446 Account of the Edible Fruits of Sierra Leone. 



Anisophyllea. Brown MSS. 

 Monkey Apple. Anisophyllea laurina. 



Neither flowers or fruits of this plant were sent home by 

 Mr. Don, and the seeds which were received from him did 

 not vegetate. Specimens, however, were fortunately in the 

 possession of Mr. Brown, on which the blossoms were per- 

 fect, and the fruits nearly full grown ; by these the account 

 of the species has been rendered more complete than it other- 

 wise could have been. The fruit is sold in the markets of 

 Sierra Leone in the months of April and May, and it is 

 described by Mr. Don as being superior to any other which 

 he tasted in Africa. It is of the size and shape of a pigeon's 

 egg, red on the sunned side, yellow on the other, its flavour 

 something between that of the Nectarine and a Plum. 



Mr. Don conjectures it may be the same as Afzelius's 

 Cherry, which, as has been above stated, is supposed to be 

 different from what is now known by that name in the colony. 

 The flowers are small and numerous, growing on a spike ; a 

 few only of them however become perfect fruit. The tree 

 grows from forty to fifty feet high, its leaves exhibit a very 

 peculiar arrangement, at first sight they seem alternate, but 

 upon closer examination minute linear acute stipula-like 

 leaves are discerned nearly opposite to the larger ones, 

 these last are elliptical, oblong, and deeply five-nerved. The 

 whole appearance and aspect of the tree has a strong resem- 

 blance to a laurel. It grows in the mountainous parts of the 

 country. 



