234 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[Vol.fi, No. 3 



Brass 17906 shows only twigs, leaves and fruit. So far it agrees satisfactorily 

 with B. pedicellaris; but since this species has up till noW been collected only 

 in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanganyika Territory, I prefer to await flowers before 

 identifying Brass 17906 certainly. Although I have not seen the type-specimen, I 

 feel that the original description and named specimens at Kew of Balanites aus- 

 tralis Bremek. (Ann. Transv. Mus. 15: 244. 1933) indicate a plant too close to B. 

 pedicellaris to be separated specifically. If this supposition is confirmed, then 

 the locality of Brass 17906 would be intermediate in position between the east 

 African area of B. pedicellaris and the locality of B. australis in the N. Transvaal. 



Balanites dawei Sprague, Kew Bull. 1913: 140. 1913. 



Chikwawa District: Chikwawa, in Acacia albida woodland, tree 20 m. high 

 and 75 cm. in diameter, flowers green, few buds open, 200 m., Oct. 3, 1946, 

 17924. Portuguese East Africa and now new to Nyasaland. 



I very much doubt whether B. maughamii Sprague (Kew Bull. 1913: 138. 1913) 

 is specifically distinct. The main distinction, according to Sprague, between the 

 two lies in the fruits, lacking in Mr. Brass* specimen; Sprague also gives a very 

 slight difference in the shape of the petals of B. dawei and B. maughamii, which, 

 if genuine, suggests that Brass 17924 is better placed under B. dawei. More ma- 

 terial is wanted. 



OCHNACEAE 



Ochna leptoclada Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 318. 1868. 



Kota-kota District: Chia area, locally common in sandy woodlands of lake- 

 plains, shrub 30-50 cm. high, deciduous, petals yellow, fugacious, calyx reddish, 

 fruit immature, 480 m., Sept. 1, 1946, 17477. Belgian Congo, Tanganyika Terri- 

 tory, N. and S. Rhodesia. 



Ochna gracilipes Hiern, Cat. Welw. Afr. PI. 1: 121. 1896; Exell & Mendonqa in 

 Carrisso, Consp. Fl. Angol. 1: 286. 1951. 



Kota-kota District: Chintembwe, in rocky grasslands, low bushy shrub 20-30 

 cm, high, flowers yellow, fruiting calyx red, fruit immature," 1400 m., Sept. 9, 

 1946, 17588. Belgian Congo, Tanganyika Territory, Nyasaland, N. and S. Rho- 

 desia, Angola, and South West Africa. 



The taxonomy of this and the preceding species is very difficult, and I do 

 not feel at all sure that the above treatment is right. The material available is 

 inadequate. Specimens collected from the same clump so as to show flowers ma- 

 ture leaves and ripe fruit will often require more than one visit, at different sea- 

 sons; but this is what is badly needed, here and in other genera. At present it is 

 hard to know whether there are several closely related species or one variable one. 



I ve?y strongly suspect that, whatever the final taxonomic verdict, Ochna hil- 

 lii Hutch. (Kew Bull. 1921: 245. 1921) will turn out to be a synonym of 0. graci- 

 lipes. If this is so then the range of O. gracilipes is extended to the savannah 

 regions of French Guinea, Ivory Coast, Gold Coast, and Nigeria. 



Ochna longipes Bak. Kew Bull. 1897: 247. 1897. 

 Ochna shirensis Bak. Kew Bull. 1897: 247. 1897. 



Cholo District: Cholo Mountain, rocky situations in rain-forest, tree 10 m. 

 high, deciduous, young leaves only, flowers yellow, 1400 m., Sept. 20, 1946, 

 17668. Kenya, Tanganyika Territory, Nyasaland, S. Rhodesia, and Portuguese 

 East Africa. 



MELIACEAE 



Turraea robusta Gurke, Bot. Jahrb. 19 Beibl. 47: 34. 1894. 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, rocky edges of rain-forest, tree 4-6 

 m. high, flowers brownish, fruit green, aril bright orange, seeds black, 1650 m., 



