2 3° 



Ocotea (continued). 



The leaves always possess two or more bulging spots near their base, 

 hence the specific name of the plant. Such inflated spots of the lamina of 

 a leaf are called <luiil(lti<l or (((•(ir<>-<hnimti<(, and are, at any rate on young 

 leaves, inhabited by various kinds of mites {acari). The presence of the 

 acari appears to enable other arachnids to thrive there as well; among others we 

 have observed some small, green, quite translucent spiders on the under side 

 of the leaves. 



The fruit is set in a curious cup resembling the Cupule of an acorn, but 

 ot different morphological origin, as it is formed from the receptacle (base of 

 the calyx), while the real fruit is the drupe contained in it. When ripe the 

 pericarp ot the fruit becomes almost black. In the genus Cryptocarya the 

 cupule encloses the fruit completely, becoming somewhat pulpy like the pericarp, 

 thus forming a pseudodrupe. 



Fam. 30. Monimiaceae (S. A.). 



Trees with opposite leaves. Dioecious. Flowers 

 racemose, with small, scale-like sepals; petals o. Male 

 flower with 00 stamens. Female flower with an annular 

 disc; ovary i-celled, i-ovuled, with a sessile, subpeltate 

 stigma. Fruit a pseudodrupe. Seed with copious albumen. 



The only S. A. genus. 1 species in S. A., 1 in Trop. Atr. 

 and one in Madagascar. Mor. Cap. v, i, 4*^2. 



Xymalos AW/. 



Xymalos monospora (Harv.) Baill. 



The name is an anagram of Xylosma (Rixaceae), 

 in which genus Harvey [Thes. n, pi. 181] originally placed 

 the plant. It diflers, however, too considerably from that 

 genus, and later authors have removed it to Monimiaceae. 



No species of Xylosma is known within our limits. 



A tree 50 — 70 feet high, abundant in dense parts of 

 the Eastern, Natal and Transvaal forests. Its colonial name 

 is " Lemoenhout, wild lemon" Fruits \ inch long, bright red. 

 Racemes often produced in clusters from the old, leafless 

 wood. 



" It is reserved in all conservancies, and as it endures 

 enormous forest fires without being killed, gaunt and 



