— 206 — 



vel lanceolato-oblonga, utrinque acuta, in petiolum decurrentia, supra nitida, 

 saturate viridia, subtus albida vel argenteo-nivea, 5-12 c.M, longa, 2.5-- 

 5 c.M. lata; petiolus brevis, dense tometosis, viridi-flavus. Inflores- 

 c e n t i a terminalis, paniculiformis, subfoliosa, c y m i s pauci - vel 

 multifloris, terminalibus et ad axillas superiores, solitariis aut geminatis, 

 pedunculatis, summis glomeratis, pedunculis crassis, tomentosis, 

 ticulatis, 2-2.5 c.M. longis, bracteola 1 et bracteolulis 2, 

 brevibus, concavis, ovatis, obtusis vel subrotundatis, càlyce brevio- 

 ribus suffultis, flavis, dorso sericeis. Flores sessiles, parvi, suaveo- 

 lentes. C a.l y x parvus, urceolatus, corollae fere longitudine, laciniis im- 

 bricatus, rotundo ovatis, ciliatis, extus viridibus, mox . scariosis, inferne 

 dense tomentosis, 0.22-0,3 c.M. longis. Corolla parva, fulva, aurea vel au- 

 rantiaca, rigida, post anthesin nigra, decidua, tubo campanulato, calycem 

 aequante vel eo breviore, laciniis ovatis vel rotundo-ovatis, radiatim paten - 

 tibus, erecto-patulis, extus sericeis, intus glabris. S t a m i n a brevissime 

 exserta ; f i 1 a m e n t i s brevibus, erectis; a n t h e r i s subrotundis, com- 

 pressis, filamenforum longitudine. Ovarium ovato-oblongum, villosum, ba- 

 sin tubi corollae implens; stylo filiforme, germine angustiore, duplo breviore 

 (aut subnullo, secundum Du Petit Thouars et Sim.), laevi, flavo; stig- 

 mate manifesto, nunc longitudine styli, nunc eo brevissimo, subsessili, 

 filiforme, obtuso. Fructus viridi flavescens, ovato-mucronatus, amygdalo 

 immaturo similis, in arbore dehiscens. Semen unicum, magnum, com- 

 pressum; cotyledonibus reniformibus, punctatis; r a d i c u 1 a cylin- 

 drica, basi hirsuta; p 1 u m u 1 a oculo nudo conspicua, pilis albis longis 

 hirsuta, curculo bifolio, iineari-lanceolato. 



Remarks.: The Sceura marina FORSK. of the Red Sea and Arabia 

 is commonly but incorrectly considered as a synoym of the A. officinalis L, 

 and that because FORSKAL says about the style : „Stylus germine angustior- 

 filiformis." Not only is this elongated style to be found also in the A. intermedia 

 GRIFF, but there seems clearly to be a closer relation to the A. alba BL., 

 since FORSKAL speaks further of lanceolate pointed leaves, a glabrous style, 

 well-developed, curved, obtuse stigmata and velvety peduncles —Although 

 the Halodendron Thoaarsi ROEM. & SCHULT, of Madagascar and the 

 Sceura marina FORSK, of the Red Sea and Arabia belong to the same 

 species as the A. alba BL , I cannot decide here whether it should not be 

 actually united, or remain separated in two varieties (var. « typica Bakh.and 

 var. [3 alba (BL.) BAKH), as I have still been obliged to do for lack of 

 any specimens from Africa and Arabia. 



Distribution: EAST-AFRICAN-COAST AND ARABIA : Cape town 

 (HEMSLEY; Sim ); Port Natal (MEYER; BoiSSIER; SlM.); Mosambique between 

 Queriba and Inhambane (PETERS.) ; Madagascar and the Isl. Nosi Komba 

 (PETIT. THOU.; VATKE); Mauritius and Seychelles (BAKER) ; Germ. -East- 

 Africa and Zanzibar (GiiRK./VOLKENS ; VATKE) ; Isl. Socotra (BALF.); Somali 

 (THEOPFIR.) ; Abessinia, Isl. Schech Said near Masawa and Dahlak-Arch. 

 (THEOPHR ; VATKE; SCHWEINF,); Red Sea (FORSK:; BOISSIER; SCHIMP.); Egypt 



