-fomentose, each bearing a glo- 

 bular head of flowers, pendulous : flowers small, yellow- 

 ish, very shortly pedicelled, inserted into small excava- 

 tions at the extremity of the peduncle. Calyx urceolate, 

 edentulous or obscurely 5 toothed. Stamens 10, erect, 

 inserted on the sides of the calyx; 5 of them scarcely 

 longer than the calyx ; the other o nearly twice the length. 

 Ovary villous ; style length of the longer stamens ; stigma 

 acuta. Drupe size and shape of an (live, green, oblong ; 

 nut oblong, compressed, hexangular, 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



This tree sheds its leaves, and at the same time the fruit 

 drops, early in the year, and for a time the branches re- 

 main naked. The young leaves, which have a silky 

 russet appearance, and the flowers, are produced during 

 the months of May and June. This tree, according to 

 Robinson has received the name of Ncgressee from the 

 Negroes. The bark has an aromatic astringent bitter 

 taste, and a decoction of it, we are informed, has been 

 employed as a remedy for the complicated diseases, re- 

 sembling constitutional syphilis, to which the African race 

 is so subject. The woTW is of a yellow colour, is durable, 

 and, being of a close grain, takes a fine polish. It its em- 

 ployed to make bedsteads, and other furniture. 



II. Terminally. 



Flowers, by abortion, generally polygamous. 

 Limb of the calyx deciduous, bell-shaped, 5-fid 

 with the lobes acute. Petals O. Stamens 10, 

 biserial, longer than the calyx. Ovary bi-ovuled $ 

 style filiform, subacute. Drupe not crowned 

 with the calyx, generally juiceless, indehiscent, 

 one-seeded 5 seed amygdaloid 5 cotyledons spi- 

 rally convoluted. — DC, 



Trees or shrubs, natives of the Tropics. Leaves usu- 

 ally in bunches at the termination of the branches. Flow- 

 ers in a spike : spikes racemose or panicled ; $ flowers 

 situated at the lower, $ at the upper portion of the spike. 

 — Named from the leaves bein^- collected in clusters at the 

 termination of the branches. 



