110 
PAULLINIA MELItEFOLIA. 
Azederach-leaved Paullim'a, DC. 
OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA— Nat. Okd. SAPINDACEJE. 
Gen. Char. — Calyx pentaphyllus subinaequalis. Petala 4, intus appendicu- 
lata^ quinti deficientis sede vacua. Stamina 8, subinaequalia. Capsula 3- 
locularis, trivalvis (abortione unilocularis). Semina arillo membranaceo 
semitecta. 
Frutices scandentes,foliis compositis, Decand. 
PauUinia melicefolia ; capsulis rotundato-pyrifbrmibiis 3-alatis, alis par- 
vis in stylum eohaerentibus, foliis piiinatis tri-quadrijugis cum im- 
pari, foliolis sessilibus lanceolatis remote-dentatis, inferioribus ter- 
natis, petiolo alato. ^ 
P. Meliaefolia, Juss. in Ann. du Mus. v. iv. p. 347. t. 66. f. 2. — Lam. Diet. 
V. 5. p. 99- — Decand. Prodr. Syst. Veget. p. 605. 
A climbing plant, with long slender stems and branches, which are deeply 
furrowed. Leaves frequently near a foot in length, pinnated with 3 or 4 
pairs of opposite, lanceolate, acuminated, sessile, distantly toothed or ser- 
rated, bright green pinnae, glabrous above, very slightly pubescent be- 
neath, terminated with an odd one. Petioles jointed at the setting-on of 
the leaflets, and winged. Stipules two at the base of each leaf, oblongo- 
subfalcate, pale green, slightly ciliated, soon becoming brown. 
Raceme compound, having a pair of cirrhi at the base, and being placed on 
a long cirrhiform peduncle v/hich arises from the axil of a leaf, long, pen- 
dent. Pedicels much branched, with a joint near the middle. Flowers 
greenish-white ; many of them abortive. Calijx of 5 unequal leaflets ; the 
two outermost opposite, small, equal, green, between them on one side is 
a single, and on the other side 2, obovate, larger, pale green equal leaflets. 
Corolla of four obovato-oblong, white, concave petals, with a vacant space 
as if for the reception of the fifth petal: this space is opposite the two 
latter calycine leaflets just mentioned. The petals are furnished within 
at their base, with a large subpetaliform concave scale, fringed at the 
margin, and crowned at the top with a bright yellow, subbifid gland. 
Stamefis 8, unequal in height, and somewhat cohering at their base. Fi- 
laments thickish ; Anthers oblong, 2-celled, pale yellowish-brown. Pollen 
triangular. On that side of the flower where is seen the single leaflet of 
the calyx are 4 small erect glands, at the base of the stamens, and oppo- 
site to two of the petals. Pistil slightly pedunculated. Germen globoso- 
VOL. II. 
