FLORA OF TROPICAL AFRICA,

FLOKA

ere alae

OF

SRORICAL AFRICA.

EDITED BY

SIR W. T. THISELTON-DYER, K.C.M.G.; C.LE.,

{1.0 BRS, ard.

HONORARY STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD ; DIRECTOR, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW,

VOL-Vili,

PONTEDERIACEH TO CYPERACEA,

PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FIRST COMMISSIONER

OF HIS MAJESTY’S WORKS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

LONDON:

LOVELL REEVE & CO, LiMiTED, Publishers to the Home, Colonial and indian Governments, 6 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN.

1902.

« Bet.Garden 1808

7 |

DATES OF PUBLICATION OF THE SEVERAL PARTS

OF THIS VOLUME.

Part I. pp. 1-192 was published June 1901. oa RT, 42 Ge oes * September 1901.

» III. ,, 385 to end e March 1902.

Re a ae ee ae oe

PREFACE,

For the present volume of the “ Flora of Tropical Africa” I have been fortunate in securing the assistance of several contributors who had made a special study of the orders they have elaborated.

It has been found impossible to include in it the Graminee, which will have to be deferred to the ninth and concluding volume.

For the amended definition of the regions into which the area of the flora is divided, reference may be made to the preface to the seventh volume.

In the prefaces to the first, fifth, and seventh volumes will be found an enumeration of the materials employed up to 1868, and of the most important additions to them which have reached Kew since.

The only further collections at Kew cited in the present volume are

I. Upper Guinea:

Tt. N. Brown ‘ . Collection from the Gold Coast. J. H. Holland. . . A y » Nigeria W. Hi Joanson. . . ; », the Gold Coast. C. Punch . ‘ ‘ : “ », Lagos.

VI. MozamBIQuE: Honourable Mrs. Evelyn Cecil . Collection from Rhodesia. Mrs. E. J. Lugard : : ‘ » Ngamiland.

It is intended to proceed at once with the printing of the fourth volume. This will contain the Apocynacee, the final elaboration of which has been delayed till the present in order to enumerate and

vi PREFACE,

describe as comprehensively as possible the important caoutchouc- containing and medicinal plants which the order includes in Tropical Africa.

1 must again record my acknowledgments of the assistance given me by Mr. C. H. Wright in preparing the manuscript for the press and in checking the proofs, and to Mr. N. E. Brown for working out the geographical distribution.

For the detailed topography the third edition of the ‘ Spezial- Karte von Afrika,” Gotha: Julius Perthes, 1893, has been chiefly used,

We. ee:

Kew, February 1902.

CONSPECTUS OF THE ORDERS . Order CXLI. CXLII. CXLIIA.

CXLIII.

CXLIV. CXLYV. CXLVI. CXLVII. CXLVIII. CXLIX. CL.

CLI. CLII. CLIII. CLIV. CLV. CLVI.

CONTENTS.

Pontederiacez .

Xyridee .

Mayacer .

Commelinacee .

Rapateaceze Flagellariex Juncacee Palme Pandanez Typhacex Aroide Lemnacez Alismaceze Naiadacez Eriocaulex Restiacez Cyperaceze Addenda .

Page

127 133 137 200 206 215 230 264 266 525

CONSPECTUS OF THE ORDERS CONTAINED IN THE EIGHTH VOLUME.

Series iii. Coronarieve (continued).— Perianth, or at least the inner series, petaloid. Ovary superior, very rarely slightly immersed at the base, Albwmen copious.

CXLI. PonTeDERIACER. Flowers regular or often slightly irregular, Perianth petaloid; segments biseriate. Stamens 6 or 3, rarely 1. Ovary 3- or 1-celled, many-, rarely l-ovuled. Embryo straight, central, about as long as the floury albumen. Aquatic herbs.

CXLII. Xyrtpex, Flowers regular or slightly irregular, solitary and sessile within the bracts of a terminal head. Perianth biseriate; outer segments 3, 2 or 0, glumaceous; inner segments 3, petaloid, united below into a tube. Stamens 3. Ovary 1- or imperfectly 3-celled; ovules numerous, orthotropous. Embryo small, at the apex of the floury or slightly fleshy albumen. Herbs. Leaves radical.

CXLIla. Mayacex. Flowers regular, solitary and pedicellate within the thin bracts of a terminal head. Perianth biseriate; outer herbaceous; inner petaloid. Stamens 3. Ovary 1-celled; ovules numerous, orthotropous, Embryo small at the apex of floury or slightly fleshy albumen. Herbs. Stem prostrate or floating, leafy.

CXLIII. Commetinacez. Flowers regular or slightly irregular. Perianth biseriate; outer herbaceous; inner petaloid. Stamens 6 or by abortion fewer. Ovary 3- or 2-celled; ovules solitary or few, orthotropous. Seed solitary or few and closely packed, attached by a hilum on the inner, with an embryostega on the outer side. Embryo beneath the embryostega, at the edge of or slightly intruded into the floury albumen, Terrestrial herbs.

CXLIV. Rapargzacem, Flowers regular. Perianth-segments 6, all petaloid and connate into a long slender tube, or biseriate, the outer paleaceous and connate or free, the inner petaloid and connate below. Stamens 6; anthers dehiscing by apical pores, Ovary 3-celled; ovales solitary or few, erect, anatropous. Embryo lenticular, outside the albumen near the hilum. Perennial herbs,

x CONSPECTUS OF THE ORDERS.

Series iv. Calycinee.—Perianth calyx-like, small, rigid or herbaceous, the inner rarely petaloid but small, Ovary superior. Albumen copious.

CXLV. FLaGELLARIEx. Flowers regular or subregular. Perianth subpetaloid or scarious. Stamens 6. Ovary 3-celled; ovules solitary. Fruit succulent or drupaceous. Embryo lenticular, outside the floury albumen. Robust herbs.

CXLVI. Juncacea. Flowers regular, Perianth glumaceous. Stamens 6, rarely 3. Ovary 1-3-celled; ovules solitary or more, Capsule 3-valved. Embryo enclosed in the more or less fleshy albumen. Perennial herbs, rarely shrubs.

CXLVII, Parma. Flowers regular or subregular. Perianth coriaceous, fleshy or membranous. Stamens 6 or more. Ovary 1- to many- (ueually 3-) celled, sometimes of 3 distinct carpels; ovules solitary. Fruit baccate or drupaceous ; 1- or more celled. Embryo small, enclosed in a pit near the margin of the albumen. Trees or shrubs with pinnatisect or flabellate leaves.

Series v. Nudifloree.—Perianth none or reduced to scales or sete. Ovary

superior ; carpels solitary or if many syncarpous, 1- to many-ovuled. Seeds usually albuminous.

* Flowers arranged on spadices. Trees, shrubs, or terrestrial herbs.

CXLVIII. Panpanex. Flowers dicecious. Perianth none or rudimentary Carpels 1-celled, solitary or more frequently collected into phalanges. Shrubs or trees, erect or climbing. Leaves sessile, long ensiform, sheathing at the base, usually

spiny on the margins and underside of the midrib. Spadices fascicled or paniculate ; bracts spathaceous. °

CXLIX. TyPHacem. Flowers monecious, very rarely diccious. Perianth of 3-6 membranous scales, or absent. Aquatic or marsh herbs with a creeping rhizome, Leaves linear, entire, sheathing at the base. Spadices naked or with 1 leaf-like bract at the base.

CL. ARoIDEx. Flowers hermaphrodite or moneecious, very rarely dicecious. Perianth none, or of 3-9 free or connate membranous segments. various habit. Leaves various. open at the base.

Herbs or shrubs of

Spadices solitary ; spathes convolute, tubular or

** Flowers solitary or in pairs in mar.

gickots esting harks ginal cavities. Minute lenticular or

CLI. Lemynacez. Flowers very minute,

enclosed in a memby fy ee tbl lleis mbranous spathe

Series vi. Apocarpze.— Perianth 1

—2-seriate or none. carpels solitary, or if several distinct.

Seeds exalbuminous. CLII. Atismackz. Flowers hermaphrodite, rarely dicecious. Perianth regular

Ovary superior ;

moncecious or polygamous, very 3 Segments 6, imbricate, biseriate, rarely uniseriate

CONSPECTUS OF THE ORDERS, xi

_by abortion, outer usually herbaceous, inner petaloid. Embryo horseshoe-shaped. Aquatic or marsh herbs. Leaves usually radical.

CLIIL. NarapacEz. Flowers monecious, dicecious, or hermaphrodite. Perianth regular, membranous, or absent ; segments 2—4, valvate. Embryo curved or straight, thick at the radicular end. Aquatic herbs of various habit.

Series vii. Glumaceve.— Flowers sessile, solitary within imbricate bracts or glumes arranged in heads or spikelets. Perianth-segments small, scale-like, glumaceous or none. Ovary 1-ovuled or divided into 1-ovuled cells. Seeds albuminous. Herbs, except Bambusee.

CLIV. Er1ocauLEm. Flowers unisexual, densely crowded into monecious involucrate heads. Perianth-segments 4 or 6, biseriate, small, hyaline, the inner often on a distinct stipes, scarious or membranous. Ovary 3-—2-celled; ovules pendulous, Embryo small, outside the albumen remote from the hilum.

CLY. REstTiacEx. Flowers most frequently dicecious, in spikelets; bracts usually dry or rigid. Perianth-segments 6, regular, biseriate, glumaceous or the inner membranous. Ovary 1—3-celled; ovules solitary, pendulous. Embryo small,

, outside the albumen remote from the hilum.

CLVI. CypEracez®. Flowers uni- or bi-sexual, in spikelets; glumes imbricate. Perianth of 6 or fewer small scales or bristles, or absent. Ovary 1-celled; ovule erect. Fruit anut. Seed free from the pericarp; embryo small, within the base of the albumen,

Vol. Vill.—Part I. | Price 8s. net.

FLORA

OF

TROPICAL AFRICA.

EDITED BY

SIR WILLIAM T. THISELTON-DYER K.C.M.G., CLE. LL.D., F.RS,

HONORARY STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD ; DIRECTOR, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF HER MAJESTY’S WORKS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

; LONDON: LOVELL REEVE & CO., LimitTeEp, Publishers to the Rome, Colonial and Endian Gobernwents, 6 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN.

1901, A>

FLORA OF TROPICAL AFRICA.

OrvER CXLI. PONTEDERIACES. (By N. E. Brown.)

Flowers hermaphrodite, all alike or some cleistogamous, regular or slightly irregular. Perianth inferior, petaloid; segments 6, biseriate, united into a tube in the lower part, rarely free, equal or the outer series smaller. Stamens 3 or 6, rarely 1, usually of two sizes and often of different colours; filaments free; anthers basifixed or dorsifixed, . 2-celled, introrse, opening by longitudinal slits or rarely by terminal pores. Ovary superior, 3-celled with axile placentas, or 1-celled with 3 parietal or more or less prominent placentas; style filiform; stigma entire, thickened or subcapitate or shortly 3-lobed; ovules numerous and biseriate in each cell or rarely solitary, anatropous. Fruit a many- seeded capsule or rarely a 1-seeded achene. Seeds small, ovoid, ribbed ; embryo cylindrical, straight, embedded in the centre of a copious albumen.—Aquatic or marsh herbs, with the lower part of the stem or rhizome often creeping and rooting in the mud, or entirely floating. Leaves alternate, hastate, cordate, orbicular, ovate, lanceolate or linear, entire, with a sheathing petiole or stipulate, the submersed leaves some- times without blades, or different in form. Inflorescence terminal— often apparently arising from the petioles of the leaves, the lower part of such leaf-stalks being really sympodial branches—either fascicled in the sheath of the flowering leaf, or spicate with the flowers solitary or ppt along the axis of the spike, or rarely with a solitary and axillary

ower.

A small order of about 25 species, chiefly natives of. Tropical Africa and Tropical America, about 4 occurring in North America, 2 or 3 in Tropical and Temperate Asia, 1 in South Africa, and 1 in Australia,

Stamens 3 in the expanded flowers . ° . Stamens 6 in the expanded flowers: Perianth segments united into a tube below Perianth segments free to the base . .

Excluded.

ScH@NLANDIA GABONENSIs, Cornu in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, 1896, xliii. 21, is Cyanastrum cordifolium, Oliv. in HZMODORACE#. VOL. VIII.

1. HETERANTHERA,

2. EICHORNIA. 3. MonooHoRIA.

B

2 CXLI, PONTEDERIACEE (BROWN). | Heteranthera.

1, HETERANTHERA, Ruiz et Pav. ; Benth et Hook. f. Gen. Pl, iii. 838.

Perianth with a distinct tube; segments equal, spreading, oblong. Stamens 8 or in the closed flowers of some species 1, affixed to the throat _ of the perianth-tube, exserted, more or less unequal ; filaments filiform ; anthers oblong. Ovary 1-celled with 3 parietal placentas, or imperfectly 8-celled with very prominent placentas; style filiform; stigma thick- ened; ovules numerous, biseriate. Capsule oblong or linear; pericarp thin. Seeds numerous, ovoid, ribbed.—Aquatic herbs, with the lower part of the stem creeping and rooting in the mud. Leaves with long petioles sheathing at the base, and cordate, ovate, or reniform blades, or all linear and submersed. Flowering shoots bearing one leaf, whose sheath embraces the membranous spathe, which subtends the terminal flower-spike or includes 1-3 flowers. Flowers spicate, small, blue, whitish or yellow, all-alike and expanding, or one or more cleistogamous and enclosed in the sheath of the leaf at the base of the spike.

A genus of about 9 species, 3 in Africa, the rest in Tropical and North America.

The plant collected in Angola by Welwitsch (3015), and enumerated by Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl, Welw. ii. 67 as Heteranthera sp., does not belong to the order PONTEDERIACE#, but to ALISMACER, and may be a species of Alisma or Sagittaria. There are no perfect flowers upon the specimens ; the buds which I have dissected consisting of a series of imbricating, complicate, boat-shaped segments, arranged distichously,

Spike with one closed flower, concealed in the spathe at

its base. Perianth-tube 3-5 lin. long; closed flower with 3 stamens é a ‘ ° ° . - lL. H. callefolia. Perianth-tube 23-3 lin. long ; closed flower with 1 stamen ° : “ - ° . . 2. H. kotsehyana, Spike with more than one closed flower, some being ~ mingled with the expanded flowers . “ : . 3. H. Potamogeton.

1, H. calleefolia, Reichb. ex Kunth, Enum. iv. 121 (by error 128). Plant about a foot high, herbaceous, glabrous. Stem creeping and rooting in the mud in the lower part. Leaves 2-3 in. long, 14-2 in. broad, ovate, subobtuse, or shortly and obtusely pointed, cordate at the base, with petioles 4-8 in. long, erect or ascending. Flowering stems about 2 in.long. Flower-spike about 4 in. long, with a submembranous spathe at its base. Flowers several, sessile, ebracteate, whitish; the basal flower concealed in the spathe within the sheath of the leaf, never expanding, having 3 stamens like the others. Perianth-tube of the expanded flowers 3-5 lin. long, cylindric; lobes about 24 lin. long, oblong, obtuse, spreading. Stamens 3, shortly exserted. Ovary oblong, trigonous, narrowed into a filiform style as long as the stamens; stigma slightly thickened. Capsule of the basal closed flower 6—9 lin. Jong, of the other flowers 4—5 lin. long, oblong, trigonous.—Solms in DC.

Heteranthera. | CXLI. PONTEDERIACE# (BROWN). 3

Monogr, Phan. iv. 521; Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 137; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 419.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Sieber, 51; Perrottet,781. Senegambia, Heudelot, 230!

I have been unable to examine a closed flower of this species, and give the number of its stamens on the authority of Count Solms.

2. H. kotschyana, Fenzl ex Solms in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 205, Plant 5-12 in. high, herbaceous, glabrous, with the lower part of the stem creeping, and rooting at the nodes. Leaves 1-2} in. long, 3-1} in. broad, cordate, obtusely pointed, with petioles 24-8 in. long, erect or ascending. Flowering stems 14-4 in. long. Flower-spike 2-4 in, long, with a submembranous spathe at its base. Flowers several, sessile, ebracteate ; the basal flower concealed in the spathe within the sheath of the leaf, never expanding, having but 1 stamen. Perianth- tube of the expanded flowers 24-3 in. long, cylindric, very slightly curved and a little oblique at the mouth; lobes 2 lin. long, } lin. broad, oblong, obtuse, spreading. Stamens 3, shortly exserted. Ovary oblong, trigonous ; style filiform, as long as the stamens, with a simple slightly thickened stigma. Capsule of the basal closed flower 8-9 lin. long, of the other flowers 4—6 lin. long, oblong, trigonous.—Solms in DC. ‘Monogr. Phan. iv. 522; Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 137; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 419. Monochoria vaginalis, Kirk in Journ. Linn. Soc. viii. 147 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 67, not of Presl. J sp., Thomson in Speke, Nile, Append. 649.

Wile Land. Cordofan: between Melbes and Obeid, Cienkowsky, 378 (ex Solms) ; Arashkol Mountain, Kotschy, 9! British East Africa: Bongo: Gurfala, Schwein- Surth, 2239! Madi, Speke & Grant, 655!

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo ; in ponds near Banza de Quitage, Welwitsch, 3013!

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: Nkueza, on the River Zambesi,

irk !

Also in the. Transvaal.

This differs from H. callefolia, Reichb. in its shorter perianth-tube, and in the closed flower having only 1 stamen, According to Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii., 67, Welwitsch’s 3013 is indistinguishable from the type of Monochoria vaginalis, Pres], but in my opinion it is without doubt a species of Heteranthera, and, I believe, H. kotschyana, although I have been unable to examine the cleistogamous flower, as the specimen at Kew is in fruit only. Monochoria vaginalis has not yet been col- lected in Africa.

3. H. Potamogeton, Solms in DC. Monogr. Phan. iv. 521. Stem elongated, sparingly rooting. Flower-stem bent backwards after flower- ing. Leaves ovate or elongate-ovate, acuminate, with long petioles. Flower-spike short, bearing a few distant normal and closed flowers intermingled, the basal flower always closed and concealed in the spathe . Within the sheath of the leaf. Normal or expanding flowers with a gland-dotted perianth and 3 stamens; closed flowers not gland-dotted, and with only 1 stamen; the basal one producing a large cylindric

4 “CXLI. PONTEDERIACEE (BROWN). [ Heteranthera.

capsule that is much longer than those of the other flowers on the spike.—Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 419.

Upper Guinea. ‘Senegal; Pozo Cervalo, Perrottet, 779.

I have not seen this plant, which is described as having the facies of a Potamo- geton, and said to differ from H. callefolia, Reichb., and H. kotschyana, Fenzl, in having several closed flowers on the spike.

2. EICHORNIA, Kunth; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 838.

Perianth funnel-shaped, with a long or short tube ; segments a little unequal, the interior series broadest, and the upper segment of that series usually marked with a spot. Stamens 6, the 3 upper ones included, the 3 lower more or less exserted, usually with longer filaments and inserted higher up the perianth-tube; filaments filiform; anthers dorsifixed, oblong. Ovary sessile, 3-celled ; style filiform; stigma slightly dilated or very shortly 3- or 6-lobed ; ovules numerous in each cell. Capsule included in the marcescent perianth-tube, ovoid, oblong or linear-fusiform ; pericarp membranous. Seeds numerous, ellipsoid or oblong, finely ribbed ; embryo cylindric, in the centre of the albumen. —Aquatic herbs, entirely floating, or the lower part of the stem creep- ing and rooting in the mud. Leaves with long petioles sheathing at the base, and obovate, orbicular, ovate or lanceolate blades, cordate or narrowed at the base, or the submersed leaves linear; sheath of the petiole often much produced at the apex and then described asa stipule.

_ Inflorescence pedunculate, spicate or paniculate, with a convolute sheath- like spathe or rarely an expanded bract at its base, or fasciculate within the sheath of the leaf.

A small genus of 6 species, all (except the following) Tropical American,

1. BE. natans, Solms in Abhandl. naturw. Ver. Bremen, vii. 254. Stems branching, about 1 lin. thick. Submersed leaves 2—4 in. long, 1-1} lin. long, sessile, linear, acute. Floating leaves petiolate, 4-1 in. long, 5—10 lin. broad, ovate or orbicular, obtuse, or rarely acute, cordate with small rounded overlapping lobes at the base. Stipules varying from 1 lin. long in the submersed leaves to 1} in. long on the floating leaves, obtuse, more or less sheathing the stem, membranous, reticulate with dark purple cross-veins. Flowers apparently arising from below the middle of the petioles of the floating leaves, but in reality terminat- ing short lateral 1-leaved branches of the main stem, shortly peduncu- late, solitary in a tubular membranous obtuse spathe } in. long.

~Perianth-tube 5-6 lin. long at the expansion of the flower, rapidly elongating afterwards to 10-11 lin. long; limb small, 6-lobed, blue, about } in. diam. Capsule 5-6 lin. long, narrowly fusiform. Seeds numerous, oblong, with numerous exceedingly fine longitudinal ribs.— Solms in DC, Monogr. Phan. iv. 526; Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. ©. 137; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 418. Pontederia natans, Beauv. FI. Oware, ii. 18, t. 68, fig. 2; Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 526. Roem. & Schultes,

Eichornia. | CXLI. PONTEDERIACEE (BROWN). 5

Syst. Veg. vii. pt. 2, 1147; Kunth, Enum, iv, 128, Monochoria natans, Thomson in Speke, Nile, Append. 649.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Perrottet, Leprieur, and Heudelot, 258 (ex Solms). Sierra Leone; ina pool on the way to Danlilia and near Falaba, Scott-Elliot, 5290! Niger Territory : Nupe, Barter! Oware: banks of the River Formosa, Palisot de Beauvois (ex Solms).

Nile Land. British East Africa: Madi, Speke & Grant, 726! 727! Gazelle River, Schweinfurth, 1166! 1208! Jur: between Gir and Addai, Schweinfurth, 2555!

Also occurs in Madagascar according to Count Solms,

The plant collected in Loanda, Angola, by Welwitsch (3014), and referred by Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii., 66 to Eichornia natans, is certainly not that species, but appears to be a seedling, without flowers or fruit, of some Dicotyledon. The specimen is but a worthless scrap. ‘

3. MONOCHORIA, Pres]; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 839.

Perianth-segments 6, free to the base, subequal, oblong. Stamens 6, atiixed to the base of the perianth-segments, equal or unequal, especially as to the anthers, the largest stamen with an erect tooth on one side of the filament ; anthers oblong, erect, basifixed, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovury sessile, 3-celled, with axile placentas; style filiform, very shortly trifid or somewhat 6-fid at the apex; ovules numerous in each cell.—Aquatic herbs. Rhizome stout and creeping, or none. Leaves all radical, or rarely spaced out on a short erect stem, alternate, with long sheathing petioles, and sagittate, cordate-ovate or lanceolate blades. Flowering stems radical, with one sheathing leaf or a tubular sheath at its summit, enclosing the membranous spathe at the base of the peduncle. Flowers racemose, of moderate size, blue, all alike.

A genus of about 5 species, natives of the warmer parts of the Old World. The following is the only African species.

1. M. africana, V. FH. Br. Plant 13-2 ft. high, glabrous. Rhizome none. Leaves and flower-stems all radical, with a dense tuft of fibrous roots at their base. Leaves 3-44 in. long, 2-3 in. broad, ovate, acuminate, slightly cordate at the base, with long petioles. Flower- ing stems 11-14 in. long, stout, with a leaf or a tubular leaf-sheath at their summit, enclosing a membranous spathe or bract 8-9 lin. long, which is abruptly terminated by a filiform point 2-4 lin. long. Peduncle 14-24 in. long, rather stout. Flower-spike 24-4 in. long. Flowers numerous, rather crowded, ebracteate, erect, violet. Pedicels 14-2 lin. long, erect. Perianth campanulate or somewhat funnel- shaped, 5-6 lin. long; outer segments 1} lin. broad, oblong, obtuse, with narrow membranous margins; inner segments 3 lin. broad, elliptic, obtuse, with broad membranous margins. Stamens (especially the anthers) unequal ; filaments of the largest stamen with an erect tooth on one side. Ovary ovoid, trigonous; style filiform, divided at the apex into 3 short bifid stigmatic lobes.— MV. vaginalis, Pres], var. africana.

6 CXLU. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [ Hichornia.

Solms in DC. Monogr. Phan. iv. 525; Durand «& Schinz, Consp. Fi. Afr. v. 419. Wile Land. British East Africa: Jur ; Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth, 2296 !

This plant is perfectly distinct from the Asiatic M. vaginalis, Presl, with which it has been associated by Count Solms.

Orper CXLIL. XYRIDEA. (By N. E. Brown.)

Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx inferior, irregular; sepals 3 or rarely 2, the two lateral exterior, boat-shaped, keeled, glumaceous, the third interior, membranous, convolute, forming a closed obtuse spathe- like hood, or obtusely calyptriform, circumscissile at the base and split open on one side, closely enveloping the corolla when in bud and pushed off as the corolla grows out and expands, rarely absent. Corolla regular, petaloid, marcescent ; tube slender, usually split into claw-like segments at the base by the growth of the ovary; lobes 3, cuneate-obovate, spreading. Stamens 3, affixed at the mouth of the corolla-tube opposite the lobes ; filaments short, flattened; anthers basifixed, oblong, 2-celled, cells parallel or slightly divergent at the base, contiguous, or more or less separated by a broad connective, extrorse, opening by longitudinal slits. Staminodia 8 or 0, alternating with the corolla-lobes at the mouth of the tube, simple and entire or bifid at the apex, or divided into two entire or bifid arms, glabrous or hairy, or ending in dense or lax brush- like tufts of hairs, and then very short. Ovary superior, l-celled or im- perfectly 3-celled ; placentas 3, parietal or shortly united at the centre, or free and erect from the base; ovules indefinite, 2-seriate, orthotro- pous ; style filiform, sometimes with tubercles or processes at or below the middle, trifid or 3-armed at the apex, or entire ; stigmas dilated or subcapitate, usually oblique. Capsule dividing into 3 valves between the placentas. Seeds minute, ovoid, apiculate; hilum basilar; testa thin, usually ridged; albumen copious, transparent ; embryo minute, broadly depressed-conical, seated at the apex of the albumen under the terminal apiculus.—Perennial or rarely annual herbs of tufted habit, growing in damp or wet situations. Leaves all radical, linear, terete or filiform, sheathing at the base. Peduncles erect, simple, terminated by a solitary dense head or spike, leafless or bearing one or more pairs of convolute sheaths, and embraced at the base by a leafless or leaf-bearing sheath. Flower-heads or spikes globose, ovoid, or elongate; bracts glumaceous, somewhat rigid or thin and papery, spirally imbricate one above another, or the inner all reaching to about the same level, concave, complicate, or rarely somewhat convolute, the lower in a few species elongated and leafy, forming an involucre. Flowers solitary and sessile in the axils of the bracts, yellow, white, or blue, usually of small size.

An order of 2 genera, of which only one is represented in Africa, and about 160 species, dispersed throughout the Tropical and Subtropical regions of the earth.

Ayris. | , CXLII. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). 7

1. XYRIS, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 842,

Sepals 3; two lateral and exterior, boat-shaped, keeled ; one interior, membranous, convolute or obtusely calyptriform, closely enveloping the corollawhen in the bud, circumscissile at the base and deciduous as the corolla develops. Corolla with a slender tube and 3 spreading cuneate-obovate lobes. Staminodia 3, simple, bifid or 2-armed,

-glabrous, hairy, or divided into a brush-like tuft of hairs, Style fili- form, without tubercles or processes, 3-branched above ; stigmas dilated or subcapitate. —Peduncles with a basal sheath, naked above. All other characters as in the Order.

A genus of about 150 species, having the same distribution as the Order,

In the following descriptions, flowering bracts taken from the middle of the spike are those described, unless others are specially mentioned, and their nervation is given as seen by transmitted light when they are placed in water, The shape and breadth of the lateral sepals is given as when seen lying on their side. In most of the species the leaves and peduncles are usually more or less twisted. The ciliation or toothing on the keel of the lateral sepals in some species is very minute, and, unless examined under a lens of considerable power, may easily be overlooked. The dorsal area, men- tioned in the descriptions, is an area on the back of the bracts in which the surface is of a different character from the rest of the bract and usually appears somewhat impressed, as if stamped upon it.

Outermost bracts 4-6 in. long, unequal, spreading, much longer than the spike and forming a distinct involucre 1. X. foliolata, Outermost bracts shorter or nearly equalling the spike, adpressed, not forming a spreading involucre. Bracts (or at least 2 or 3 of the outermost) with a stout awn at the apex ; plants 1-3 ft. high. Bracts dull dark brown, with broad white lacerate and ciliate membranous margins . ° 2. X. aristata. Bracts blackish or dark brown, shining, witht membranous margins. Inner bracts ciliate at the apex; lateral sepals very distinctly and evenly ciliate all along the keel from the base to the apex . 3. X. rigidescens. Inner bracts not ciliate at the apex ; lateral sepals minutely ciliate along the middle part of the keel or occasionally to the apex, but not on the basal third 4. X, dispar. Bracts all without awns, but sometimes shortly muero- nate (see also X. dispar, in which most of the bracts are without awns). * Bracts(or at least the inner), minutely ciliolate at the apex, very obtuse. Keel of lateral sepals very narrowly winged, not ciliate . . 22. X. angustifolia. Keel of lateral sepals ciliates bracts chestnut- brown. Spike 23 lin. thick ; bracts with a distinct greyish dorsal. area . . 29. X, congensis, Spike 3-33 lin. thick; bracts shining rowing with an obscure dorsal area on some of them . : : . 80. X. nitida.

CXLII. XYRIDEZ (BROWN),

Bracts not ciliolate, entire, lacerate or erosulate. +Keel of the lateral sepals quite entire, neither . ciliate nor scabrid (see also under fT, as the very minute scabridity on the keel of some of the species there placed may be easily overlooked, unless examined under

a powerful lens).

Peduncles 34-12 lin. broad, flattened, 2-edged ; spike globose ; bracts coria- eous straw-coloured, with a green keel at the apex .

Peduncles terete or slightly ‘compressed, rarely 2-edged, and then less than 3 lin, thick, striate.

Peduncles stout, 1-14 lin. thick ; spike globose, dark brown; keel of lateral sepals with a very narrow wing 3

Peduncles few, $-1 ae thick ; wiles creeping; spike globose or ‘ellipsoid, dark brown; keel of lateral sepals with a moderately broad wing

Peduncles rere, filiform or very slender, 4-4 lin, thick ; rhizome not creeping.

Leaves subterete or subulate-filiform ; ; spikes 15-23 lin. thick, blackish,

shining . > . Leaves linear; spikes small, few: flowered.

Bracts emarginate, slightly re- curyed af the apex, fuscous witha green keel on the upper part . . :

Bracts obtuse or subacute, not re- curved at the apex.

Keel of the lateral sepals dis. tinctly (but usually nar- rowly) winged, at least in the basal part.

. Bragts snbeoriaceous, light brown, the inner rather stoutly keeled on the upper half; lateral sepals broadly lanceolate, acute

Bracts very thin, submem- -branous, light reddish- . brown, with broad trans- parent straw - coloured margins; lateral sepals somewhat oblong-lanceo-

late, acute . Bracts thin, dull purplish, the outer nearly as long as . the inner; lateral sepals

[Xyris.

5. X, anceps.

6. X. zombana,

7. X, capensis,

a Ae Xe, moknensie,

15. X. humilis.

16. X. huillensis.

- 17. X. anisophylla.

X yris. | CXLI, XYRIDEZ (BROWN).

oblong or oblong-lanceo- late, obtuse . - ;

Keel of the lanceolate acute lateral sepals obtuse or rounded, not at all winged ; leaves sometimes minutely rugulose in the dried state.

Bracts subcoriaceous, dull smoky brown, the inner convolute scarcely keeled at the apex. .

Bracts rather thin, straw- coloured or light brown, the inner very distinctly keeled and complicate- acute at the apex .

+tKeel} of the lateral sepals very minutely ciliate or scabrid, not absolutely entire. Peduncles 18-24 in. long, 3-2 lin. thick ; spike 2-23 lin. thick, brown ; bracts coriaceous, the inner with a stout dark green keel. . - ‘ Peduncles under 16 in, long, very slender,

3-42 lin. thick.

Outer bracts with a distinct linear greyish dorsal area; keel of the sepals minutely scabrid on thie apical part only . : .

Bracts all without a dorsal area.

Keel of the lateral sepals minutely scabrid to or at the apex only.

Leaves forming a bulbous base to the plant ; peduncle subquad- rangular; keel of the lateral se- pals crimson in the apical part

Leaves distichous, not forming a bulbous base ; peduncle terete; keel of the lateral me golden-brown . °

Keel of the lateral sepals. very minutely ciliate or scabrid to

3 or 2 the way up, chiefly in

the middle part, entire in the

apical part.

Leaves filiform; lateral sepals 12 lin. long, 4 lin. broad, sig- moid-lanceolate; corolla white

Leaves linear.

Peduncles_ with longitudinal minutely scabrid ridges; spike 23-43 lin. thick, several - flowered, light brown or dirty ochreous

Peduncles withoutscabrid ridges; spikes small, few-flowered.

18. X. fugaciflora,

21. X. multicaulis.

. 19. X. straminea.

27. X. Barteri.

. 24, X, filiformis.

23. X. erubescens.

20. X, pumila,

8. X. nivea.

9. X. Welwitschit.

10 CXLII. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [ Xyris..

Lateral sepals 3-4 lin. broad, broadly lanceo- late, acute; keel regu- larly much curved from base to apex, with a very narrow wing below . 10, X. scabridula. Lateral sepals 4 lin. broad, linear - lanceolate, very acute; keel slightly curved at the middle, erect at the apex, nar- rowly winged. . 11. X, humpatensis.. Lateral sepals 4-3 lin. broad, oblanceolate, ob- tuse; keel nearly straight . in the lower 3, rather broadly winged . . 12. X. affinis. ++tKeel of the lateral sepals distinctly and rather coarsely serrulate ; bracts with a very distinct greyish dorsal area. Peduncle 4-4 lin. thick, acutely 4-6- angled; spike 23-3 lin. thick . . 25. X. angularis. Peduncle stout, 1-14 lin. thick, terete, many-striate ; spike 5-6 lin. thick . 26, A. decipiens. +tttKeel of the lateral sepals very distinctly and usually rather densely ciliate to the apex, Spikes not more than 5—6-flowered ; flower- ing bracts all reaching to nearly the same level; peduncles not more than 4 lin, thick, slightly compressed . . 13. X. obscura. Spikes 10-30-flowered ; flowering bracts imbricated one above another. Peduncles distinctly compressed ; spikes blackish-brown, scarcely shining ; bracts 24-22 lin, long, without a dorsal area : ° : . 81. X. Hildebrandtit. Peduncles terete or subterete, very smooth and shining ; spikes chest- nut-brown ; bracts 13-23 lin. long, with an indistinct dorsal area . 28. X. batokana,

1, &. foliolata, Vilss.in Svensk.Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. No. 14, 65. Peduncle about 2 ft. long, ‘‘ teretely triquetrous,” glabrous, Peduncular- sheath green, with a subterete leafy point 14 in. long. Spike 44 lin. long, 3 lin. thick, ovate, involucrate ; lowest involucral bract about 5 lin. below the spike, 6 in. long, subterete, sheathing at the base, the 3 other involucral bracts reduced to flat spreading sheaths, decreasing in size from 1} to } in. long, about 1} lin. broad. Flowering bracts 24 lin. long, 1q lin. broad, broadly obovate, obtuse, very shortly apicu- late, coriaceous, cucullate, entire, bright fuscous, lighter towards the margins, slightly shining, with a triangular area on the back. Lateral sepals 2 lin. long, oblong, keeled; keel narrowly winged, ciliate.

Xyris. | CXLII, XYRIDEA (BROWN). 1f

Corolla-lobes yellow, toothed at the apex. Arms of the staminodes. very short, ending in a brush-like tuft of long yellow hairs. Anthers- linear.--Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 420.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Malange, Mechow in Zurich Herb.

I have not seen this plant, but, according to the description, it differs from all the other African species in its involucrate spikes, The leaves are undescribed, the specimen being imperfect.

2. MK. aristata, V. HL. Br. Leaves 74-12 in. or more long, 1-2} lin. broad, linear, acute, shortly awned in the young state, rather rigid, conspicuously striate, glabrous, green, with concolorous sheaths. 3-34 in. long. Peduncular-sheath 8-9 in. long, keeled in the upper part, with an acute flat point 1-3} lin. long, glabrous, green, passing into pale reddish-brown at the base. Peduncle 2-3 ft. high, 1-1} lin. thick, more or less compressed and slightly 2-edged in the upper part, very minutely transversely rugulose, not striate ; pith loose, not hollow at the centre. Spikes 5-6 lin, long, 4—5 lin. thick, somewhat obovoid, about 10-12-flowered. Outer barren bracts nearly as long as the spike, similar to the flowering bracts, all about 4-43 lin. long, exclusive of the 1-2 lin. long awn, 3 lin. broad, elliptic-oblong, obtuse, with a terminal awn, concave or hooded, dark chestnut brown with very broad white membranous margins, lacerate and ciliate; nerves indistinct, re- ticulated at their apex. Lateral sepals 34-32 lin. long, excluding the ? lin. long awn, rather more than 1 lin. broad, oblong or somewhat elliptic-oblong, acute, awned, keeled, dark-brown along the keel, pale horn-colour on the membranous sides; keel narrowly winged, ciliate from the base nearly to the apex. Corolla yellow; petals 2 lin. long, 14-13 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, minutely crenulate-denticulate. Arms of the staminodes about % lin, long, slender, covered with long yellow hairs. Anthers oblong.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Kambole, south-west of Lake Tanganyika, 5000 ft., Nutt!

A very distinct species, differing from every other Xyris known to me in its aristate bracts with broad white membranous ciliate margins.

3. K. rigidescens, Welw. ex Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 67. A tall plant of robust habit. Leaves 7-10 in. long, 1-12 lin. broad, linear, tapering rapidly above to a shortly pungent apex, rigid, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 3-6 in. long, leafless, ending abruptly in a sharp stiff apiculus, glabrous, reddish-brown to the middle. Peduncle 1-2} ft. long, compressed. Spike 4-6 lin. long and thick, subglobose. Outer bracts very coriaceous 2—24 lin. long, 2 lin. broad, orbicular, concave, keeled below the abruptly aristate apex, blackish, shining ; inner bracts slightly shorter than the calyx, 24 lin. long, ovate, acuminate to a hardened mucronate (not aristate) apex, boat-shaped, keeled, entire, ciliate at the apex, golden-brown, with thinner and paler margins, darker at the apex, with a narrowly lanceolate greenish dorsal area. Lateral sepals 3-3} lin. long, % lin. broad, linear-oblong, subulate- apiculate, golden-brown along the back, passing into light straw-

12 CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [Xyris.

colour on the sides; keel shortly ciliate from the base up to the base of the apiculus. Corolla-lobes (withered) apparently oblong. Arms of the staminodes with brush-like tufts of long brownish hairs, shorter than the stamens, Anthers broadly linear.

Lower Guinea, Angola: Huilla; plentiful in spongy places, near streams, around Lopollo, Welwitsch, 2474!

4, &. dispar, V. LH. Br. Leaves not seen. Peduncular-sheath about 6 in. long, with a leafy linear point about } in. long, } lin. broad, glabrous, Peduncle about 2 ft. long, ? lin. broad, much compressed, glabrous. Spike 3-3} lin. long, and about the same in thickness, sub- globose. Outer bracts about 2 lin. long, 14-2 lin. broad, coriaceous, elliptic or suborbicular, obtuse, entire, not ciliate, 2 or 3 of them termi- nated by a short awn 4-1 lin. long, the others apiculate and slightly keeled at the apex, dark brown, shining; inner bracts all reaching to about the same level, 23-3 lin. long, 1}-1} lin. broad, coriaceous, with thin margins, ovate, shortly acuminate into a rigid very acute almost pungent point, keeled, concave, entire, not ciliate, light olive-brown, with a slight yellowish tinge. Lateral sepals 24-3 lin. long, ¢ to nearly 1 lin. broad, somewhat oblong-lanceolate, regularly curved along the back, nearly straight along the margins, somewhat obtuse, mucronate, golden-brown along the back, darker at the apex, the colour fading out and disappearing at the broad membranous margins; keel very narrowly winged, minutely ciliate or scabrid along the middle part or occasionally nearly or quite up to the base of the short subulate mucro, but not on the basal third. Corolla-lobes 3 lin. long, 13 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, subtruncate and rather coarsely toothed at the apex, bright yellow. Arms of the staminodes short, linear, with brush-like tufts of long yellow hairs half as long as the petals. Anthers 1} lin. long, linear-oblong.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa:| Mashonaland; at Six-mile Spruit, near Salisbury, Hon. Mrs, Evelyn Cecil, 152!

d. K. anceps, Lam. Encycl. i. 132. Leaves 2-14 in. long, 14-44 lin. broad, linear, obtuse or acute, glabrous, with concolorous sheaths 3-44 in. long. Peduncular-sheath 14-64 in. long, leafless andobtuse or with a leafy obtuse point {-} in. long. Peduncle $—2} ft. long, }—14 lin. broad, com- pressed and acutely two-edged, especially towards the apex, glabrous. Spike globose or broadly ovoid, 3—5 lin. diam., many-flowered. Bracts 2-3 lin. long, 1}~2 lin. broad, coriaceous, elliptic, very obtuse, or the inner ones subacute, entire, not ciliate, light yellowish-brown or pale straw-coloured, with a narrowly ovate or lanceolate acute green area at the slightly keeled apex; nerves about 7—9, very slender and obscure. Lateral sepals 24-24 lin. long, } lin. broad, subspathulate-lanceolate, straight or slightly faleate, acute, with a rather broad wing-like keel, neither ciliate nor produced at the apex, entirely. pale straw-colour. Corolla yellow; tube 2} lin. long; lobes about 14 lin. long, }-1 lin. broad, broadly cuneate- obovate, denticulate. Arms of the staminodes very small, with a brush- like tuft of long yellow hairs. Anthers oblong. Capsule 14 lin. long, trigonous, oblong, obtuse, not apiculate.—Nilss. in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Hand. xxiv. no. 14, 37; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 419 ; Engl.

Xyris. | CXLII. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). 13:

Pfi. Ost-Afr. C. 183; N. E. Br. in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii.6. X. platycaulis, Poir. Encycl. viii. 820; Roem. & Schultes, Syst. Veg. i. 551; Kunth, Enum. iv. 18; Nilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Forhandl. Stockh. 1891, 153. X. nitida, Willd. ex Dietr. Sp. Pl. ii. 372, not of Nilsson.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: Mahela, in marshy ground, Scott-Elliot, 3931 ! Lagos, Millen, 152 of 1894 collection! Barter, 20200! Yoruba, Millson!

Lower Guinea. Congo, Smith !

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Kirk ! Hildebrandt, 1045! Bojer! German East Africa: Zanguebar, Kirk ! between the coast and Uyui, Taylor! Portuguese East Africa: Quilimane, Scott!

Also in South Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and Tropical America,

This species differs from all the others in its flattened 2-edged peduncles, and straw-coloured globose spikes.

6. X. zombana, V. /. Br. Leaves and _peduncular-sheath not seen. Peduncle more than 1 ft. long, 1-14 lin. thick, terete or slightly compressed (flat in the dried state), hollow, with a large cavity, striate, glabrous. Spike 3-4 lin. (in fruit up to 6 lin.) diam., subglobose, many-flowered. Bracts 24-3 lin. long, 2-24 lin. broad, rather thin and somewhat papery in texture, elliptic-oblong, very obtuse, sometimes faintly keeled at the apex, concave or somewhat boat-shaped, brown, passing into yellowish-brown at the base, nerveless or faintly 3-nerved near the apex, glabrous, not ciliate. Lateral sepals 24-2? lin. long, 2 lin. broad, boat-shaped, acute, transparent yellowish - brown; keel very narrowly winged, entire, not ciliate. Petals 2 lin. long, about 14 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, slightly toothed. Arms of the stami- nodes about } lin. long, oblong, with a small brush-like tuft of com- paratively few long yellow hairs.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Mount Zomba, 4000— 6000 ft., Whyte!

The specimens are about a foot long, and consist of the upper part of the peduncles. with their flower-spikes only, so that the plant is probably 13-2 ft. or perhaps more in height. The peduncles appear to be much less rigid than those of the other African species, as in the process of drying they have become perfectly flat, but when placed in boiling water become nearly terete; they are unusually stout and have a very large central cavity.

7. X. capensis, Thunb. Prodr. 12. Rhizome more or less creep- ing. Leaves 1-7 in. long, including the }-2} in. long sheath, }~14 lin. broad, linear, acute, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 1-5 in. long, acute or produced into a leafy point 4-6 lin. long. Peduncle 5-21 in. long, 4_3 lin. thick, terete or slightly compressed, striate, glabrous, hollow, Spike 2-4 lin. long, 3-5 lin. thick, ovoid, ellipsoid or subglobose, usually several-flowered. Bracts 2-3 lin. long, 14-2} lin. broad, elliptic or orbicular, obtuse, keeled, concave, thinly coriaceous, entire, not ciliate, 3-nerved, glabrous, blackish-brown ; nerves not reticulate at the apex. Lateral sepals 2-3 lin. long, 4-3 lin. broad, lanceolate, acute, boat- shaped, yellowish-brown, with the keel and apex darker brown; keel somewhat broadly winged, quite entire and not produced at the apex. Corolla-lobes 13-2 lin. long, about 1 lin. broad, cuneate-oblong, obtuse,

14 CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [Xyris.

minutely toothed. Arms of the staminodes very short, with brush-like tufts of long yellow hairs.—Thunb. Fl. Cap. ed. Schult. 81; Vahl, Enum. ii. 206; Willd. Sp. Pl. i. 255; Roem. & Schultes, Syst. Veg. i. 552; Kunth, Enum. iv. 24; Nilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Forhandl. Stockh. 1891, 154; and in Svensk Vet. Akad. Hand]. xxiv. no. 14, 40; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 420 ; Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 133 ; N. E. Br. in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 6; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 68. X. capensis, Thunb., var. nilagirensis, Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 154. X. reptans, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 68.

Nile Land. Abyssinia: Begemeder; in swamps on the plain of Jan Meda, 8700 ft., Schimper, 1519!

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in boggy places near the banks of the River Mumpulla; Welwitsch, 2473! near the chief stream of Morro de Lopol'o, Welwitsch, 2459!

Also in South Africa.

Var. medullosa, N. E. Brown, Peduncle 5-7} in. long, very slender, 4-4 lin. thick, with a well developed pith, not in the least hollow. Spike 2 lin. long, about 14 lin. thiek, ovoid, 2-4-flowered. Lateral sepals 13 lin. long, 3 lin. broad, oblan- ceolate, acute; keel neither ciliate nor scabrid.

Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa; without precise locality, Hannington !

I can find no character to distinguish X. reptans, Rendle, from X. capensis, Thunb. The leaves are longer than usual, but in that respect it is very similar to Baur’s specimen (598) of X. capensis, from Bazeia, in Tembuland. A specimen collected by Scott-Elliot (6962) in Nandi, British East Africa, at an alt. of 7000- 8000 ft., is probably a form of X, capensis, but the leaves appear to be more fleshy than usual, The plant is about 4 in. high.

The variety medullosa may prove to be a distinct species, but (with the exception of the peduncle being very slender and having a very distinct pith) I can find no character in the dried state to distinguish it from X. capensis. All the specimens I have had the opportunity of examining of XY. capensis have a hollow stem.

8. MR. nivea, Welw. ex Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 69. Tufted, slightly bulbous at the base. Leaves 3—5 in. long, including the $—1 in. long sheath, } lin. thick, filiform-subulate, stiff, erect, flexuose, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 14-1? in. long, produced into a short leaf-like point at the apex. Peduncle 5-10 in. long, 4-4 lin. thick, slender, wiry, flexuose, subterete, faintly angular, glabrous. Spike 24-3 lin. long and -about as thick, subglobose, few-flowered. Bracts 14-2 lin. long, 11-1? lin. broad, broadly elliptic or suborbicular, very obtuse, entire, coriaceous, with submembranous margins, 3—5-nerved, dark brown, with paler mar- gins, slightly shining. Lateral sepals 1? lin. long, } lin. broad, sigmoid- lanceolate, acute (or obtuse if flattened out); keel light brown, very minutely ciliate from the base to 3 the way up; interior sepal bright reddish-purple. Corolla-lobes obovate-elliptic, concave, finely toothed, “white” (Welwitsch). Staminodes pilose. Anthers 3 lin. long. Capsule obovate. Seeds ellipsoid, pointed, red.

- Mower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in scarcely damp, sunny, wooded places between Lopollo and Monino, Welwitsch, 2468 !

The filiform leaves, white flowers, and minutely ciliate lateral sepals, easily distin- guish this species from its allies.

Xyris. | CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). 15

9, KX. Welwitschii, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 68. Leaves 3-6 in. long, 1 lin. or less broad, linear, acute, submembranous, scabrid on the margin. Peduncular-sheath 2-4 in. long, leaf-like, acute. Pedunele 6-14 in. long, 4-4 lin. thick, somewhat compressed, with longitudinal minutely scabrid ridges. Spike about 4 lin. long, 24-44 lin. thick, ellip- soid when young, hemispherical when mature, several-flowered. Bracts 2-3 lin. long, 14-23 lin. broad, elliptic to obovate, obtuse, not keeled, thin and scarious, becoming somewhat membranous towards the margins, entire, 3-nerved, translucent, light brownish-ochreous or straw-coloured, glabrous, with no dorsal area. Lateral sepals slightly protruding veyond the bracts, 3-34 lin. long, $—? lin. broad, lanceolate, acute, dull ochreous ; keel most minutely scabrid-ciliolate at the middle, otherwise entire; third sepal crimson. Corolla yellow. Staminodes shortly tufted, pilose. Anthers scarcely 1 lin. long, linear-oblong. Seeds ellipsoid, minutely umbonate at the ends, longitudinally ridged, with transverse inconspicuous bladder-like markings, dull black.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in wooded marshy meadows between Lopollo and Monino, Welwitsch, 2465 !

I do not find the keel of the lateral sepals hispidulous as originally described, but the central part has an exceedingly minute scabrid-denticulation, which can only be seen under a moderately powerful lens.

10. &. scabridula, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 72. Leaves 3-2} in. long, }-} lin. broad, linear, mucronate at the apex, very minutely scabrid on the margin. Peduncle 2-6} in. long, distinctly striate. Spike 14-3 lin. long, 3-3 lin. thick, few-flowered. Bracts 14-24 lin. long, 14-2 lin. broad, orbicular-obovate or suborbicular, very obtuse, sometimes mucronulate, entire, submembranous, obscurely and imperfectly 3-nerved, very light golden-brown. Lateral sepals 1}—2 lin. long, $—2 lin. broad, broadly lanceolate, acute, membranous, light brown in the apical part; keel regularly curved from the base to the apex, with an exceedingly narrow wing in the lower part, very minutely ciliate along the middle part ; interior sepals light ochreous-brown (always ?). Corolla-lobes rather more than 1 lin. long, scarcely $ lin. broad, obovate, intense yellow. Arms of the staminodes hairy. Ovary oblanceolate. Seeds ellipsoid, umbonate at one or both ends, almost smooth, crimson.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; on the Serra de Oiahoia, behind Humpata, oo sandy meadows, which are sometimes flooded in summer, Welwitsch, 2470!

This species is very similar to X. affinis, Rendle, and X, humpatensis, N. E. Br., but the lateral sepals are much broader and different in form. I do not find that the leaves are rugnlose as originally described, but some of them are slightly wrinkled from shrinkage in drying, as is very often the case,

11. X. humpatensis, V. #. Br. Leaves 1}-3 in. long, includ- ing the }-1 in. long sheath, }-1 Jin. broad, linear, acute, glabrous ; sheath ciliate. Peduncular-sheath 2}-4 in. long, with a leafy acute point 1-2 lin. long, glabrous, Peduncle }-1 ft. long, }-} lin. thick, subterete, striate, glabrous. Spike 2}-3 lin. long, 14-24 lin. thiek,

16 CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [Xyris.

larger when in fruit, ovoid, ellipsoid, or in fruit subglobose, 4-10- flowered. Bracts all reaching to nearly the same level, 2-2 lin. long, 1-1} lin. broad, oblong or broadly obovate-oblong, entire, light olive- brown, rather thin, 3-nerved; the outer very obtuse, slightly keeled ; the inner complicate-subacute and keeled at the apex, glabrous, Lateral sepals 2-2} lin. long, } lin. broad, linear-lanceolate, very acute, straw- coloured along the back, membranous and colourless on the sides; keel narrowly winged, slightly curved at about the middle, erect at the apex, minutely and sparsely ciliolate to 4 or 3 the way up; interior sepal bright reddish-purple. Petals 2 lin. long, 14 lin. broad, obovate, ob- tusely rounded at the apex, scarcely toothed, yellow. Staminodes very shortly 2-armed, with brush-like tufts of long yellow hairs; anthers oblong, at length subhastate at the base. Lower Guinea. Angola: Humpata; ina pool by the River Neve, Newton !

Very like X. affinis, Welw., but differing in the narrower lateral sepals which are very acute and erect at the apex.

12, K. affinis, Welw. ex Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 70. Tufted. Leaves 2-44 in. long, including the 1 in, long sheath, 4-1 lin. broad, linear, acute, glabrous ; sheaths of the withered leaves persistent, dark brown, ciliate. Peduncular-sheath 24-3 in. long, leafless, apiculate. Peduncle 9-10 in. long, 4-3 lin. thick, subcompressed, glabrous. Spike 24-3 lin. long and nearly as thick, ellipsoid or obovoid when young, becoming at length subglobose and somewhat flattened at the top, rather few-flowered. Bracts 14-2} lin. long, 14-2 lin. broad, broadly elliptic or slightly obovate, obtuse, entire, 3-nerved, subcoriaceous, dark brown with paler subscarious margins, those in the centre of the head deeply concave and much lighter in colour. Lateral sepals 2—24 lin. long, 4-4 lin. broad, narrowly oblanceolate, obtuse and slightly hooded at the apex, somewhat membranous, light yellowish-brown along the keel, darker brown at the apex and pallid straw-coloured at the sides; keel nearly straight in the lower 3, rather broadly winged, minutely ciliate and scabridulous from near the base to about } or } from the Apex ; interior sepal bright reddish-purple. Petals obovate, yellow. Staminodes 2-armed, pilose. Anthers 1 lin. long, orange in the bud. Capsule oblanceolate, beaked. Seeds as in X. nivea.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in the elevated damp meadows of Morro de Monino, 5000 ft., Welwitsch, 2467 ! Very similar to X. humpatensis, N. E. Br., and scarcely to be distinguished

without dissection, when the rather darker, broader, oblanceolate, obt d slight! hooded sepals at once distinguish it. , obtuse and slightly

13, X. obscura, V. H. Br, Leaves and peduncular-sheath not seen. Peduncles 12-15 in. long, }-} lin. thick, slightly compressed, glabrous. Spike about 3 lin. long, 24 lin. thick, ellipsoid, not more than 5—6-flowered. Bracts 2-2} lin. long, 2 lin. broad, coriaceous, orbicular or broadly elliptic, very obtuse, minutely apiculate, entire, dark chestnut-brown, very minutely papillate-scabrid in the apical part, 5-7-nerved ; inner bracts all reaching to about the same level. Lateral

Xyris. | CXLIS. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). 17

sepals 24-2} lin. long, } lin. broad, linear-oblanceolate, somewhat obtuse, but shortly aristate, golden-brown along the keel, colourless and mem- branous on the sides; keel broadly winged (about 4 as broad as the sides), distinctly ciliate from the base to the apex. Petals 2 lin. long and the same in breadth, broadly obovate, denticulate, bright yellow. Arms of the staminodes with brush-like tufts of long yellow hairs, half as long as the petals. Anthers linear-oblong, | lin. long.

Mozamb. Dist. lritish Central Africa: Mashonaland, at Six-mile Spruit, near Salisbury, Hon. Mrs, Evelyn Cecil, 152A!

14, X. makuensis, V. #. Br. Much branched and densely tufted at the base. Leaves 14-8 in. long, including the 3-1} in. long sheath, 4-4 lin. thick, filiform-subulate, very slightly compressed, Peduncular-sheath 2-4 in, long, with a subulate point 4-3? in. long. Peduncles numerous, 3-12 in. long, 4-4 lin. thick, filiform, subterete or slightly compressed, with a raised line down one side, solid, glabrous, Spike 3-4 lin. long, 14-2} lin. thick, ovoid, becoming somewhat flat- topped and obovoid in fruit, 3—6-flowered. Outer bracts 2-3 lin. long, 1-1} lin. broad, oblong, obtuse, keeled, entire, rigidly coriaceous, con- cave, 3-nerved, blackish-brown, fading to dark olive-brown on the margins, shining; inner bracts similar to the outer, but complicate- acute, more distinctly keeled, 1-nerved, and of a rather lighter olive- brown in the lower part, 24-34 lin. long. Lateral sepals 2-3} lin. long, % lin. broad, linear-lanceolate, acute, boat-shaped, nearly straight, olive- brown, darker along the back; keel with a moderately broad entire wing, neither ciliate nor scabrid, not produced at the apex. Corolla- lobes about 24 lin. long, 2 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, toothed, yellow. Arms of the staminodes very short, with large dense brush-like tufts of long yellow hairs. Anthers oblong.

Mozamb. Dist. East Equatorial Africa, Taylor! Portuguese East Africa : Makua; Namuli Mountains, Zast/ British East Africa: Nyasaland; Mount quan Whyte! Mlanji Plateau, MeClounie ! and without precise locality, Buchanan,

_ The subulate-filiform leaves and numerous blackish shining spikes readily distin- guish this from the other species,

15, XK. humilis, Kunth, Hrwm. iv. 15. Leaves 14-24 in. long, very narrowly linear, acute, membranous, striate, glabrous. Peduncles 2-5 in. long, filiform, slightly compressed, glabrous. Spike small, about 2 lin. long, obovate-turbinate, about 3-flowered. Bracts about 7, orbicular-obovate, emarginate, carinate above, with the apex slightly recurved, fuscous on the back, with paler sides and green on the keel in the upper part, subcoriaceous, shining. Lateral sepals narrow, keeled, acute, glabrous. Capsule oblong, umbonate, 1-celled, fuseous, slightly shorter than the bracts. Seeds ellipsoid, ribbed, pointed at each end, pale fuscous.—Nilss. in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14,40; Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 133.

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, ex Engler. :

Also in Madagascar and Mauritius. I bave not seen a specimen from Zanzibar,

and therefore give a translation of Kunth’s original description. VOL. VIII. Cc

18 CXLII. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [ Xyris.

16. X. huillensis, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 71. Densely tufted. Leaves #-2} in. long, 4-3 lin. broad, linear, acute; sheaths with membranous margins. Peduncular-sheath about as long as the leaves, acute or with a short leafy point. Peduncle 3-12 in. long, 1_1 lin. thick, filiform, slightly angular, reddish below. Spike about 2 lin. long, 14-2 lin. thick, ellipsoid, becoming subglobose in fruit, about 6-flowered. Bracts 14—1 lin. long, 2—1 lin. broad, elliptic-oblong, very obtuse, subcoriaceous, rather stoutly keeled in the upper half, entire, 3-nerved (sometimes incompletely), light brown, slightly shining. Lateral sepals 14-13 lin. long, }—} lin. broad, broadly lanceolate, acute, light brown along the keel, membranous and nearly colourless on the sides; keel narrow, quite entire. Corolla-lobes 14 lin. long, ? lin. broad, obovate, yellow. Arms of the staminodes densely pilose, bright yellow. Anthers subsagittate. Ovary compressed-ellipsoid, becoming obovoid and shortly rostrate as it ripens. Seeds ellipsoid, narrowing to a slight umbo at each end, crimson, with dark longitudinal lines.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; Empalanca, in lofty sandy pastures, flooded in the rainy season, Welwitsch, 2469! marshes near the River Quipumpun- hime, in the Humpata district between Nene and Humpata, Welwitsch, 2472!

17. &. anisophylla, Welw. ex Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 72. Leaves 2—34 in. long, 3—? lin. broad, linear, acute. Peduncular-sheath 14-2 in. long, acute. Peduncle 5-8} in. long, 4-4 lin. thick, “of a shining copper or almost gold colour” (Welwitsch). Spike 2 lin. long, 14-2} lin. broad, ellipsoid, somewhat truncate at the apex, often becoming hemispherical when mature, 5-flowered. Bracts 14-1} lin. long, 14-14 lin. broad, orbicular-obovate to broadly elliptic, very obtuse, sometimes faintly keeled in the upper part, entire, membranous, 3-nerved, very light reddish-brown, with broad transparent straw- coloured margins. Lateral sepals 1}—1# in. long, scarcely } lin. broad, somewhat oblong-lanceolate, acute or subacute, membranous, nearly colourless, very light brownish or straw-coloured along the back; keel very narrow, quite entire. Petals (torn) more than 1} lin. long, scarcely 1 lin. broad, yellow. Staminodes 2-armed, with dense tufts of yellow hairs, more than half the length of the stamens. Anthers ? lin. long, oblong, cordate at the base. Fruit scarcely 1} lin. long, plano- convex, narrowly obovoid, very shortly beaked. Seeds ellipsoid, with an apical umbo, longitudinally marked with distinct spiral ridges, red.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; in spongy places in the Presi- dium, near the huge rocks of the Barrancos de Catete, Welwitsch, 2463.

18, K. fugaciflora, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii.71. Czspi- tose. Leaves 3-4 in. long, 3-3 lin. broad, linear, acute, transversely rugulose ; scabridulous at the margin, especially when old. Peduncular- sheath 3-2 in. long, with a leafy point 14-3 lin. long. Peduncle 3-9 in. long, —} lin. broad, very slender, flattened, glabrous. Spike 13-2} lin. long, | to nearly 2 lin. thick, 4—5-flowered, ellipsoid when ia flower, becoming semi-ellipsoid in fruit. Bracts 14-2 lin. long, 3-14 lin. broad, varying from elliptic to orbicular, very obtuse, membranous,

Xyris.| CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). 19

entire, 3- or indistinctly 5-7-nerved, dull or purplish-brown, the colour fading out towards the margins. Lateral sepals 1}-2 lin. long, 4 lin. broad, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, membranous, transparent, tinted with red or brown on the keel, nearly colourless on the sides; keel moderately broad, quite entire. Corolla-lobes scarcely 2 lin. long, obo- vate, toothed on the margin, yellow. Arms of the staminodes with brush-like tufts of hairs. Anthers oblong, 2-3 lin. long. Ovary ob- lanceolate, shortly beaked. Seeds ellipsoid, with a prominent apical umbo, longitudinally striate, reddish-brown.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo: spongy places between Caghuy and Sansamanda, but somewhat rare, Welwitsch, 2461! in spongy wooded meadows at Mutollo, near Pedras de Guinga, Welwitsch, 2462! plentiful in the Presidium, in spongy places on the higher rocks of Catete, Welwitsch, 2464!

The minute rugosity on the leaves in this species and in X. straminea, Nilss., and one or two others is probably due to some form of shrinkage in drying, as some of the leaves show no trace of it.

19. K. straminea, NVilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Férhandl. Stockh. 1891, 153. Roots filiform, densely tufted; norhizome. Leaves 4-5 in, long, 4-1 lin. broad, linear, acute, rarely obtuse, often from shrinkage (but not always) minutely transversely rugulose in the dried state, with concolorous or pale sheaths 4-14 in. long. Peduncular-sheath $-2 in. long, leafless and mucronate, or with a leafy point {-4 in. long. Peduncle 1}~12 in. long, very slender, 1—} lin. thick, terete or subcompressed, striate, very minutely rugulose in the upper part, slightly hollow. Spike 2-2} lin. long, lanceolate, acute, 14 lin. in diam. when in flower, opening out when in fruit, 1—5-flowered. Bracts few, 14-22 lin. long, }-1 lin. broad, oblong or elliptic-oblong, the inner boat-shaped, keeled, and com- plicate-acute at the apex, but obtuse when flattened out, entire, not ciliate, 3-nerved, somewhat membranous, very pale brownish or straw- coloured. Lateral sepals about 2-24 lin. long, 4-4 lin. broad, straight, narrowly lanceolate, acute, membranous, straw-coloured; keel slightly rounded, with no trace of a wing, entire, not ciliate. Corolla only seen in a very young bud, yellow. Capsule 14-1? lin. long, # lin. diam., oblong, obtuse, apiculate, trigonous (or acutely triangular?) in cross section.—Nilss. in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14, 40; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 421 ; N. E. Br. in Dyer, Fi. Cap. vii. 751. X, filiformis, N. E. Br. in Dyer, Fi. Cap. vii. 7, not of Lam.

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory: Nupe ; swamps near Bakona, and at Lom, Barter, 764!

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Tanganyika Plateau at Fort Hill, 3500-4000 ft., Whyte !

Also in South Africa.

This species is closely allied to X. filiformis, Lam., but differs in having no dorsal area on the outer bracts and no ciliation on the keel of the lateral sepals. The curious and minutely rugulose surface of the leaves and peduncles is best seen by holding the Specimens in a line with the source of light, but probably it is due to shrinkage in drying, aud may not be evident in the living plants. An imperfect specimen collected by Carson in a pool 2-3 miles south of Niomkolo, in Urungu, may also belong to this species.

20 CXLII, XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [ Xyris.

20. &. pumila, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 70. A small rigid plant, densely tufted. Rhizome bearing several crowded branches. Leaves distichous, 2-34 in, long, including the ? in. long sheath, searcely 4 lin. broad, linear, very acute or subaristate at the apex ; sheaths dark chestnut-brown. Peduncle 4-5} in. long, } lin. thick, terete, glabrous. Spike 24-24 lin. long, 1-14 lin. broad, about 3-flowered, narrowly ellipsoid, slightly drawn out at the base. Bracts 12-2 lin. long, 3-1} lin. broad, elliptic or oblong, entire, coriaceous, minutely papillate- scabrid on the back of the apical part, 3-nerved, dark chestnut-brown, slightly paler at the margin, those in the centre dull ochreous-brown. Lateral sepals 13-2 lin. long, nearly } lin. broad, lanceolate, obtuse, golden-brown along the keel, becoming paler towards the margins; keel very minutely scabridulous from about 4 above the base to the apex. Corolla bright yellow. Staminodes 2-armed, hairy. Anthers ? lin. long, linear-oblong, orange-yellow.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in thicket-grown marshes between Humpata and the lofty plain of Empalanca, Welwitsch, 2471 !

21. XX. multicaulis, V. H. Brown. Leaves 14-3 in. long, }-1 lin. broad, linear, subacute, sometimes slightly hardened and whitish at the apex, glabrous, sometimes minutely rugulose in the dried state. Peduncular-sheath 1}—2 in. long, with a short leafy point. Peduncles numerous, 4—6 in. long, }-} lin. thick, angular, compressed, glabrous, twisted. Spike 24-3 lin. long, 1-1} lin. thick, lanceolate, 2—3-flowered, dull smoky-brown. Outer bracts 14-2 lin. long, thin, broad, elliptic, subacute or obtuse, deeply concave, slightly keeled at the apex, entire, subcoriaceous, indistinctly 3-nerved,dull brown; inner bracts thinner, orbi- cular, apiculate, closely convolute, scarcely keeled, nerveless, Lateralsepals 2-214 lin. long, $ lin. broad, lanceolate, acute, boat-shaped, thin, scarcely keeled, light straw-coloured, scarcely darker on the keel, which is quite entire. Corolla-lobes 1 lin. long, ? lin. broad, obovate, very obtuse, yellow. Arms of the staminodes broad, linear, densely fringed with yellow hairs.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland ; Namasi, Cameron, 51!

22. K. angustifolia, De Wild. & Durand in Comptes-rendus Soc. Bot. Belg. xxxviii. 149. Leaves 2-4 in. long, }-4 lin. broad, linear, acute, slightly twisted, rigid, with brown sheaths7lin.long. Peduncular-sheath 132} in. long, leafless, acute, keeled on the back, bright chestnut in the lower part. Peduncles }—1 ft. long, more or less flattened, glabrous. Spike small, about 24 lin. long, 1} lin.in diam. Inner bracts 2 lin. long, 1 lin. broad, outer smaller, obovate or elliptic, sparsely ciliolate and usually shortly emarginate at the apex, coriaceous, bright fuscous. Lateral sepals about 2 lin. long, oblong, curved, keeled; keel scarcely or very narrowly winged, not ciliate. Petals about 14 lin. long, 1 lin. broad, obovate, fimbriate, yellow.

South Central. Congo Free State: Upper Congo; between Mokanga and Skori, Dewévre.

Xyris. | CXLII. XYRIDEH (BROWN). 21

I have not seen this species; it appears to be allied to X. multicaulis, N. E. Br., or X, filiformis, Lam,

23. SK. erubescens, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 73. Plant about 8 in. high, “scarcely cespitose ” (Welwitsch). Leaf-sheaths form- ing a bulbous base, leafless in the specimens seen, the outer coriaceous or scarious, tapering from a broad base, smoky-brown, shining. Peduncles arising from the midst of the persistent bases of the leaves, 54-8 in. long, flexuose, subquadrangular, glabrous, green. Peduncular-sheath about 2 in. long, rather loose above and passing into a weak acuminate point. Spike } in. thick, ellipsoid or subglobose. Bracts 2-2} lin. long, 13-24 lin. broad, coriaceous, lowermost oblong, the others orbicular, very concave, obtuse or slightly apiculate, entire, but often broken and retuse at the apex, 7—9-nerved, olive-brown, paler at the margin. Lateral sepals 24-2} lin. long, scarcely 4 lin. broad, falcate, with very unequal sides; keel broad, minutely denticulate-scabrid (scarcely cilio- late) from about the middle to the apex, greenish-brown below, becoming crimson above. Arms of the staminodes with narrow brush-like tufts of hairs, exceeding the oblong orange-coloured anthers.—Rendle in Journ. Bot. 1899, 508.

Lower Guinea, Angola: Huilla; here and there in marshy pastures near Nene, by the road towards Lopollo, Welwitsch, 2466 !

A very distinct species, well marked by the bulbous base formed by the leaf- sheaths. A specimen collected by Rand in Rhodesia has been referred (Journ. Bot., 1899, 508) by Dr. Rendle to this species, but as the leaves of Welwitsch’s plant are unknown, and Rand’s specimen only consists of separate peduncles and leaves, the base of the plant not being represented, it is uncertain if the Rhodesian plant, which has terete-filiform leaves, really belongs to this species, although the spikes are similar,

24, KX. filiformis, Zam. Hncycl. i. 152. Leaves 3-23 in. long, 3-4 lin. broad, linear, subacute, glabrous. Peduncle 44-10 in. long, 4-3 lin. thick, terete, striate. Spike 24-3 lin. long, 1-2} lin. thick, ovoid or ellipsoid, few-flowered. Bracts 14-2 lin. long, 1-14 lin. broad, elliptic or suborbicular, obtuse, very concave, chestnut-brown, the outer with a linear greyish dorsal area near the apex, glabrous, entire, coriaceous, becoming somewhat scarious at the margin, 3—5-nerved. Lateral sepals 14-2 lin. long, narrowly spathulate-lanceolate, subobtuse, keeled, light brown along the keel, paler on the membranous sides ; keel very minutely scabrid on the apical part only.—Poir. Encyel. viii. 821 ; Vahl, Enum. ii. 207; Kunth, Enum. iv. 24; Nilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Forhandl. Stockh. 1891, 151; and in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14, 40; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 420.

Upper Guinea. Senegal, in Upsala Herb. Sierra Leone, Smeathman! Afzelius, in Stockholm and Berlin Herb.

Lamarck described this species from a specimen collected by Smeathman, of which

I have seen a tracing, and also specimens of the same gathering in the British Museum.

22 .CXLIl. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). [ Yyris.

25. &. angularis, V. H. Brown. Leaves and peduncular-~heath not seen. Peduncle 14-18 in. high, about 4 lin. thick, distinctly 4—6- angled, hollow, glabrous. Spike 3-4 lin. long, 24-3 lin. thick, ellipsoid, about 10-flowered. Bracts 2-2} lin. long, 1} lin. broad, elliptic, very obtuse, not keeled, concave, glabrous, rather light brown with a distinct greyish lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong dorsal area; nerves numerous, much reticulated. Lateral sepals 24 lin. long, }~} lin. broad, falcate- linear, acute, keeled, brown, paler towards the margins; keel not pro- duced at the apex, serrulate along the apical half, with the teeth often ending in a fine hair. Corolla not seen.

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory : Nupe, Barter !

This species is easily recognised by its sharply angular peduncles, combined with the distinct dorsal area of the bracts.

26. MR. decipiens, JV. L#. Br. in Dyer, Fb. Cap. vii. 3. Leaves 5-16 in. long, 14-24 lin. broad, with concolorous sheaths 14-3 in. long, linear, acuminate, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 5}-7} in. long, acute and leafless, or (abnormally ?) with a distinct blade like the other leaves. Peduncle 2—2} ft. long, 1-14 lin. thick, terete, sulcate-striate, glabrous ; pith rather loose, not hollow at the centre. Spike 6—9 lin. long, 5-6 lin, thick, ovoid, acute or subacute, 30-40-flowered. Bracts 3-34 lin. long, 24-23 lin. broad, oblong-obovate, very obtuse, minutely subdenticulate, concave, 7—-nerved, light chestnut-brown, slightly shining, with a distinct oblong-lanceolate greyish dorsal area about 1—1} lin. long and 3 lin. broad; nerves reticulate at their apex. Lateral sepals 24 lin. long, $ lin. broad, pale brown, linear-falcate or linear-lanceolate, acute, keeled ; keel winged, serrulate along the upper part. Corolla only seen in bud. Arms of the staminodes very short ending in dense brush-like tufts of long hairs. Anthers linear-oblong. Capsule 2} lin. long, oblong-lanceolate, subacute, trigonous.—X. laxifolia, Benth. in Hook, Niger Fi., 548, not of Mart.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: Samu Country, Scott-Elliot, 4220! and without precise locality, Smeathman !

Lower Guinea. Angola, Curror!

This is the stoutest of all the African species, and the dorsal area on the bracts is more conspicuous than in any other. The pubescence on the keel of the lateral sepals, mentioned in my original description, seems to be due to some accidental disintegra- tion of the superficial cells in the specimens first examined, and does not occur in the Sierra Leone example. Since this species was described it has been discovered that

the plants collected by Curror and labelled “ W. Africa, S. of the Tropic,” were all collected in Angola.

27, X. Barteri, V. H. Br. Leaves not seen. Peduncular- sheath 2} in. (or more?) long, terminated by a linear acute leaf 2 in. long, % lin. broad, glabrous. Peduncle 14-2 ft. long, 4-3 lin. thick, Somewhat compressed, 2-edged, hollow, glabrous, striate (from shrinkage’). Spike 3 lin. long, 2-24 lin. thick, ellipsoid or ovoid, 7—12- flowered. Bracts spirally imbricate one above another, 24—24 lin. long, 1}lin. broad, coriaceous, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, obtuse, entire, sometimes

Xyris. | CXLII. XYRIDEZ (BROWN). 23

apiculate, light chestnut-brown, the inner with a stout usually dark green keel; nerves very indistinct, very slender and irregular. Lateral sepals 1}-2 lin. long, 4} lin. broad, falcate-lanceolate, obtuse, boat-shaped, brown along the back, fading to light yellowish-brown on the sides; keel winged, minutely ciliolate along the middle part only, not produced at the apex. Flowers not seen. Capsule obovoid, trigonous.

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory: Nupe, Barter !

Allied to X. angularis, N. E. Br., but differing in its compressed (not acutely angled) peduncles, the absence of a dorsal area on the bracts, and other characters,

28. KX. batokana, V. H. Br. Tufted on a stout rootstock, emitting thick roots. Leaves 4—8 in. (or more ?) long, 3-14 lin. broad, linear, very acute, rigid, striate, often twisted, glabrous. Peduncular- sheath 24-4 in. long, with a rigid acute point about 3 lin. long, glabrous. Peduncle 14-2 ft. long, about 3 lin. thick, subterete, very smooth and slightly shining, not striate, glabrous; pith not hollow at the centre. Spike 4—5 lin. long, 3-34 in. thick, ellipsoid or subglobose, about 30- flowered. Bracts 13-21 lin. long, 14-1} lin. broad, elliptic or elliptic- oblong, very obtuse, neither apiculate nor keeled, 5-7-nerved, chestnut- brown, with an indistinct slightly paler lanceolate dorsal area, glabrous, not ciliolate; nerves reticulated at their apex. Lateral sepals 2 lin. long, nearly $ lin. broad, linear-falcate, acutely keeled, brown, paler towards the margins; keel very distinctly ciliate from a little above the base to the minutely apiculate apex. Corolla yellow; tube about 2 lin. long ; lobes 2 lin. long, 1 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, denticulate. Arms of the staminodes small, bearing a tuft of comparatively few (20-25) hairs. Anthers oblong.

Mozamb. Dist. British Cextral Africa: Northern Rhodesia ; Batoka High- lands, Kirk !

This mucb resembles X. nitida, Nilss., but the very smooth peduncles and absence of cilia on the bracts readily distinguish it.

29. K. congensis, Bittner in Verhandl. Bot. Ver. Brandenb. xxxi. 71. Leaves up to 1 ft. long, 1—2 lin. broad, linear, slightly scabrous, striate, with dark brown sheaths. Peduncle 2-3 times as long as the leaves, compressed, smooth. Spike 5 lin. long, 24 lin. thick, about 20- flowered. Bracts 2} lin. long, broadly obovate, rounded at the apex, ciliolate, chestnut-brown with a greyish dorsal area. Lateral sepals shorter than the bracts, boat-shaped, keeled, hyaline, pale fuscous, with a golden hue, the apex and keel darker ; keel narrowly winged, ciliate. Corolla-lobes 14 lin. long, ? lin. broad, truncate, irregularly and shortly denticulate, yellow.—Nilss. in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14, 29; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 420, and Etudes Fl. Congo, 1. 268,

South Central. Congo Free State:-on the left bank of the River Congo, between Lukolela and Equatorville, Bittner, 583.

I have not seen this, but possibly X. xitida, Nilss., may be the same plant.

24 CXLII, XYRIDEA (BROWN). [ Xyrvs.

30. XK. nitida, Vilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Forhandl. Stockh. 1891, 156. Tufted on a thick rootstock, emitting rather stout flattened roots. Leaves 9-14 in. long, 3-1 lin. broad, linear, acute, twisted, glabrous; sheaths 14-24 in. long, becoming dark chestnut-brown and shining. Peduncular-sheath 4-5 in. long, with a flat point 2-3 lin. long, glabrous, dark chestnut-brown in the lower part. Peduncle 13-2 ft. long, compressed, 2-edged, glabrous, finely striate; pith not hollow at the centre. Spike 5-7 lin. long, 3-34 lin. thick, ovoid or oblong- ovoid, about 30- or more-flowered. Bracts 2}—3 lin. long, 1} lin. broad, elliptic-oblong, very obtuse, minutely ciliate at the apex, dark brown, shining, with an obscure oblong dorsal area on some of them, obscurely 7-nerved, nerves scarcely reticulated. Lateral sepals 24-2? lin. long, } lin. broad, oblong-linear, slightly falcate, usually more or less hooded and ciliate at the apex, keeled, yellowish-brown with a dark brown keel ; keel ciliate or irregularly toothed and ciliate to the apex, which is produced into a short subulate point. Corolla-tube 2 lin. long; lobes 2 lin. long, ? lin. broad, oblong, obtuse. Arms of the staminodes short, linear, terminating in a small dense tuft of long yellow hairs. Anthers oblong.—Nilss. in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14, 30; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 421, not of Willd.

Lower Guinea. Corisco Island: in meadow ground, Mann, 1858!

As the flowers are in a bad state I am rather doubtful if the description of corolla- lobes as given above is quite correct. In one head some of the bracts have a well- marked ciliate keel down the back, the other bracts of the same head being without a keel, which latter seems to be the normal condition, This species may prove to be the same as X. congensis, Biittner, but the leaves are not scabrous as described for that species ; if they should be found to be identical, the name X. congensis must

take precedence, as that species was published in September 1889 (not 1890 as stated by Nilsson), nearly two years earlier than X. nitida,

31. K. Hildebrandtii, Nilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. FG Stockh. 1891, 155, Tufted. Leaves 4-12 miata $-14 ith bee hoes very acute, striate, often twisted, glabrous. Peduncular-sheath 2 wi lin. long, with a rigid acute point 24-3 lin. long. Peduncle 11-2 = long, 1 lin. thick, compressed, slightly striate. Spike 34-7 lin long, about 3 lin. thick, ovoid or cylindric-oblong, 10-30- or moredioweied: Bracts 23-2? lin. long, 1} lin. broad, spirally imbricating one above another, elliptic-oblong or suborbicular, very obtuse, sometimes minutely apiculate, not keeled, glabrous, opaque blackish-brown, indistinctly 5—9- nerved ; nerves reticulate at their apex. Lateral sepals 2 lin ae 4-2 lin. broad, falcate-oblong, or the margins nearly straight co i keel much curved, brown with paler margins; keel winged, obtuse or slightly produced at the apex, very distinctly ciliate from the base to the apex, the cilia usually being grouped in small dense tufts. Corolla- lobes 2 lin, long, 1} lin. broad, cuneate-orbicular, toothed. Arms of the staminodes linear, with dense brush-like tufts : ingl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 133. Welw. ii. 67, hardly of Nilss.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; in damp meadows by the banks

nse _brush-l of yellow hairs.— X. Umbilonis, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pi.

Xyris. | CXLII, XYRIDEA (BROWN). 25.

of the Cuanza River, near Buinba, Welwitsch, 2460! Huilla ; Humpata, in spongy marshes at the foot of the Sierra de Oiahoia, Welwitsch, 2475!

Mozamb. Dist. (erman East Africa and the region around Lake Nyasa, ex Engler. British Central Africa : Nyasaland ; Shire Highlands, Buchanan ! Mount Maloxa, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! Mount Zomba, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte /

Also in Madagascar.

This Tropical African plant differs from the typical Madagascar form in that the peduncles are more slender, and the cilia on the keels of the lateral sepals have a tendency to be grouped in tufts, instead of being evenly spread as in typical X. Hil- debrandtii, but in other respects the two plants closely agree. X. Umbilonis, Nilss., under which Rendle has placed it, differs in having the keel of the lateral sepals produced at the apex, but may, perhaps, only be a local form: it was collected in Natal. X. Hildebrandtii is distinguished from all other Tropical African species, by its dull blackish-brown many-flowered spikes, and distinctly ciliate sepuls.

Imperfectly known species,

32. ¥. minima, Steud. Syn. Pl. Glum. ii. 288. Roots fibrous, very slender. Peduncular-sheath lax, terminated by a flattish or setaceous leafy point 3-5 lin. long. Peduncle 14-3 in. long, capillary or filiform, Spike small. Bracts ovate-oblong, obtuse, pale chestnut-brown. Lateral sepals lanceolate-spathulate.—X. humilis, var. minima, Nilss. in Ofvers. Vet. Akad. Férhandl. Stockh. 1891, 152; and’in Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl. xxiv., no. 14, 40; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 420.

Upper Guinea. Los Islands, Jardin, 120, in Stockholm Herb.

I have not seen a specimen of this plant, and the description is insufficient for its

identification, but it would appear to be allied to X. straminea, Nilss., or X. filiformis, Lam.

Orper CXLIII. COMMELINACEA. (By C. B. Clarke.)

Flowers small, bisexual or some sterile. Sepals 3, one entirely external in the bud. Petals 3, free or their claws imperfectly united into a tube in Cyanotis. Stamens 6, whereof 4—1 are often sterile and deformed or wanting; filaments often with beaded hairs. Ovary superior, 3—2-celled ; when 3-celled the dorsal cell often smaller with fewer ovules or empty ; style simple; ovules 1 or several in each cell attached to the inner angle. Fruit (except in the two first small genera) a loculicidal capsule. Seeds having the hilum linear, vertical (except in the two first genera); embryo small, far from the hilum, shortly cylindric in the floury albumen; foramen prominent, covered by an embryostega, lateral (i.e. nearly opposite the hilum), except in Cyanotis.—Herbs. Leaves alternate, ovate to linear, bases sheathing.

Species 330, in all warm countries.

Mostly succulent weedy plants, with fugitive flowers. In some genera the flowers. are symmetric or nearly so ; but in the majority the flower is 1-sided, the dorsal cell of the ovary smaller or 0, the dorsal petal much shorter than the other two, and the 3 dorsal stamens sterile or rudimentary.

26 CXLIII. COMMELINACE (CLARKE). | Pollia.

Tribe I. Polliece.— Fruit indehiscent. Inflorescence a panicle ; no spathaceous bracts. Fruit crustaceous. Margin of leaves nearly glabrous. 1. POLLia. Fruit succulent, Margin of leaves brown-silky . 2. PALISOTA.

Tribe II. Commelineve.— Capsule 2-3-valved. Fer- tile stamens 3-2. Racemes 2—1, enclosed or half-enclosed within a spathe- like folded bract. Spathes scattered or clustered . . 8. COMMELINA. Spathes on the elongate branches of the panicle . 4. PoLysPaTHA. Inflorescence various; without conspicuous folded

bracts. Sepals small, obtuse 3 “ C . 5. ANEILEMA. Sepals 4 in. long, lanceolate, acute : = . 6, ANTHERICOPSIS.

Tribe III. Tradescantieve.— Capsule 2-3-valved. Fertile stamens 6-5: Capsule 3-celled. Seeds 4-10 in each cell, _ Panicle loose. . 7%. BUFORRESTIA. Seeds 2-1 in each cell. Cymes often dense. Peduncle perforating the base of the leaf-

sheath . . 8. FoRRESTIA. Peduncle not per forating the leaf-sheath . 9. CYANOTIS. Capsule 2-celled, with 1 ovule in each cell : . 10. FLoscopa.

1, POLLIA, Thunb.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 846.

Sepals 3. Petals 3, small, obovate, white or pale rose. Stamens 6 subequal, or 3 and 3 staminodes; filaments without hairs. Ovary ovoid ; cells 3, equal or the dorsal smaller, 5—10-ovuled (in the African species). Capsule globose or ellipsoid, indehiscent ; pericarp crustaceous, ultimately sbining blue or lead-coloured ; seeds 5-10 in each cell, flat- tened trapezoid.—Stem often rooting at the base. Leaves lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, approximate towards the top of the stem; not densely brown-silky on the lower surface near the margin. Panicle terminal, either loose, or denee short-ovoid. Bracts within the panicle small,

Species 14, scattered in the warmer parts of the Old World,

Fertile stamens 6; panicle loose . x : <2 eh MANNS. Fertile stamens-3; head dense. ; : . 2. P. condensata.

1. P. Mannii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 124. Nearly glabrous. Stems 1-2 ft. long, slender, trailing or suberect, rooting at the base. Leaves 4 by 1 in., broadly lanceolate, acuminate at either end ; pseudo- petiole ai in. long. Panicle 2 by 14 in., 12-18-flowered, loose ; bracts up to 4 in. long, lanceolate. Stamena 6 fertile, subequal.

Capsule 1 1 by 4 in. 24- seeded.— Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v.421; Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. 1. Upper Guinea. Cameroons ; Yaunde, 2700 ft., Zenker & Staudt, 409! Lower Guinea. Isle of St. Thomas: 2000 ft., Mann, 1098! at Angolares,

Pollia. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 27

300 ft., Quintas, 10! at Nova Moka, 2900 ft., Moller! Fl. Afr. Exsice. Conimbric., 109 !

Part of Welwitsch, 6604, was referred by me erroneously to P. Manaii in DC, Monogr. Phan. iii. 124.

2. P. condensata, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 125. Nearly glabrous. Stems 2-6 ft. long, thick. Leaves 12 by 3 in., lan- ceolate-obovate, acuminate at either end; petiole 0—} in. long. Panicle 1} by 1} in., 20-40-flowered, dense ; bracts }-} in. long, ovate, obtuse, conspicuous on the young panicle, disappearing in fruit; peduncle 1-2 in. long, with sometimes a large oblong bract. Stamens 3 fertile. Capsule $+ by ¢ in., 24-seeded.—Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 421; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 134 ; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i, 118, and in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p.1; Cornu in Bull. Soe. Bot. France, xliii. 27 ; Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898, 80; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 74.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone; Talla Hil] Plateau, Scott-Elliot, 4851! near Dunnia, Scott-Elliot, 4363! Ashanti ; Assin-Yan-Kumassi, Cummins, 82! Came- roons: Efulen, Bates, 389! Fernando Po; 2000 ft., Mann, 93! Barter, 1518! Vogel, 7B !

Nile Land. British East Africa: Uganda ; common in woods, Scott-Elliot, 7370 !

Lower Guinea. Isle of St. Thomas: Obo de Macambrara, 4200 ft., Moller, 12! Angolares, near Rio Salgado, Quintas, 12a! Fl. Afr. Exsice. Conimbric., 110! Princes Island, Barter, 2020! Angola: Cazengo ; in the lofty woods of Muxaulo, Welwitsch, 6604 ! : ;

Mozamb. Dist,? Eastern Africa: Mhonda, Sacleux, 1831 !

This was erroneously placed in Sect. Hu-Pollia (i.e., with 6 perfect stamens) in DC, Monogr, Phan. lc. It has since flowered at Kew, and Mr. Rolfe observed that the perfect stamens were 3 only (i.e., it is of Sect. Aclisia).

2. PALISOTA, Reichb.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 847.

Sepals 3. Petals 3, small, obovate, white, sometimes tinged with rose or bluish. Stamens 3, perfect, the anther of the stamen of the interior whorl (anticous apparently middle of the three) somewhat un- like that of the other two, with curved or subdivergent cells ; staminodes 2 or 3, with beaded hairs. Ovary 3-celled, the posticous cell often smaller ; ovules 8-1 in each cell. Fruit indehiscent. fleshy or succulent, often purple or red; seeds 2 superposed in each cell, or solitary, or more numerous and irregularly packed, pyramidal or trapezoid.—Stem simple, or nearly so, or hardly any. Leaves basal or in fale whorls, hairy when young, edges permanently and densely clothed with ferru- ginous hairs. Peduncle 1, rarely 2-3, quasi-terminal ; inflorescence a panicle, elongate or dense; flowers in small cymes, many functionally male, the lower pedicels of the cyme often early caducous, so that the upper part of the cyme-peduncle appears knotted. Bracts on the axis of the panicle short, except in P. bracteosa ; bracteoles small or 0.

28 CXLIII, COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). | Palisota.

Species, The 12 following endemic in Tropical Africa.

*MONOSTICHOS.—Seeds 3-1 in each cell, superposed in one row (fruit not knowm in P, Mannii).

Pedicels not articulated at the base. Stems nearly scapose ; all the leaves, except those near the base, much reduced, bract-like. Ovary glabrous. Bracts prominently exserted from the in-

florescence . : - : c 1. P. bracteosa. Bracts concealed by the inflorescence 2. P. Mannii. Ovary with scattered long hairs . : . 38. PB. Barteri. Stems elongate, with long nodes, the upper leaves fully developed, appearing opposite or whorled. Inflorescence dense; pedicels hardly 4 in. long. Stems stout ; leaves 3-8 in. wide 4. P. Schweinfurthii. Stems weak ; leaves 1-3 in. wide 5. P. preussiana, Inflorescence loose ; pedicels }—} in. long 6. P. laxiflora. Pedicels articulated at the base, many early falling off. (Stems elongate with apparently-whorled leaves.) Inflorescence 2-6 in. long, 50-150-flowered . 7. P. ambigua. Inflorescence 1 in. long ; buds minute . . 8. P. micrantha,

**DisticHos.—Seeds 5-8 in each cell, in two vertical rows or irregularly disposed. (Pedicels in all very short, articulated, many of the lower cadacous, so that the peduncle appears covered with knots below the small cyme.)

Peduncles 3-1 in. long . . . : ° - 9. P. thyrsiflora. Peduncles 0—;4, in. long “ ° ° ° - 10. P. prionostachys.

1. P. bracteosa, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 133. Young parts shaggy with fulvous or greyish hair. Stems 1-8 in. long, with leaves only near the base. Leaves 12-18 by 3-4} in., elliptic-lan- ceolate or somewhat obovate, acuminate at either end, whe: mature often nearly glabrate (even on the midrib beneath), except at the densely hairy margins. Stems }{-} in. in diam.; upper leaves few, 1-2} in. long, lanceolate, bract-like, not sheathing. Inflorescence 1-34 by 3-1} in., most dense, with 50-300 flowers; bracts in the upper part of the panicle 4-} in. long, broadly lanceolate, shaggy, exserted from the panicle; pedicels 0-4 in. long, persistent. Ovary glabrous, the dorsal cell as a rule l-ovuled. Berry } in. long, ellipsoid, apiculate, bright scarlet, 5-seeded. Seeds trapezoid, nearly smooth, not greatly flattened.— Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 422; Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France xli. p. liv.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: Samu Country, Scott-Elliot, 5933! Litveria, cultivated specimen! Cameroons: Efulen, Bates, 446!

Lower Guinea. Isle of St. Thomas; 3000-4500 ft., Moller in Fl, Afr. Exsice. Conimbric., 111!

The peduncles are all simple ; in Moller n. 111 there are three from one root. The petiole, as in other species of Palisota, is very variable—1-6 in. long.

Palisota. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 29

2. P. Mannii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 132. Young parts shaggy with fulvous or greyish hair, Stems 1-9 in. long, with leaves only near the base. Leaves 12-18 by 24-4} in., lanceolate or lanceolate-obovate, acuminate at either end, when mature often nearly glabrate except at the densely hairy margins. Stems )-} in. in diam.; upper leaves few, up to 34 in. long, broadly lanceolate, not sheathing. Inflorescence 4—7 by 1-1} in., oblong, most dense, with several hundred flowers ; bracts small, concealed by the flowers; pedicels 0—} in. long, persistent, Ovary glabrous. Fruit not known.—Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 422; Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. lv.

Upper Guinea. Fernando Po ; 3000 ft., Mann, 2340! Cameroons : Came- coon Mountain, 2000-3000 ft., Mann, 2139! Kalbreyer, 163! :

I described this in DC. Monogr. Phan. 1.c. as “ caulescent,” and Mann has noted the herb as 2 ft. high, which probably refers to the larger leaves. The stem is as in P. bracteosa ; the upper leaves are much reduced. The fruit being unknown, there may be more than one species included here. The material is of 2 forms, viz—

a. P. Mannti, C. B. Clarke, type (i.e, Mann, n, 2340). Leaf in the type Specimen 20 in. long (exclusive of the long petiole), obovate, broadest very near the top, suddenly narrowed into a short lanceolate tip (not an in. long).

B. (i.e., Mann, 2139.) Leaf 16 in. long, lanceolate, broadest rather below the middle, narrowed into an elongate triangular tip nearly 9 in. long, not acuminate. Kalbreyer, n. 163, is nearly the same.

3. P. Barteri, Hook. f. in Bot. Mag. t 5318. Young parts shaggy with fulvous or greyish hair. Stems 1—5 in. long, with leaves only near their base. Leaves up to 24 by 44 in., the blade (exclusive of the quasi- petiole 8 in. long) often 9-15 in. long, obovate-lanceolate, suddenly narrowed into a lanceolate tip 1 in. long, when mature often nearly glab- rate except at the densely hairy margins. Leaveson the stem 1-2 in. long, lanceolate, bract-like, not sheathing. Inflorescence 14-2 by 1-1} in., very dense, short-oblong or quadrate (but see note below on the culti- vated plant) with 100-250 flowers; bracts small, concealed by the flowers ; pedicels 0-} in. long, persistent. Ovary with long simple hairs scattered all over. Fruit immature, 5-seeded.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 132; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 422; Schoenl. in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. iv. 62, fig.31,A—E; Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. liv.; Cornu in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xiii. 28. P. ombrophila, K. Schum. (MS. ?) in Zenker, Exsice, 1164.

Upper Guinea. Fernando Po; Barter! Mann, 94! Cameroons: Bipinde, Zenker, 1164!

The plant, in continued cultivation at Kew, has developed a narrow-oblong inflorescence, 41 in. long, looser than in the wild collections, The P. ombrophila, K. Schum., has the ovary fully as hairy as in the picture in the Botanical Magazine, and must be conspecific with P. Barteri.

4, P. Schweinfurthii, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 132 partly. Young parts shaggy with fulvous or greyish hair. Stem 3-7 ft. long, } in. in diam., with internodes 2-4 in. long (or more) and 2 or 3 leaves apparently whorled at the node. Leaves up to 26 by 8 in., and

30 CXLIII. COMMELINACEZ (CLARKE). | Palisota.

leaves on the stem seen 14 by 5} in., elliptic, shortly acuminate at either end, more or less glabrate, but densely hairy on the margin. Inflor- escence 4-7 by 1-1} in., exceedingly dense, cylindric, with several hundred flowers; sometimes 2 or 3 peduncles together; bracts on the main rhachis small, concealed by the flowers ; pedicels hardly + in. long, persistent. Ovary glabrous. Fruits } in. in diam., succulent, scarlet, 5-seeded. Seeds subpyramidal, nearly smooth.—Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 422; Durand & Wild. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. xxxvil. 128; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 118, and in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. lv.; Rendle in Cat. Afr, Pl. Welw. ii. 74, excluding the St. Thomas’ island plant.

North Central. French Congo: Kemo, Dybowsky !

Wile Land. British East Africa: Niamniam ; Boddo River, Schweinfurth, $054! Nabambisso River, Schweinfurth, 3697! Uganda; Kalungi, in woods, Scott-Elliot, 7364 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon, Buettner. 163! Lower Congo: Bingila, Dupuis ! Mouth of the Congo, Smith! Angola: Golungo Alto; Quilombo-Quiacatubia, 1000- 2400 ft,, Welwitsch, 6599! 66038! Pungo Andongo ; in shady valleys between the higher rocks, 2400-3800 ft., Welwitsch, 6603 !

South Central. Congo Free State: Monbuttu; Yuru River, Schweinfurth,

3279 ! 3281! Mbula River, north of the Kibali River, Schweinfurth, 3721! Kassai River, Lulua River, and Sankuru River, Zaurent !

5. P. preussiana, XK’. Schum. (MS. 2), in Preuss, Exsicc. 996. Young parts shaggy with greyish hair. Stem 3 ft. long, 4 in. in diam., with long internodes and distant falsely-opposite leaves. Leaves 10 by 3 in., oblong, acuminate at either end, very glabrate except at the densely fulvous hairy margins; uppermost pair close to the inflorescence hardly smaller than the basal leaves. Inflorescence 3} by 1 in., cylindric, very dense with 200-300 flowers ; bracts concealed by the flowers; pedicels hardly 4 in. long, persistent. Ovary glabrous. Fruit not seen.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: Buea, Preuss, 996!

6. P. laxiflora, C. B. Clarke. Young parts shaggy with fulvous or greyish hair. Stems up to 4-6 ft. high (Welwitsch), with fully developed leaves, pseudo-opposite or ternate at distant nodes. Leaves 12-18 by 3} in., narrowly lanceolate-obovate, acuminate at both ends, when mature nearly glabrate except at the densely fulvous-hairy margins. Inflorescence in fruit 4 by 3 in., loose, 200-flowered ; bracts on the main axis few, 4—3 in. long, lanceolate ; pedicels persistent, of the fruits {-} in. long. Flowers white (Welwitsch). Ovary glabrous. Fruits succulent, } in. in diam., scarlet (Welwitsch), subglobose, 5-seeded. Seeds trapezoid, somewhat flattened, nearly smooth.—P. Schweinfurthii,

C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 132 partly; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 74 partly.

Lower Guinea. Isle of St. Thomas, 3000-4300 ft., Moller, 11! in the woods of Fazenda de Monte Caffé, 2000 ft., Welwitsch, 6602 !

Palisota. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 31

7. P. ambigua, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 130, t. 5,. fig. 3. Young parts shaggy with fulvous hair. Stem 1-2 ft. long, with long internodes. Upper leaves apparently 3-5 in a whorl, 8 by 2 in., obovate-lanceolate, when mature nearly glabrate except at the densely fulvous-hairy margins. Peduncle 1-6 in. long; inflorescence 2—6 by }—} in., loose, sparingly hairy, 50-150-flowered; bracts hardly ¢ in. long; pedicels 0-4, in. long, articulated at the base; buds ,4,—,), in. in diam., puberulous, many soon falling. Ovary glabrous. Fruit ellipsoid, } by 4 in., with 2 (rarely 3) seeds in each anticous cell, 1-seed in the posticous cell. Seeds superposed, of a metallic blue colour, smooth, the top and bottom seeds pyramidal, the intermediate short cylindric, —Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 421; Schoenl.in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. iv. 62, fig. 31, F—H; Durand & Schinz, Etudes FI. Congo, i. 268; Durand & Wild.in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87, xxxvii. 127; Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. lv., and in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 119. Commelina ambigua, Beauv. Fl. Owar. i. 26, t. 15.

Upper Guinea. Lagos! Musin, Millen,201! Niger Territory: Old Calabar, Robb! Cameroons: Rio del Rey, Johnston, 1!

Lower Guinea. Gaboon: Sierra del Crystal, Mann! River Gaboon, Mann! 1031! Buettner, 506! Lower Congo: Bingila, Dupuis! Mouth of the Congo Smith, 63! French Congo: Kakomocka, Lecomte.

South Central. Congo Free State: Lunda; Mukenje, Pogge !

>

8. P. micrantha, K. Schum. (MS. ?) in Zenker n. 956. Inflores- cence 1 by } in. Buds scarcely 45 in. in diam. Otherwise as P. ambigua.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: Bipinde, Zenker, 956!

The buds are less than half the size of those of P. ambigua at the same stage of development ; still it may be doubted if this is other than a small state of that species. The stem and leaves are exactly the same as in it.

9. P. thyrsiflora, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 544, excl. syn. Young parts shaggy with fulvous or grey hairs. Stems 3-15 ft. long. Upper leaves apparently opposite or whorled at the distant nodes, attaining 15 by 4 in., lanceolate-obovate or oblong-elliptic, shortly acuminate at the tip, long-cuneate at the base, margins persis- tently and densely hairy, midrib in the mature leaves hairy or glabrous beneath. Panicles often 10 by 2 in., loose, not rarely 2-4 from the uppermost whorl of leaves; bracts }—-} in. long, lanceolate. Peduncles of the cymes, mostly simple, often $—1 in. long, slender, with a number of adjacent knots at the top, which are the scars whence the pedicels have early fallen; pedicels 0—;1, in. long. Corolla white. Stamens of the genus. Ovary glabrous. Berry } in. in diam. or rather more, sub- globose or ellipsoid, erect on the arm of the panicle, obtuse, blue, with often 10-16 seeds. Seeds trapezoid, not much flattened, nearly smooth. —C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 133, t. 5, fig. 4; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 422; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 118,and in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. lv. P. Tholoni, Hua in Bull. Soc,

32 CXLIII, COMMELINACEZ (CLARKE). | Palisota,

Bot. France, xli. pp. li. and lv.,and in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 118, P. plagiocarpa, Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. pp. lii, and lv. P. hirsuta, K. Schum. (M/S. ?) in Zenker & Staudt, Exsicc. 638. P, Maclaudi, Cornu in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xliii. 30. P. prionostachys, Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898, 80, not of C. B. Clarke. Dracena hirsuta, Thunb. Dissert. de Drac. 6. D.? triandra, Schultes, Syst. vii. 354. Dianella triandra, Afzel. Stirp. Guin. Med. Sp. Nov. 6.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Heudelot, 845! Sierra Leone: Ndomi, Samu Country and as far as Bumban, Scott-Elliot, 4234! and without precise locality, Afzelius! Liberia: Grand Bassa, Vogel, 64! Cape Palmas, Vogel! Gold Coast, Burton & Cameron! Ashanti: Assin-Yan-Kumassi, Cummins, 2! 130! 204! Lagos, Maloney, 8! Lower Niger: Aboh, Barter, 293! Old Calabar; Mann, 2339} Adinbo, Holland, 93! Cameroons: Efulen, Bates, 239! Preuss, 1133! Yaunde, 2700 ft., Zenker & Staudt, 638! 354! Victoria, Kalbreyer, 13! Fernando Po, Barter, 293! Vogel, 77! Mann, 95! Barter!

Lower Guinea. French Gaboon: du Bellay; French Congo: Brazzaville, Brazza, Thollon, 537, Lecomte. Lower Congo: Vivi, Johnston !

The new species of Hua have not been seen ; but they are stated to be founded solely on the hairiness of the midrib of the under surface of the leaves, and on the degree of curvature and divarication of the cells of the anther of the intermediate

stamen. The large series of J. thyrsiflora in Kew shows that these characters cannot be employed to found species upon.

10. P. prionostachys, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 134. Primary branches of panicle 0-45 in. long, thick, oblique, erect, each surmounted by a thick rugged cyme-base 4—4} in. long (numerous lower pedicels having early fallen), the cyme-tip recurved; other- wise as P. thyrsiflora—Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 422, not of Hua. P. congolana, Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. pp. lii. and lv.

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory : Old Calabar, Rodd !

Lower Guinea. [French Congo, Brazzaville, Dybowski ; Kakomocka, Le- comte,

South Central. Congo Free State: Monbuttu, Schweinfurth, 3622!

The localities in Lower Guinea hang on the correct reduction of P. congolana, Hua, which has not been seen,

It appears from an observation of Hua that his P. prionostachys had a hairy ovary, and was therefore not the present species which has the ovary quite glabrous as in P. thyrsiflora, to which it is very closely allied.

Imperfectly known species,

11. P. bicolor, Masters in Gard. Chron. 1878, ix. 527; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan, iii. 134; Durand & Schinz, Consp. FI. Afr. v. 422; Hua in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xli. p. lv.

Upper Guinea. Fernando Po,

Originally described from a cultivated plant. This appears to have been one of

the hemiscapose group ; the leaves only are described by Masters; and his description ‘may do for any one of the first 3 species above.

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). 33

3. COMMELINA. Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 847.

Inflorescence of 2(—1) cymes included (or partly included) within a folded or funnel-shaped spathe. Sepals 3, concave, obtuse. Petals 3, whereof 2 are long-clawed, the third dorsal and shorter. Stamens 3-2 anterior perfect, 3-2 dorsal sterile with rudiments of the anthers. Ovary cells 2 anterior equal, 2-1 ovuled, dehiscent in fruit, the third dorsal 1-ovuled or empty or suppressed. Seeds 5-1 to the capsule; hilum linear, vertical.—Succulent weeds. Flowers fugitive, blue, white or yellow. The spathe is an ovate leaf-like bract, either simply folded flat with an acute (often curved) midrib (keel), or with the lower margin connate so as to form an oblique funnel, The lower cyme in each spathe has often only male flowers, and is. early caducous by an articulation or not rarely wanting ; the upper cyme has usually perfect flowers at the base, male at the top. !

Species 120, in all warm countries.

The subgenus Didymoon below is well separated from Monoon—i.e., 1 know no case of the assigned character failing, The sectional groups pass, however, into each other. In Hu-Commelina the dorsal cell of the capsule is frequently sterile or nearly wanting ; while in Dissecocarpus there is frequently present a rudimentary dorsal cell which, in a few instances, has contained a small seed. So also, in Heterocarpus, though the 4 ovules of the 2 anterior cells nearly always fail to perfect seeds, in a few species the two upper ovules of these cells do produce seeds at least occasionally. The line between the sections Trithyrocarpus and Spathodithyros is (as Hua has shown) by no means absolute. The sections, nevertheless, appear to me to form fairly natural groups. In the description of the spathe it is supposed to be unfolded and viewed as a leaf flattened out.

*“DipyMoon.—Ovnles 2 in each ventral cell of the ovary, 1 or 0 in the dorsal cell. t Eu-Commelina.—Capsule 3-celled, 2-valved; the dorsal valve deciduous with the included seed, but usually finally dehiscing. Seeds normally 5 to the capsule. {Spathe simply folded, the margins being free or only slightly connate at the very base. §Seeds reticulated; the margins of the subhexagonal cells raised and forming a continuous line round the depressed areoles ; corolla blue. Leaves elliptic to lanceolate, Leaves scattered ; spathes mostly peduncled . 1. C. nudiflora. Leaves close-packed ; spathes as though sessile on the leaf-sheaths . . ° . 2. C. Sabatieri. Leaves linear, Stems 5-10 ft. long ; seeds of the ventral cells

Zin. long . : . : : . 3. C, scandens. Stems 1-2 ft. long; seeds of the ventral cells less than ;/, in. long. ° . 4. C. Gambia,

§§Seeds pitted, obsenrely tubercled or wrinkled. Fertile stems hemiscapose, with 2 or 3 leafless sheaths . ‘ : : i : - §. C. scaposa. Fertile stems leafy. Leaves linear. Roots fibrous ; short-lived annuals. Leaves 2-3 in. long. . . . 6. C,subulata. Leaves up to 6—9 in, long. VOL. VIII. D

34

CXLIII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

Seeds ovoid or ellipsoid. Spathes shaggy with multicellular

hairs. 7. C. angustissima, Spathes glabrous, with ciliate mar- cis. . - . 9. C. violacea. Seeds nearly flat, 3-lobed . : 8. C. trilobosperina. Roots thick ; stems thicker, faidencd at the base.

Spathes 3 in. long; leaves narrowly linear. Spathes shaggy, with a nearly straight tip 10:

. C. purpurea. Spathes glabrate, with a deflexed tip . 11.

C. nyasensis,

Spathes 13 in. long; leaves long linear- lanceolate . 12. C. celestis. Leaves ovate 13. C. crassicaulis. §§§Seeds smooth : ; 14. C. Schweinfurthit. | {Spathe having its margins connate | near the base, so that the spathe is hooded or obliquely funnel- shaped. (See also 14, C. Schweinfurthii.) Peduncle of spathe hardly longer than the leat- sheath. Leaves triangular at the tip, not very acute. Spathes obliquely funnel-shaped 15. C. benghalensis. Spathes with the keel much curved 16. C. uncata. Leaves acuminate to an acute tip. Leaves lanceolate, glabrate 17. C. congesta. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, hairy c . 18. C. condensata, Peduncle of the spathe much longer than the leaf-sheath. Spathe hirsute ; seeds subglobose, smooth . . 19. C. zambesica.

Spathe glabrous; seeds abies panes wrinkled. . . 20. C. boissieriana.

++ Heterocarpus.—Capsule B-celled, 2- sald the anal valve deciduous with thd included seed, indehiscent, the seed very ‘intimately attached to the pericarp. Ventral cells with 2 ovules in each cell; both usually withering (without pro- ducing a fertile seed) ; in a few species the capsule is frequently 3-seeded.

Margins of spathe connate at the base ; capsule often

3-seeded ; corolla blue. : 21. Spathe simply folded, the margins free at the ‘pase ; corolla yellow, Leaves small, at most 1} in, long : . . 30.

Leaves, or many of them, 13 in. long or more. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate. Leaves nearly glabrous ; seeds ;4 in. long Leaves puberulous ; Leaves lanceolate or broader (elliptic or ovate). Mature leaves nearly glabrous. Spathes 1-2 in. long, acuminate . Spathes ? in. long, shortly acute . : Spathes up to 3 in. long, elongate-acuminate . 27. Mature leaves pubescent, Leaves lanceolate, Spathes 1-2 in. long . Spathes up to 23 in. long. . Leaves ovate, subcordate at the base .

C. Forskalai.

C. Mannii.

. C. Kirkii. seeds din. long . +29:

C. boehmiana.

C. africana.

. C. edulis.

C. Buchanani.

. C. krebsiana. . C. involucrosa, . C. cordifolia,

Vommeline. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). 35

ttt Dissecocarpus.—Capsule normally perfecting 4 seeds, in the two ventral cells ; the dorsal cell quite rudimentary or absent, only by accident perfecting a seed. Capsule quadrate or oblong, usually constricted between the seeds which are prominent as 4 knobs or elevations from without. {Spathes scattered. Seeds smooth or wrinkled or pitted. Capsule longer than broad; seeds _ cylindvic-

ellipsoid. Spathe ovate, very broad at the base, Spathes 3—# in. long ; : : . 81. C. Kotschy. Spathes 1 in. long or more : : . 32. C. imberbis. Spathe elliptic-acuminate ; : : . 33. C. Petersii.

Capsule nearly square ; seeds globose. Leaves oblong to ovate. Mature leaves glabrous or very nearly so. Upper leaves rounded, eared or cana

at the base : c . B4. C. latifolia. Upper leaves cuneate at the base, ‘quasi: petioled . 5 : . 35. C. cuneata. Mature leaves hairy on both surfaces. Spathes 2 in. long, striate : . 86. C. spectabilis. Spathes 1 in. long, not striate, box n- ‘ purple. . 8%. C: Cecile.

Leaves linear or lineage heentite: ona dilated at the very base. Margins of the spathe free at the base. Spathes 3—% in. long.

Whole plant hairy. : : . 38. C. demissa.

Nearly glabrous : : : . 39. C. madayascariea. Spathes 1 in. long or more.

Plant nearly stemless ; : . 40. C. huillensis.

Plant with a leafy stem. Scabrous or glabrate; seeds small, globose. . 41. C. Carsont. Shaggy; seeds ellipsoid, rather large . 42. C. Welwitschii. Margins of the spathe united at the base (very shortly so in C, subcucullata). Spathes very shortly united at the margin 48. C. subcucullata, Spathes unitedat the margin for}-}in, . 44. C. newrophylla. Seeds echinate . . . 45. C, echinosperma, | {Spathes approximated at the ends of the branches, apparently i in heads. Leaves sessile, oblique, unequal at the base. Flowers yellow (or white) : seeds large, cylindric 46. C. capitata. Flowers blue ; seeds small, subglobose . 47. C. rufociliata. Leaves with a long quasi-petiole . - . » 48. C, longicapsa. **Monoon.—Ovules 1 in each ventral cell of the ovary, 1 or 0 in the dorsal cell. } Trithyrocarpus. —Capsule with 3 similar 1-ovuled dehiscent cells, thin and papery when ripe. The third dorsal cell is frequently smaller and sometimes barren

or wanting.

Spathes solitary, none in clusters, Leaves linear. 5 : - “ . . 49. C. umbellata. Leaves elliptic . : : : ; : . 50. C, bracteosa. Leaves lanceolate ° . . 51. C. guineensis.

Spathes (or most of them) approximated i in clusters. Leaves linear.

36 CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE. ) [ Commelina.

Seeds #1 in. long, smooth . 52. C. aspera.

Seeds } in. long, transversely wrinkled. . 53. C. mensensis. Leaves oblong or elliptic-lanceolate.

Mature leaves hairy on both surfaces : . 54. C. firma.

Mature leaves nearly glabrate : : 55. C. Vogelit.

++ Heteropyris.—Capsule of 3 1-seeded cells, 2-valved ; the dorsal cell indehiscent and tough, often rough. Spathes all scattered, peduncled. Leaves narrowly oblong : : : : - 56. C. Bainesii. Leaves broadly elliptic ‘ : : c . 57. C. lagosensis. Spathes several together at the ends of the branches. Petals {—% in. broad. Leaves narrowed at the base; spathes 2-4 on a branch. Spathes hooked ; seeds large ellipsoid. . . 58. C. albescens. Spathes slightly curved ; seeds small globose . 59. C. sphaerosperma. Leaves not narrowed at the base ; spathes 10-20 on a branch : : . 60. C. opulens. Petals ? in. broad : : : : : . 61. C. venusta. ++4Spathodithyros.—Ovary 2-celled ; cells 1-ovuled ; capsule 2-valved, 2-seeded. Leaves linear c A : : . - 62. C. Livingstont. Leaves elliptic or oblong.

Seeds ellipsoid ; leaves ovate at the base < . 68. C. Zenkeri.

Seeds globose ; leaves narrowed at the base. Leaves 2-4 in. long, oblong. c : - 64. C. ethiopica. Leaves up to 43 in. long, elliptic . : . 65. C. pyrrhoblepharis. Leaves 1 tolj in. long . : : : . 66. C. obscura.

1. C. nudiflora, Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. i. 41, ed. it. 61, not of Linn. Mant. Hairy or glabrate. Stems 1-2 ft. long, diffuse, decumbent at the base, often rooting at the nodes ; roots fibrous, not thick. Leaves 1-24 by 4-2 in., lanceolate, narrowed at the base, the quasi-petiole very short. Spathes scattered on peduncles 4-2 in. long, simply folded (the lower margins of the leaf free or hardly connate), ovate-lanceolate. Racemes in each spathe usually 2, the lower 1—3-flowered and rarely maturing a capsule, the upper with 3-8 flowers usually maturing 3-! capsules. Petals blue or nearly white, ovary with 2 ovules in each 0 the two anterior cells. Capsule normally 5-seeded, the dorsal 1-seeded cell dehiscing later or not at all. Seeds black, reticulated, the hexagonal areoles depressed, farinose—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 144 incl. var. /3 werneana, and in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 8; Schoen]. in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. iv. 64;. Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Aft. v. 427, and Etudes Fl. Congo i. 269; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 369; Durand & Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soe. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87, and in Bull. Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvii. 128; K. Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 134; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 119; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 74. C. agraria, Kunth, Enum. iv. 38; Webb & Berth. Iles Canaries, Phyt. iii. 356, t. 238; Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 541. communis, Walter, Fl. Carol. 68; Kunth, Enum. iv. 36 excl. sy.) C. B. Clarke, Commel. et Cyrt. Beng. t. 1 excl. syn. C. africana ; Benth: in Hook Niger. Fl. 541, ef. note. (. werneana, Hassk. in Schweinf.

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 37

Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 206, 295. C. barbata? Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 76, not of Lam.—Pluk. Phytogr. t. 27, fig. 4, not Alm. p. 135.

Nile Land. British East Africa: White Nile, Petherick! D’ Arnaud! Niamniam, Schweinfurth, 3739! 3797!

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone; Sugarloat Mountain, Welwitsch, 6625! 6625B ! and without precise locality, Don, 2! Vogel,11! Scott-Elliot, 3875! Hart ! Niger Territory : Opobo, Holland, 140! Old Calabar, Holland, 75! Robb! Came- roons : Cameroon Mountain, Mann, 2137 ! Batanga, Bates,18! Efulen, Bates, 268 ! and without precise locality, Preuss, 1320! Fernando Po, Vogel, 67!

Lower Guinea. Island of St. Thomas, Moller,9a! Quintas,9! Don, 1! F1. Afr, Exsic. Herb. Conimbric. 112! Gaboon : Munda; Sibange Farm, Soyaux, 378 ! French Congo: Bramaya, Paroisse, 209 ; Nyanga River, Dybowski, 14; Brazzaville, Dybowski ; Njobe, Schwebisch and Thollon. Loango,.Soyaux, 16! Congo Free State: Lower Congo; Bingila, Dupuis! Kisantu, Gillet! Lukungu, 1000-2000 it., Hens, ser, A, 247! and without precise locality, Smith! Boma, Monteiro! Angola: north of Ambriz, Welwitsch, 6612! between Ambriz and Mosul, Welwitsch, 6623 ! by the River Bengo, near San Antonio, Welwitsch, 6617! by the larger lake of Quilunda, near Prate, Welwitsch, 6619! Golungo Alto; near Canguerasange and Zengas do Queta, Welwitsch, 6609! by the River Quiapoze, and at Varzea d’Isidre, Welwitsch, 6608 ! Sange, Welwitsch, 6606! Mossamedes; by the River Bero, Welwitsch, 6580! by the River Cuanza, Johnston !

South Central. Congo Free State: Mpala, on Lake Tanganyika, De Beerst !

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa? Lower Zambesi, Expedition Island, Kirk! British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Mount Sochi, Scott-Elliot, 8652 ! Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte !

In the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world—a weed,

The typical C. xudiflora is a weak rambling plant with distant long-lanceolate leaves and acuminate spathes. OC. agraria, Kunth, is a shorter, neater plant with shorter (almost ovate) shortly acute leaves, and short spathes. C. werneana, Hassk., 18 a robust state with leaves up to 33 in. long, and long spathes. The Lower Guinea form, referred doubtfully by Rendle to C. darbata, may be a distinct species; it has the mature leaves densely hairy on both surfaces, the stem nearly concealed by the “pproximate hairy leaf-sheaths; but it has the capsule and seeds exactly of C. nudiflora, and must be closely allied to it.

2. C. Sabatieri, (’. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 146. Nearly glabrous. Root fibrous. Stems decumbent, nearly concealed by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves 1 by 4-1 in., elliptic-oblong, scarcely acute, Margins wavy, whitened, subsessile ; leaf-sheaths scarious, inflated, slightly hairy at the mouth. Spathes rather more than 4 in. long, Smnply folded, ovate, acute, nearly sessile, ie., the peduncle hardly exserted from the leaf-sheath. Capsule and seeds as of C. nudiflora.— Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 427.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Sources of the White Nile, Sabatier ’

3. ©. scandens, Welw. ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 146. Robust, nearly glabrous. Stems 5-10 ft. long, little divided, with inter- nodes 3-4 in. long. Leaves 44 by } in., linear. Peduncles exserted 3-1 in., often from the lower leaf-sheaths. Spathes 1-2} in. long,

Simply folded, ovate-lanceolate, long attenuate, rounded at the base. Petals deep blue. Capsule nearly } in. long; seeds more than 4 in.

38 CXLUI., COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

long, cylindric-ellipsoid, reticulated—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. FI. Afr. v. 428; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 75.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; 3300 ft., on the banks of the River Cuanza, near Nbilla, Welwitsch, 6642.

Mozamb. Dist. Lake Tanganyika, Cameron?

Also from Madagascar.

This almost surely belongs to the present group. There were 4 seeds in the two ventral cells ; the dorsal cell in the one capsule preserved is empty, as happens occa- sionally.

4, ©. Gambiz, (. 2B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 146. Thinly villous. Stems 20 in. long, much divided ; base decumbent, rooting at the nodes; roots fibrous. Leaves 2-3 by } in., linear. Spathes on peduncles exserted (—} in., numerous, solitary, 3 in. long, simply folded, ovate, shortly acuminate, rounded or rhomboid at the base. Flowers small, deep blue. Capsule usually 5-seeded; seeds of the ventral cells searcely ;, in. long, subglobose, strongly reticulated, the margins of the reticulations much raised, continuous.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. FI. Afr. v. 425.

Upper Guinea. (iambia, Ingram! Senegambia, Heudelot, 577 !

This is the plant “ indicated” by Bentham (in Hook. Niger Fl. 542) as C. Fors- kalzi from Senegambia. The leaves and spathes resemble fairly well those of C. Forskala@i, Vahl; but the capsules and seeds are totally unlike.

5. C. scaposa, C. B. Clarke in Comptes-rendus Soc. bot. Belg. xxxviii- 220. Nearly glabrous. Leaves on sterile stem not seen. Fertile stems 8-12 in. long, simple, leafless, with 2 or 3 distant leaf-sheaths ; free point to the leaf-sheaths less than } in. long. Spathes solitary, on peduncles up to 2} in. long, simply folded, the margins hardly united at the base, $—2 in. long, ovate, shortly acuminate. Seeds normally 5 to the capsule, those in the ventral cells slightly pitted and tubercular.

South Central. Congo Free State : Upper Marangu, De Beerst !

6. C. subulata, Roth, Vov. Pi. Sp. 23. A nearly glabrous annual. Stems 6-15 in. long, weak, divided. Leaves 2 by 4-} in., linear. Spathes scattered, solitary, on a peduncle hardly exserted from the leaf-sheath, 4 in. long, ovate, shortly acute, simply folded, not striated by curved coloured parallel lines ; inflorescence little exserted from the spathe. Petals small, blue (see note below). Capsule 3-1 in, long, with normally 5 seeds. Seeds of the ventral cells (often strongly} wrinkled, as well as pitted subtuberculate.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii, 148, inel. var. 3; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 154; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 428 ; K. Schum in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 134 ; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. 429; C. B. Clarke in Dyer, FI. Cap. vii. 9. (. striata, Hochst. ex Kunth, Enum. iv. 44; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 207, 295. C. subawrantiaca, Hochst. ex Kunth, Enum. iv. 658 ; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 208, 295. C. linearifolia, Kunth, Enum. iv. 43.

Mile Land. Kordofan: Abu Gerad, Kotschy, 59! and without precise locality, Kotschy, 341 Eritrea: Bogos, Hildebrandt, 370! Keren, Beccari, 172; Habab,

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACE® (CLARKE). 39.

6000 ft., Hildebrandt, 368! Gallabat: region of Matamma, Schweinfurth, 531! Abyssinia : near Adowa, Schimper, 360! 5900 ft., Schimper, 45 ; Lotho, Schimper, 419! and without precise locality, Schimper, 574! British East Africa : Kast Ongalea Mountains at Kinani, 2200 ft., Gregory !

Upper Guinea. Bornu, Vogel, 53!

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa : Quilimane, Scott! British Central Africa : Nyasaland; Shire Highlands, Buchanan !

Also in South India, and Extratropical South Africa.

The flowers in C. subulata, Roth, and C. striata, Kunth, are always blue as far as known. The name ©. subaurantiaca, Hochst., appears to have been given by Hochst. in the herbarium (not from any field note by the collector, Schimper) ; and Hasskar! suggests that it refers to the yellow colour of the dried plant, not to that of the flower, the colour of which is unknown in C. subaurantiaca.

Var. 8 heterantha, C. B. Clarke. Petals yellow.—C. heterantha, Welw. ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan, iii, 148 ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 75. :

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo ; on sandy rocks of the Presidium, Welwitsch, 6333 partly! meadows near Condo, Welwitsch, 66338! Mossamedes, Welwitsch, 6587! Huilla, 3800-5500 ft. ; on the banks of the River Ema, among crops, Welwitsch, 6588! near Lopollo, Welwitsch, 6589!

Welwitsch has carefully noted the colour of the flower in all these numbers—as “yellow,” “light yellow,” or “ brownish-yellow.” Except, however, in the colour of the flower, I can discover no difference between this plant and typical C, subulata, Roth.

7. CG. angustissima, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 134. Annual. Stems slender, 16 in. high. Leaves 7 by } in., very narrowly linear. Spathes solitary, less than } in. long, villous. Flowers deep blue ; otherwise as C. swbulata, Roth.

‘ Mozamb. Dist, German East Africa : Usinja ; Karumo district, Stuhlmann, 564.

No example seen ; but the three subjoined plants agree with the description in the long linear leaves, and small spathes shaggy with white multicellular hairs.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo ; on sandy rocks of the Presidium, 2400-3800 ft., Welwitsch, 6633 partly !

Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa : Kesokwe, Hannington ! in wet ground on the edges of streams at Tabora (Kaseh), 3960 ft., Speke & Grant !

8. C. trilobosperma, XK. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 134. Probably annual. Stems 1 ft. high, slender. Leaves up to 5 by } in., elongate-lanceolate. Spathes less than } in. long, glabrous. Flowers blue. Seeds trigonous, nearly flat, conspicuously 3-lobed. Very near C. subulata, Roth, but excellently separated by the 3-lobed seeds.

‘ oe Dist. German East Africa: Usinja ; Karumo district, Stuhlmann,

566.

' Not seen ; the above abstracted from K. Schumann. The seeds described would Separate the species excellently from any other species of Commelina , it is difficult to imagine how they would pack into the 5-seeded 3-celled capsule of the Sect. Hu- Commelina,

9. ©. violacea, (. B. Clarke. A nearly glabrous erect annual growing in water. Stems 15 in. long, little divided, with long inten - nodes. Leaves 9by tin. Spathes few, solitary, nearly } in. long, op peduncles scarcely exserted from the leaf-sheath, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous with ciliate margins, slightly striated by curved purplish

40) CXLIII, COMMELINACE® (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

veins. Flowers hardly exserted from the spathes, violet (Schinz). Capsule + in. long, 5-seeded; seeds strongly tubercled, deeply wrinkled. Lower Guinea. Amboland ; in marshy places at Olukonda, Schinz, 21! 33! The flowers are violet in the tinely preserved specimens.

10. C, purpurea, C. B. Clarke ex Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx, 429. Nearly glabrous, except the spathes. Stems 15 in. high, with long internodes; base erect, thickened, almost woody ; roots 7 in. long, thick. Leaves 9 by } in. Spathes few, scattered, on peduncles exserted 0-1 in., simply folded, } in. long, ovate, acute with the tip nearly straight, some shaggy, some only slightly hairy, striated by chocolate-coloured parallel nerves. Racemes exserted from the spathes. Flowers chocolate-colour (Speke d: Grant). Capsule 5-seeded ; seeds moderately pitted.—C. nigritana, Baker in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. 163, not of Benth. C. subulata, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 148 partly, not of Roth. Commelina, sp. n. 2,T. Thoms. in Speke, Nile, Append. 650.

Nile Land. British East Africa: between Ndoro and Guaso Thegu, Gregory.

Mozamb. Dist. (ierman East Africa: Unyamwezi district, by water, 3600 ft., Speke & Grant!

In the dry examples, the spathes are very strongly striated by chocolate-coloured nerves, the petals are a deep purple, In the colours noted in the field of the flowers

in this Order, a question often arises whether the petals, the anthers, or the spathes have caught the eye of the collector.

11, C.nyasensis, (’. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrous. Stems 12-20 in. long, much divided, rather slender, with very long internodes up to 6-8 in. long; base of the stem (imperfectly preserved) appears similar to that of C. purpurea. Leaves 6 by } in., narrowly linear. Spathes scattered on axillary branches, approximate, sometimes many in dense clusters, less than } in. long, simply folded, broadly ovate, with a very short acute deflexed tip, striated by coloured veins (blue to chocolate in the dried plants), which are very prominent or nearly disappear in spathes on the same stem. Capsule 5-seeded ; seeds moderately wrinkled or pitted.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Tanganyika Plateau, at Fort Hill, 3500-4000 ft., Whyte! Monganja Highlands, 4000 ft., Kirk !

12. C. ceelestis, Willd. Enum. Hort. Berol. i. 69. Minutely hairy. Stems 1-2 ft. high, erect at the base; roots thick, often clavate at the ends. Leaves 5 by 4-} in. Peduncles scattered, 1-1} in. long. Spathes 1} in. long, ovate-lanceolate, simply folded, often purplish or striate. Flowers blue, much exserted from the spathe. Capsule 5- seeded; seeds deeply pitted—cC. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 153; efr. Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 369.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Machakos, Scott-Elliot, 6387!

Mozamb. Dist. British Centra) Africa: Urungu; Fwambo, Carson, 35 between Lake Nyasa and Lake Tanganyika, 6000-8000 ft., Thomson !

Indigenous in Mexico.

This plant is disposed to establish itself in various parts of the world.

Commelina. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). 41

13. C. crassicaulis, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii, 149. Nearly glabrous ; margins of the leaves and spathes ciliate. Stem 6 in. long, erect from a bulb. Leaves 3 by 1} in., sessile, ovate-lanceolate, subcordate at the base. Peduncles 2 in. long, rigid. Spathes 1} in. long, simply folded, ovate-lanceolate, striated, cordate at the base. Cap- sule 5-seeded ; seeds {—} in. long, deeply wrinkled—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 425.

Lower Guinea. Angola: near Guingongue, Herb. Paris.’

14. C. Schweinfurthii, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 158, Nearly glabrous, except the spathes. Stems 15 in. long, divided, with very long internodes, the base not well shown in the specimens, but similar to that of C. purpurea. Leaves up to7 by 3-4 in., elongate, linear-lanceolate. Peduncles }—2 in. long, scattered. Spathes ?—1 in. long, very broadly ovate, shortly acuminate, not striate with coloured veins, shaggy or nearly glabrate ; the two margins of the spathe shortly connate at the base. Capsule normally 5-seeded, but the ventral cells contain sometimes 1 seed only (the lower ovule having proved infertile); seeds subglobose, smooth.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 428; K. Schum, in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 134.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: on a rocky hill, 3 miles south of Falaba, Scott- Elliot, 5164 !

Nile Land. British East Africa: Jur ; Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth, 2022!

Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Unyamwezi; Kakoma (ex K. Schumann).

15. ©. benghalensis, Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. i. 41, ed. ii. 60, ewel. fig. Pluk. cited. A diffuse, more or less hairy annual, rooting at the base, 1-24 ft. long, much branched. Near the base are often present branches that grow underground, or stolons, on which reduced leaves and spathes, with apetalous often closed flowers, and abnormal usually 1—2-seeded capsules are formed plentifully—even where the perfect regular cap- sules are also present on the upper branches. Leaves 1-3} in. long, ovate-elliptic, shortly triangular or subobtuse at the tip, suddenly nar- rowed at the base into a quasi-petiole. Spathes on peduncles hardly exserted from the leaf-sheaths, often a few near together near the tips of the branches, }—? in. long and broad, obliquely funnel-shaped, i.e., the lower margins of the spathe connate for }-} in. Petals blue. Cap- sule 4 in. long, 5-seeded ; seeds rough or wrinkled.—Forskh. Fl. Aigypt.- Arab. 12 partly ; Kunth, Enum. iv. 50; Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 541 ; Hassk. Commel. Ind. 28, 29; Wight, Ic. t. 2065; C. B. Clarke, Com- mel. et Cyrt. Beng. t. 4, DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 159, and in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 9; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 370; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 209, 295, incl. var. 8 longepetiolata; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. 424; Durand & Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87, and in Bull. Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvii. 128; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 134; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii, 76; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append. ii. 53 (var. y). C. cucul- data, Linn. Mant. 176. C. canescens, Vahl, Enum. ii. 173; Webb & Berth. Iles Canaries, Phyt. iii. 358, t. 239. C. procurrens, Schlecht.

42 CXLIII. COMMELINACES, (CLARKE). [| Commelina.

in Linnea, xxiv. 656, xxv. 183; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 209, 295. (C. latifolia, Hochst. in Schimper, Exsice. 341, not of A. Rich. C. rhizocarpa, Afzel., C. radiciflora, R. Br. and C. vivipara, Ritchie ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 159-160; cfr. Wein- mann in Flora, 1820, 733.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Isles, Cardoso, 61! Hooker, 101! Sierra Leone: near Wallia, Scott-Elliot, 4250! Lagos, Millen, 31! Niger Territory : Lower Niger, Stirling Hill, Anse//! Cameroons: Yaunde, Zen/-er & Staudt, 344 !

Mile Land. Nubia: Soturba Mountains, Schweinfurth, 5833! Hor Samanib, near Suakin, Lord / Eritrea: Damas Valley, 1600 ft., Schweinfurth & Riva, 1180! Mogod Valley, 4500 ft., Schweinfurth § Riva, 1607! Galabat; region of Matamma, Schweinfurth, 530! Abyssinia: Tigre ; Sholoda Mountain, near Adowa, 6700 ft... Schimper, 341! Shoa ; Alia Amba, near Ankober, Ro/h! Somaliland: Golis Range, Mrs, Lort-Phillips! Shaile (? Sheikh) Pass, Miss Edith Cole! British East Africa: Uganda ; near Kampala, Scott-Hiliot, 7268! Nyika country, near Mombasa, Wakefield !

Lower Guinea. [French Congo: Loango, Soyaur, 102! Lower Congo: Bingila, Dupuis! Angola: Loanda, Welwitsch, 6621! Cazengo, Welwitsch, 6611 ! Golungo Alto ; near Bango, Welwitsch, 6598! Pungo Andongo; in thickets on the huge rocks of the Presidium, 2400-3800 ft., Welwitsch, 6646! Huilla ; Morrode Monino, 3800-5500 ft., Welwitsch, 6582!

South Central. Congo Free State: M’towa, on Lake Tanganyika, Descamps !

Mozamb, Dist. Portuguese East Africa: Lower Zambesi; Hill of Tette, Kirk! British Central Africa: Ngamiland ; Kwebe, near Lake Ngami, 3300 ft., Lugard, 243! Mrs. Lugard, 148! Zambesi Valley ; Shesheke, Holub! Matabele- land, Elliott !

Very common through the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World.

Usually recognised by the broad-elliptic leaves subobtuse at either end and the funnel-shaped spathes. The leaves are usually hairy, sometimes glabrate (though in that case often rufous-ciliate at the top of the leaf-sheath). Neither in this nor in other species of Commelina do I find either the quantity or the colour of the hairs constant. Various other species of Commelina are similarly amphicarpic. The example of Schweinfurth, 1607, at Kew, distributed as C. beccariana, Mart., is C. benghalensis, Linn, with a piece of C. Petersii mixed with it. But C. beccariana is described as having a yellow flower, so that it is not C. benghalensis.

Var. 8 hirsuta, C. B, Clarke in DC, Monogr. Phan. iii. 160. Leaves longer and more hairy, sometimes very villous with brown or rufous bairs.—Martelli, Fl. Bogos. 87; Schweinf, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append. ii. 53; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 76. C. hirsuta, R. Br. in Salt, Abyss. Append. 63; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 295. C. kilimandscharica, K. Schum. in Engl. Pil. Ost-Afr. C. 134. C, latifolia, Hochst., partly, not of A. Rich. as see DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 160.

Upper Guinea. Togoland: Misahéhe, Pawmann, 403!

Wile Land. Abyssinia, Parkyns !

Lower Guinea. Angola: Loanda ; in thickets at Alto das Cruzes, Welwitsch, 6622 !

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Goodwin! German Kast Africa : Kilimanjaro ; Marangu, 4900 ft., Voikens, 2254! British Central Africa: Nyasaland, Buchanan, 464!

This variety is also common in India.

Schweinfurth gives many localities for this variety in Eritrea; the numbers, how- ever, he cites (so far as I have seen them) I should rather call typical C. benghalensis, Linn. ; but no line can be drawn between the species and the Var. 8 hirsuta.

16. C. uncata, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 169. Spathe

having its midrib (keel) strongly curved. Capsule 4 in. long, some-

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEA (CLARKE). 3

times perfecting 5 seeds ; dorsal cell indehiscent or dehiscing very late ; seeds larger than those of C. benghalensis, wrinkled, obscurely reticulate; otherwise as C’. benghalensis—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 42%. C. latifolia, Hochst. in Schimper, Exsicc. 2269.

Nile Land. Abyssinia: Agow Country ; mountains near Gageros, 4000 ft., Schimper, 2269! Gursarfa, Schimper, 1499!

The affinity of this species with C. benghalensis is so close that it might be treated as a variety of it.

17. C. congesta, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 160. Robust, nearly glabrous. Leaves 4} by 14 in., lanceolate, acuminate to an acute tip. Spathes several close together near the end of the branches, more than ? in. long, glabrate ; peduncles less than } in. long. Capsules generally 3-seeded, the two lower ovules of the ventral cells not producing seeds. Seeds ellipsoid, smooth, dusky. Flowers white (Soyaux).—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 424. C. Heudelotii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 184; Durand & Schinz, Con- spect. Fl. Afr. v. 425.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Heudelot, 788!

Lower Guinea. Loango: near Chinchocho, Soyauz, 47 !

Soyaux, 47, is the type above described. The example of Heudelot, which is imperfect, shows the spathes less approximate, the lower peduncled, and may not be the same plant. But the capsule and seeds are the same.

18. ©. condensata, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 190. Branches seen 9 in. long, undivided except at the tip, glabrate; internodes 1-2 in.long. Leaves 3 by 1-1} in., elliptic-lanceolate, acute, when mature inconspicuously hairy on hoth surfaces, at the base broadly cuneate, unequal, sessile; leaf-sheaths with long loose hairs. Spathes in a terminal head, 4 in. long, obliquely funnel-shaped, nearly glabrous. Capsule exceeding } in. long; each ventral cell with one seed in the upper part; the dorsal cell with one seed, dehiscent. Seeds of the ventral cells ;', in. long, ellipsoid, smooth, brown.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 424.

Upper Guinea. Fernando Po, Mann, 91 partly!

The capsule has only 3 seeds, but I believe it was 5-ovuled ; I have therefore ryt its place. It is so near C. congesta that it may prove to be only a variety of it.

19. ©. zambesica, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 161. Robust, more or less hairy, Leaves 5} by 1} in., narrowly elliptic, lanceolate, and acute at the tip, narrowed at the base. Peduncles solitary, mostly longer than the leaf-sheaths; uppermost leaves geme- rally reduced, the uppermost sheath frequently without a blade. Spathes 7-1 in. long, very broadly ovate, scarcely acuminate, hispid, not striated by coloured nerves; the margins connate at the base for {—j in. Petals blue. Capsule rather more than } in. long; normally 5-seeded; ventral face appears quadrate with 4 knobs ; seeds subglobose, obscurely tetra- hedral, nearly smooth.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 429.

44 CXLIII, COMMELINACE& (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

C. communis, Baker in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. 163. C. sambesiaca, K, Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135. Commelina sp, n. 1, T. Thoms. in Speke, Nile, Append. 650.

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Speke §& Grant! German East Africa : Rovuama, River, Kirk! Portuguese East Africa: Lower Zambesi ; opposite Sena, Kirk / banks of the River Shire, near Morambala Mountain, Kirk! Shupanga, Kirk ! Zambesi Delta; mouth of the Kongoni River, Kirk! British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Plains of Zomba, 2500-3500 ft., Whyte! Lake Nyasa, Simons !

The leaves are used as spinach according to Speke & Grant.

20. CG. boissieriana, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 161. Nearly glabrous. Leaves 3} by } in., lanceolate, sessile. Peduncles scattered,exserted } in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes 1 in. long, broadly ovate, acute, thinly hairy, margins connate at the base. Petals blue. Capsule } in. long, broadly oblong, obtuse, soon 3-valved; seed of the dorsal valve smooth; seeds of the ventral cells unknown.—Schweinf. in Bull. Instit. Egypt. 1887, 329 (36 in reprint); Aschers. & Schweinf. nm Mém. Instit. Egypt. ii. 776 (154 in reprint); Durand & Schinz, Con- spect. Fl. Afr. v. 424; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append. ii. 53.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Geleb, 5000 ft., Schweinfurth, 117. Ginda, 3300 ft., Schweinfurth, 437. Keren, Steudner, 1481, 1483. Abyssinia, Gaillardet, 297 !

Also in Extratropical Egypt.

This species was founded on Gaillardet, 297, in which the capsule was imperfect ; and it is very possibly the same plant as C. Schinzii described below.

21. C. Porskaleei, Vahi, Enum. ii. 172. Glabrous, grey-puberu- lous or pubescent. Stems 8-24 in. long, much branched, weak rooting from the lower nodes. Leaves up to 2 by # in., oblong or scarcely elliptic, tips usually obtuse, never acuminate, margins often wavy. Peduncles scattered, exserted 4-4 in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes attaining $—% in. long, obliquely funnel-shaped, glabrate or sparsely hispid. Petals blue. Capsule small, 3—1-seeded ; dorsal cell scabrous, subindehiscent, 1—seeded ; ventral cells of the ovary 2-ovuled, 0—1-seeded ; seeds of the ventral cells small, subglobose, smooth.—Kunth, Enum. iv. 49; Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 542 in obs.; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 208, 295; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 168 incl. all vars. ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v.425; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 371; Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append. ii. 56; K. Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 135; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. 430, and in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw.77. C. falcata, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mozamb. Bot. 527. C. Kotschyi, K. Schum. in Eng]. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135, not of Hassk.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verd Isles, Cardoso, 253! Senegal, Roger, 93! Perrottet, 766! Senegambia, Heudelot, 276! Leprieur ! Bornu, Vogel, 67! Niger Territory : Nupe, Barter, 1477!

Nile Land. Nubia: Wady Erkowit, near Suakin, Schweinfurth, 286! coast to between 3000 and 4000 ft., Bent! Kordofan: Bir Sodari, Pfund, 188! Gebel Kurbag, Pfund, 357! 795! Obeyad, Pfund, 367! on plains, Kotschy, 34! Arashkol Mountain, Kofschy, 105! Eritrea: Mount Ghedem, near Massowa, Schweinfurth Sf Riva, 113! Otoumbo, near Massowa, Schweinfurth § Riva, 196! near Saati, Schweinfurth § Riva, 338! Gulabat: region of Matamma, Schweinfurth, 532!

Commelina. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEE# (CLARKE). 45

Abyssinia: near Schumdalake, 4000 ft., Schimper, 380! Somaliland, Mrs, Lort- Phillips! Donaldson Smith! British East Africa: Nyika country near Mombasa, Wakefield ! Witu, Thomas, 2038 !

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; in damp meadows by the River Cuanza, near Nbilla, Welwitsch, 6634! Damaraland, Een !

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Hildebrandt, 1053! Kirk! German East Africa : Tanga, Holst, 2078! Portuguese East Africa : Zambesi Delta ; mouth of the River Kongoni, Kirk ! Lower Zambesi ; between Lupata and Tete, Kirk! British Central Africa: Rhodesia ; Zambesi Valley, at Shesheke, Holub! Ngamiland: Kwebe, near Lake Ngami, Lugard, 1386! Mrs. Lugard, 147! Matabeleland, Elliott !

Also in Arabia, Socotra, Mascarenia, Southern India.

In this species, as in C. benghalensis, stolons or basal almost leafless branches carry abnormal, often apetalous, flowers, and produce capsules usually abnormal, often 1-seeded.

22. C. africana, Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. i. 41, ed. ii. 60. Nearly glabrous. Stems 1—3 ft. long, rambling, much divided, almost woody at the very base, with thick roots. Leaves 3 by } in., or much smaller, oblong, nearly sessile, usually obtuse at the base, often with rusty hairs at the mouth of the sheath. Spathes scattered, on peduncles exserted 4-3 in., varying in length (in one example) from }—2}in., simply folded, ovate, commonly triangular at the top, sometimes acuminate or rarely caudate- attenuate, glabrous or nearly so with white margins. Petals yellow. Filaments often } in. long. Ovary 5-ovuled. Capsule nearly always 1-seeded, i.e., the dorsal cell falls off apparently quite indehiscent, while the four ovules in the two ventral cells (after swelling somewhat) remain infertile ; occasionally the upper ovule in each ventral cell produces a perfect cylindric-ellipsoid reticulated seed.—Gertn. Fruct. i. 50, t.15, fig. 1; Lam. Encyel. ii. 67, Ill. t. 35; Schmidel, Ic. i. 113, t. 30; Red. Lil. t. 207; Gawler in Bot. Mag. t. 1431; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 164, and in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 9 ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr.v. 422 ; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl.Ost-Afr.C. 135 ; Rendle in Journ.. Linn. Soc, xxx. 429, and in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot.iv. 52; Huain Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 119. (C. angolensis, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 167 ; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 155; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 423; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 77. C. involuerosa, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 165 partly. C. Elliotii, C. B. Clarke & Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. 98. Hedwigia africana, Medicus in Roem. & Usteri, Mag. x. 124.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: between Kahreni and Port Lokko, Scott- Elliot, 5749!

Wile Land. | Habab, 6000 ft., Hildebrandt, 368! Eritrea: Saganeiti, 6800— 7000 ft., Schweinfurth & Riva, 1701! Abyssinia: Samen; Shoata, Schimper, 590! Shoa, Petit! British East Africa : Niamniam : by the River Nabambisso, Schwein- furth, 3739! and Makporru Hill, Schweinfurth, 3797! British East Africa: Leikipia ; Njoro Larabwal, Gregory ! Machakos, 5000-6000 ft., Scott-Elliot, 6388 !

Lower Guinea. French Congo: Bramaya, Paroisse, 196. Angola: Huilla, 3500-5800 ft. ; near Lopollo, Welwitsch, 6581! Monino, Welwitsch, 6583! Morro de Lopollo, Welwitsch, 6593! Pungo Andongo; Sobato Cabanga, Welwitsch, 6626 ! German South-west Africa : Upingtonia ; Ovambate, Schinz, 28!

46 CXLIIL. COMMELINACEZ (CLARKE). [| Commelina.

Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Kilimanjaro; at Marangu, 5000—- 5500 ft., Volkens, 1244! 2324! British Central Africa: Urungu; Fwambo, Carson, 25! Kambole, South-west of Lake Tanganyika, 5000 ft.; Nutt! Nyasaland ; marshy promontory of Lake Shirwa (Chilwa), Weller! Zomba Rock, Whyte! Mount Sochi, Scott-Elliot, 8525! Mount Mlanji, Whyte ! and without precise locality, Buchanan, 338! Ngamiland: edge of the rivers near Lake Ngami, McCabe, 24! along the River Chobe, McCabe, 47 !

Frequent also in the Mascarene Islands and Extratropical South Africa,

This is a very common species; and the plentiful material shows that, on the same plant, the length and acumination of the spathe varies excessively, and that the leaves vary considerably from oblong to elliptic-oblong. Where there is no fruit and the colour of the flowers is not noted, I have (in general) not cited the example in the foregoing geography. The plant is frequent in Abyssinia, and Schweinfurth gives many localities which are not copied here, though I do not doubt that his numbers are either C. africana, or one of the species following (C. edulis, C. involu- -crosa), which I am not sure to differ. In C. Elliotii, the capsule is noted to be 5-seeded, but the plant is otherwise very exactly C. africaxa, in which there are always 5 ovules. As to Schimper, 590, it is larger than C. africana usually is in leaf, spathe, and capsule, and it may be A. Richard’s C. involucrosa, but, if so, I -fear C. involucrosa, A. Rich., is not distinct from C. africana.

23. C. edulis, 4. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss.ti. 341, Leaves elliptic, not Janceolate ; stems and sheaths marked by a longitudinal line of hairs ; three interior sepals heart-shaped and equal ; otherwise as C’. africana.— ‘Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 295; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. ili. 165; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr.v. 425; Engl. Hochgebirgsfi. ‘Trop. Afr. 155. C. beccariana, Martelli, Fl. Bogos. 87; Sehweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append. ii. 54.

Nile Land. Eritrea: Mogod Valley, 4500 ft., Schweinfurth & Riva, 1608! Abyssinia: Tigre ; Mount Sholoda, near Adowa, 67060 ft., Schimper, 60! Wojerat district, Petit ; Shoa, Petit !

The above is condensed from A. Richard’s description. The only part of the dif- ferences alleged that appears distinctive is the broader !eaves. The specimen of C. edulis in herb. Kew. from herb. Franqueville (believed to be a piece of A. Richard’s type) agrees very well with the description ; the upper leaves are 13 by 2 in., more elliptic than as in C, africana. The spathe in this type specimen is less than 3 in. long, not acuminate, but hardly differs from some spathes to be found in C. africana. This type shows no capsule; but it is either closely allied to C. africana, or to be united therewith. Buchanan, 6360, from Nyasaland, and Scott-Elliot, 8525, from the Shire Highlands, have the leaves elliptic at the base, but they do not match C. edulis, and are rather forms of C. africana.

24, C. involucrosa, A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. ii. 342. Very large. Leaves sheathing at the base, sessile, lanceolate, acute, pubescent and ciliate when young. Spathes 2-24 in. long, long-peduncled, simply folded, hairy ciliate on the margin.—Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 2955 C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 165 (excl. Schweinf. 590) ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. F). Afr. v. 425.

Wile Land. Abyssinia: Tigre; Tchelalchekenneh, Quartin-Dillon.

No type of this has been seen ; the above is condensed from A. Richard, who was “ disposed to believe the flowers yellow.” Assuming the flowers yellow, and noting the large size of the plant, A. Richard’s C. involucrosa was probably the plant of

Commelina. | CXLIII, COMMELINACE® (CLARKE). 47

‘C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. l.c.—i.e., Lord’s plant from Hor Tamanib, near Suakin ; in this: Leaves up to 5 by lin. Peduncles 1 in. long, stout, pubescent. Spathes 23 in. long, pubescent.

25. C. krebsiana, Kunth, Hnuwm. iv. 40. Leaves hairy on both surfaces when mature ; otherwise as C’. africana.—C. B. Clarke in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 10. C. africana, var. krebsiana, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 164; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 154 ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 423; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 76. C’. karooica, var. Barberw, Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 119 2

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: Yaunde, Zenker, 1499!

Nile Land. Eritrea: Habab, 6000 ft., Hildebrandt, 367! British East Africa : White Nile, at the mouth of the Bahr el Gebel, Schweinfurth, 1132!

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; in thickets between Catete and Quilanga, Welwitsch, 6635! and between Pungo Andongo and the River Cuanza, Welwitsch, 6640!

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Niomkolo Island, in Lake Tangan- yika, Carson! Matabeleland, Elliott ! Gold-tields, Baines !

Also in Extratropical South Africa.

The plant of Baines is hispid, and altogether like the C. krebsiana of the Kalahari. The leaves in Schweinfurth, 1132, are softer with shorter denser hair, and may indicate an additional species.

Var. 8 villosior, C. B. Clarke in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 10. Leaves elliptic, 2 by ? in. Whole plant softly hairy, not hispid C. dardata, var. B villosior, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 167, not of Lam, ; Hua in Bull. Mns. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 119. C. africana, var. polyclada, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 165; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 76.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla ; in cultivated fields near Lopollo, Welwitsch, 6581!

Mozamb. Dist. Rhodesia: Leshumo Valley, south of the Zambesi, Holub !

Frequent in Extratropical South Africa.

26. ©. cordifolia, 4. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. ii. 341. Leaves oval- oblong acute, sessile, sub cordate at the base, with soft hairs on both sur- faces. Peduncles exceeding 14 in. inlength ; spathes very large, cordate- oblong, acute, simply folded, hairy, ciliate on the margins. Flowers yellow.—Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 295; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii 165; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 425; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135.

Wile Land. Abyssinia: Tigre; Adowa, Quartin-Dillon. Somaliland, Mrs. Lort-Phillips !

Mozamb. Dist. (erman East Africa : Usagara (ex K. Schumann).

No authentic example has been seen ; the description above is condensed from A. Richard, from which there can be little doubt that Mrs. Lort-Phillips’ plant belongs to the species; in this: Leaves 3 by 13 in., distinctly cordate at the base. Peduncles exceeding 2 in. long, hairy. Spathe 1-1} in. long, 14 in. broad. Capsule perfecting 1 seed in an indehiscent deciduous cell. This is a strongly marked species. —K, Schumann’s may have been C, Buchanani (the following species).

27. ©. Buchanani, (’. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrous. Straggling, the internodes up to 4—6 in. long. Leaves 4 by ?~1 in., elliptic-lanceolate,

48 CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

acute, suddenly contracted at the base. Peduncles scattered, 1—2 in. long. Spathes up to 3 in. long, ovate-lanceolate, long-attenuate, very nearly glabrous; margins free at the base. Flowers large, “ pale yellow ” (L. Scott), some long exserted from the spathe ; in the dried examples 2 petals yellow, the third smaller and brownish. Filaments } in. long. Capsule of the section Heterocarpus.

Wile Land. British East Africa: Ukamba; Kitui, Hildebrandt, 2643! Rabai Hills, near Mombasa, Taylor !

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Blantyre, Scott ! Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 285! This differs from all the species of the C. africana group (except C. invoiucrosa)

by its large spathes; it is too glabrous to be put with C. involucrosa, nor does the leaf-base match.

28. C. Kirkii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 167. Nearly glabrous. Stems 15 in. long, with internodes 2-3 in, long. Leaves 4-6 by }-} in., linear or scarcely linear-lanceolate. Peduncles 4-1} in. long towards the ends of the branches. Spathes 13-24 in. long, lanceo- late long-attenuate; margins free at the base. Flowers yellow, some much exserted from the spathe. Capsule (though not seen well ripened) of the section Heterocarpus.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426; K.Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135.

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: Moramballa Mountain, 1000-3000

ft., Kirk! British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Ndirandi Mountain, near Blantyre, Scott-Elliot, 8498! Shire Valley, Waller !

Also in Mauritius.

29, ©. boehmiana, A. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135. Stems 12-14 in. long, pubescent at the top. Leaves upto 4 by # in., elongate- lanceolate, puberulous on both faces. Spathes cordate, acuminate, not ora ea (i.e., margins at the base free). Seeds { in. long, pitted,

lack.

Mozamb. Dist.

German East Africa: Unyamwezi ; Gonda (Igonda), Boeh:n, 12.

K. Schumann does not mention the colour of the flowers nor describe the capsule ; but he says the species is close to C. Kirkii, from which it is supposed the flowers are yellow, the dorsal cell of the capsule indehiscent and 1l-seeded. If these things are not so, the species may belong to some different section of the genus.

30. ©. Mannii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 167. Very sparingly hairy. Stems up to 12 in. long, weak; internodes up to 2 in. long. Leaves up to 14 by 3 in. (mostly smaller), elliptic, tip triangular and subobtuse. Peduncles few, near the tops of the branches, scarcely $ in. longer than the leaf-sheaths. Spathes } in. long, ovate, not acuminate; margins free at the base. Capsule small ; in each ventral cell 1 reticulated seed; in the dorsal indehiscent cell 1 seed closely sticking to the cell-wall——kEngl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 155; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426.

: . ss Commelina sp.; Hook. f. in Journ. Linn. Soc. vii. 223.

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACE® (CLARKE). 49

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: Cameroon Mountain, 7000 ft., Mann, 2136!

Var. 8 Lyallii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 168. Rather stouter, Peduncles a little longer. Seeds slightly pitted, not distinctly reticulated.—C. am- plexicaulis, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 203, 295; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 423? C. edulis, A. Rich., forsan var. ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 165.

Nile Land. Abyssinia: Samen ; Kabere, 10,000 ft., Schimper, 573! Ankober, Roth, 175! and without precise locality, Plowden !

Also in Madagascar.

31. C. Kotschyi, Hussk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 207, 295. Nearly glabrous. Leaves 21 by 2 in., subsessile, very little narrowed at the base; margins often crenulated. Spathes 2 (or 3-1) near the ends of the branches, exserted scarcely 4 in. from the leaf-sheaths, 2-3 in. long, very broadly ovate, obtuse or with a very short point (not acuminate) ; margins free or very shortly and obscurely connate at the base. Petals intensely blue (Welwitsch). Capsule more than } in. long, quadrate-oblong, constricted in the middle, flat; the dorsal-cell absent, or rudimentary, or small and 1-seeded. Seeds } in. long or rather more, cylindric-ellipsoid, smooth, brown.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr, Phan. iii. 173; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426; K. Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 135, partly ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 77. CO. Forskailii, Hochst. ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 173. Dissecocarpus Kotschyi, Hassk. ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 173.

Nile Land. Kordofan, Kotschy, 34!

Lower Guinea. Angola: Barra do Bengo; between Teba and Cacuaco, Welwitsch, 6624! Loanda; near Quicuxe, Welwitsch, 6614! in the dense thickets of Alto das Cruzes, Welwitsch, 6620 !

32. C. imberbis, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 209, 295. Nearly glabrous, even to the mouths of the leaf-sheaths. Stems 1-2 ft. high, suberect at the base, with internodes 2-3 in. long; roots long, rather thick. Leaves 5 in. long, varying from 14-} in. in breadth, from ovate-lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate; the upper sessile dilated (often rounder or auricled) at the base. Peduncles few, Scattered, exserted 4-1} in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes 1-1} by 1} in., very broadly ovate, triangular acute at the tip, green, nearly glabrous, not conspicuously nerved; margins free, or very nearly so. Corolla blue. Capsule 1-4 in. long, oblong-quadrate, 4-seeded. Seed ellipsoid, brown, obscurely wrinkled or pitted (nearly smooth).— C. latifolia, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 175, partly.

Wile Land. Eritrea: lower part of Damas Valley, 1600 ft., Schweinfurth & Riva, 1181! Abyssinia: Tigre; Melata, 5000 ft., Schimper, 576! Mount Sholod:, near Adowa, Quartin-Dillon Sf Petit, 13! Soudan, Fenton ! Somaliland : Darror, James § Thrupp ! Harradigit, James § Thrupp! British East Africa: Machakos, Hinde! Rabai Hills, near Mombasa, Zaylor !

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Hildebrandt,1054! British Central Africa : Lake Tanganyika, Cameron ! Kavala Islands, Carson, 24! 25! Nyasaland ; Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte! Ngamiland; Kwebe, Lugard, 146! 244!

VOL. VIII. E

50 CXLIII, COMMELINACEZ (CLARKE). [| Commelina.

Also in Madagascar.

The variation m the leaves in this species is very great; in Quartin-Dillon & Petit, 13, the upper leaves are ovate, sessile, and rounded «t the base, the lower lanceolate ; while the lowest has a quasi-petiole 3? in. long.

Var. loandensis, C. B. Clarke. Leaves (even the upper ones) narrowed at the base int> a short quasi-petiole—C. latifolia, Rendle in Cat, Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 77,. partly.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Loanda ; about Alto das Cruzes, Welwitsch, 6613 ! at Praia de Zamba, near Loanda, Welwitsch, 6616! near Maianza de Povo, Wel- witsch, 6618! Ambriz; near the River Quizembo, Welwitsch, 6615!

33. C. Petersii, /Hassk. in Peters, Reise “Mossamb. Bot. 522. Nearly glabrous. Stems 18 in. long, with internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 4-5 by } in., oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, rather suddenly contracted at the base, often very shortly quasi-petiolate. Peduncles seattered, near the top of the stem, exserted $—1 in. from the leaf- sheaths. Spathes 1 by # in., elliptic or ovate, acuminate, glabrous or very nearly so, with obscure longitudinal green nerves; margins nearly or quite free at the base. Petals blue. Capsule } in. long, 4-seeded ; the dorsal cell sometimes present, usually empty. Seeds oblong- ellipsoid, with transverse wrinkles and pits.—Hassk. in Flora, 1863, 385; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 169; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 427; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135.

Lower Guinea. German South-west Africa: Amboland ; Olukonda, Schinz, 6!

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: Lower Zambesi, at Shiramba, Kirk ! Mozambique, Peters !

This is near C. boissieriana, but differs from that (as from C, Schinzii) by its much narrower spathes.

34. C. latifolia, 4. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. ii. 340. Slightly hairy or glabrate. Stem 15-30 in. long, rather weak, with long inter- nodes, decumbent and rooting at the base ; roots fibrous, not thickened. Leaves 34 by } in,, oblong-lanceolate, sessile, dilated at the base; upper leaves often cordate, eared or nearly sagittate at the base. Peduncles solitary, 2 or 1 near the top of a branch, exserted 4-1 in. from the leaf-sheath. Spathes ? in. long or rather more, broadly ovate, with a short acute point, not acuminate, very thinly hispid, slenderly striate ; margins very shortly connate at the base. Petals (dried) blue. Cxrpsule } by [-} in., 4-seeded. Seeds globose, brown, nearly smooth.— Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 295; C. B. Clarke in DO. Monogr. Phan. iii. 173 partly; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426; Durand & De Wild. in Bull. Soe. bot. Belg. xxxvii. 128; K.Schum in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135; Schweinf. in Hoéhnel. Zum Rudolph-See u. Stephanie-See, ii. 353, and in Verh. Zool.-Bot. Gesell. dan a 556. C. sagittifolia, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 206, 295.

Wile Land. Kordofan: Abn Harara, Pfund, 114! Abyssinia : without precise Ioeality, Schimper, 1686! Pearce! Somaliland, Donaldson Smith !

Lower Guinea. Lower Congo: Sicia, Dupuis !

Commelina. | OXL1IT, COMMELINACE® (CLARKE). 51

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Bojer! German East Africa: Kilimanjaro ; at Marangu, 5000 ft., Volkens, 2270! Usambara ; Tanga; Holst, 2079!

The plant above described is Schimper, 1686, which A. Richard took as the type of his C. latifolia, and Hasskarl as the type of his C. sagittifolia. The name fatifolia is misleading, for the leaves cannot be called broad, though (as Rendle observes) they vary so greatly in width that they might be called polymorphous. The species must not be called C. latifolia, Hochst., as Hochstetter meant by that C. benghalensis, Linn., and issued various plants under that name. Schweinfurth and K. Schumaan, in the places above cited, included probably C. cuneata, the species following, which is very closely allied to C. latifolia.

35. C. cuneata, C. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrate except the sparsely hispid spathe. Stem 18 in. long, with long internodes, suberect at the base; roots thick. Upper leaves 4} by ? in., lanceolate, cuneate at the base, almost into a quasi-petiole. Peduncle at the end of the branches ; spathes, flowers, capsule, and seeds as of C. latifolia.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland ; Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte! Kavali, Carson !

The spathe, with the strongly exserted lower cyme-stalk, appears identical with that of C, latifolia. There is, however, no example of C. latifolia thit has the upper leaves like those of C. cuneata,

36. C. spectabilis, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. tii. 175. Very hairy. Stem erect, 3-10 in. long, almost woody at the base with thick roots. Leaves 4 by } in., oblong, dilated at the base, hairy on both surfaces. Peduncles scattered, exserted 3-1} in. from the leaf- sheaths. Spathes #-1 by 1} in., very broadly ovate, with triangular tip, very hairy; margins free to the base or very nearly so. Flowers humerous, blue. Capsule immature, probably nearly as of C. hudlensis.— Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 428; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 78.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; in woods near the River Monino, 3800- 5500 ft., Welwitsch, 6594!

Var. 8 ramosa, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 175. Less hairy. Stem 2 ft. long, decumbent, rooting at the nodes, much branched. Spathes rather smaller, ‘Scarcely 3 in. long. Flowers bright dark blue (Welwitsch), not sky blue.—Rendle n Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 78.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; in sandy marshes between Quibanga and Guinga, Welwitsch, 6629 !

37. ©. Cecile, (. B. Clarke. Hairy. Stem up to 18 in. long, repeatedly branched towards the top, with internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 34 by 3 in., broadly triangular-oblong, hairy, densely fringed on the margins, sessile, rounded and much dilated at the base, sometimes lin. broad. Peduncles scattered towards the ends of the branches, white- hirsute, exserted 1-2 in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes 1 by 1} in., broadly ovate-triangular, brown-purple, white-hirsute, not distinctly Striate, margins free to the base or very nearly so. Flowers numerous, blue, rather large. Capsule not seen.

Mozamb. Dist. Matabeleland: Gwelo, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn Cecil 139!

52 CXLIII, COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). [ Commelina

38. C. demissa, (. B. Clarke. Pubescent. Stem 1 ft. long, branched, with internodes 1-3 in. long; leaves 3} by } in., narrowly- oblong, attenuated at either end, when mature hairy on both faces, ; Peduncles scattered, exserted 0-} in. from the leaf-sheath. Spathes 4-2 in. long, ovate, acute, considerably smaller than in any other species of the C. latifolia group, hairy, with obscure longitudinal purple veins, margins free at the base. Petalsblue whendry. Capsule scarcely } in. long, square, 4-seeded. Seeds small, globose, dark brown, smooth.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa : Nyasaland ; Mount Malosa, 4000- 6000 ft., Whyte !

39. C. madagascarica, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iti, 174. Very nearly glabrous. Stem 15 in. long, much branched, with internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 2-24 in. long, linear-lanceolate, except for a dilatation (not always present) at the very base. Peduncles scattered, near the end of the branches, exserted } to } in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes }-? in. long, ovate, acute, not acuminate; margins nearly free to the base. Capsule (in Scott-Elliot, 7588) 4 in. long, 4-seeded. Seeds globose, smooth, brown.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426. C. latifolia, var. angustifolia, Schweinf. (MS. ?).

Nile Land. Eritrea: Ambelaco, near Maldi, 6500 ft., Schweinfurth, 131! British East Africa: Ruwenzori ; Kasamaga, 6300 it., Scott-Elliot, 7588!

Frequent in Madagascar.

This differs from C. latifolia, A. Rich., not only in the narrow leaves but in the spathes, which are very much smaller.

40. C. huillensis, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 175. Stemless, or very nearly so; roots thick. Leaves 4-10 by 4-4 in, dilated at the base, hairy, Peduncles radical, 4-7 in. long, shaggy towards the top. Spathes 1-1} by 14 in., very broadly ovate, shaggy, with triangular tip; margins free. Cymes 2, with stout pedicels, the upper with numerous blue flowers. Capsules-not ripe, nearly square, } in. long, 4-seeded.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v- 425; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 78. :

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; between Lopollo and Nene, 3800-5500 ft. Welwitsch, 6585 !

41. ©. Carsoni, C. B. Clarke. Hairy, the leaf-sheaths and spathes shaggy. Stems 1 ft. high, branched, suberect at the base, with internodes 2-44 in. long. Leaves 2 in. long, curved, narrowly lanceo- late or linear-lanceolate, except near the base, where there is a dilata- tion sometimes } in. wide at the top of the leaf-sheath. Peduncles solitary towards the ends of the branches, erect, exserted 1-2 in. from the leaf-sheath. Spathes ? in. long, broadly ovate, acute, not acumi- nate; margins free to the base, or very nearly so. Capsule small, nearly quadrate, 4-seeded. Seeds subglobose, brown, nearly smooth.

p Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa : Tanganyika Plateau, at Fwambo, ‘arson !

Commelina. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEX (CLARKE). 53

42, C. Welwitschii, (. 5. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 175. Scabrous-pubescent, or nearly glabrous. Stems 4-11 in. long, erect, thickened at the base, sometimes into bulbs 4 in. in diam.; roots thickened. Leaves linear, 4-8 by }-} in.,, or (in Welwitsch, 6639) ex- ceeding 12 in., dilated at the base. Peduncles scattered, exserted 1-3 in. from the leaf-sheaths, mostly very pubescent. Spathes }—14 in. long, ovate, acuminate acute, hairy or nearly glabrate ; margins free. Two posticous petals yellow; anticous petal yellow-brown or dull violet-green (Welwitsch). Capsule nearly 4 by + in., 4-seeded. Seeds much longer than broad, wrinkled or obscurely reticulate —Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 429; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 78,

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo, 2400-3800 ft.; on the slopes of the volcanic rocks of the Presidium, Welwitsch, 6627! damp rocks of Cabonda, on the Presidium, Welwitsch, 6632! 6637! Cazella, Welwitsch, 6638! plentiful throughout the district on rocks and in damp pastures, Welwitsch, 6639! Huilla ; plentiful in pastures at Humpata, 3800-5500 ft., Welwitsch, 6586 !

There may be two species here; in 6627 the spathes are scarcely ? in. long, with conspicuous purple striations ; in 6586 they are 14 in. long, green : in both these the two postivous petals are yellow, the anticous dull violet-green. The other numbers cited come all between these two extremes, nor have I been able to sort the species into two varieties.

43. ©. subcucullata, (. B. Clarke. More or less hairy. Stems 1 ft. long, suberect at the base; internodes 2-44 in. long. Leaves 4-5} in. long, linear, but more or less dilated at the base, where they are sometimes } in. wide. Peduncles solitary towards the ends of the branches, erect, exserted 1-2 in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes } in. long, ovate-acuminate, acute, more or less hairy, pale brown, with purple longitudinal veins ; the margins connate at the base for ;',—§ in. Petals (from the dried plant) appear yellow to brown-red. Capsule 3 in. long, square, 4-seeded. Seeds globose, smooth, brown.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland ; Mount Malosa, 4000- 6000 ft., Whyte! Mount Zomba, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! Mount Mlanji, Scott- Elliot, 8675!

This may prove only a variety of C. Carsoni. The typical five specimens of Whyte, with acuminate highly coloured spathes, having the margins distinctly connate at the base; look distinct enough; but Scott-Elliot, 8675, has less acuminate, less coloured spathes, with nearly free margins, and looks half-way to C. Carsoni.

44. ©. neurophylla, (. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrous. Branches 12-18 in. long ; internodes 2~5 in. long. Leaves 34 by } in. (usually narrow), linear-oblong or linear, often dilated at the base ; longitudinal nerves 5-7, conspicuous in the dry specimens. Peduncles solitary towards the ends of the branches, exserted }—2} in. from the leaf- sheath. Spathes #~} in. long, triangular in outline, obliquely funnel- shaped, green, with obscure green longitudinal veins ; margins connate, often for 1 in. Petals blue. Capsule } in. long, square, 4-seeded. Seeds globose, smooth, brown.

D4 CXLIII, COMMELINACE® (CLARKE). (Commelina.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Tanganyika Plateau, 2000-3000 ft., Whyte! Nyika Plateau, 6000-7000 1tt., Whyte! Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte! Mount Zomba, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! Shire Highlands, Buchanan !

45. C. echinosperma, K. Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 135. Stems 12-18 in. high, erect, glabrous or puberulous. Leaves 4-6 by 4-2 in., lanceolate or elongate-lanceolate, glabrous or puberulous. Rpathe 2—} in. long, pubescent. Capsule 4 in. long, subquadrate. Seeds globose, ;4, in. in diam., chestnut-brown, farinose, echinate.

Wozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Unyamwezi ; Gonda (Igonda), Kakoma, Boehm, 2, 8.

K. Schumann does not say that the seeds are 4, but he places the species in Sect. Dissecocarpus. The subquadrate capsule implies 4 seeds.

46. C.capitata, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl.541. Nearly glabrous, except the spathes. Stems 1-3 ft. long. Leaves up to 5 by 1-1? in., varying from broadly-oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, subrhomboid, unequal-sided at the base. Spathes 3-8, collected into a quasi-terminal head, 3-1 in. long, obliquely obovate ; margins free nearly to the base, densely ciliate with rutous hairs, or nearly glabrate. Flowers yellow (or white, H. H. Johnston). Capsule oblong, 4-seeded. Seeds 4—} in. long, cylindric, deeply pitted.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 176; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. F). Afr.v.424; Etudes Fl. Congo, i. 269; Durand & De Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 875 Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 78.

Wile Land. British East Africa: east side of Lake Albert Edward, Scott- Elliot, 8027 !

Upper Guinea. Senegal, Perrottet, 772! Sierra Leone : Luseniya, Scott- Elliot, 4080 ! and without precise locality, 4fzelius ! Smeathman! Morson! Hart! Liberia : Cape Palmas, Vogel, 52! Lagos, Moloney, 9! Niger Territory: New Calabar, at Degema, Holland, 125! Cross River, Johnston! Cameroons: Victoria, Kalbreyer, 17! Cameroon Mountain, upper slopes, Johnston, 97! Bipinde, Zenker, 1143! Yaunde, Zenker g Staudt, 687! Efulen, Bates, 442! Batanga, Bates ! Fernando Po, Mann, 91! ;

Lower Guinea. Lower Congo: Bingila, Dupuis ! Angola ; Pungo Andongo ; in the shady woods of Barranco de Pedra Songue, 3300 ft., Welwitsch, 6647 !

Also in the West Indies. :

The two examples from the West Indies I have seen are probably of one collection, and the locality on the ticket is possibly an error.

47. C, rufociliata, C. B. Clarke. Hairy. Stems 18 in. long. Leaves 4 by 1 in., elliptic-lanceolate, when mature hairy on both sur- faces ; base unequal, narrowed above the leaf-sheath, rufous-ciliate. Spathes densely clustered at the ends of the branches, broadly and obliquely funnel-shaped, hairy, varying much in size(in one head from } to 1 in, long); margins connate at the base, often for }-} in. Corolla blue. Capsule scarcely t in. long, subquadrate, 4-seeded. Seeds hardly, longer than broad, small, obscurely reticulate-wrinkled. ,

Commelina. | CXLIII, COMMELINACE& (CLARKE). dd

Mozamb. Dist. Jritish Central Africa : Nyasaland ; between Mpata and the commencement of the Tanganyika Plateau, 2000-3000 ft.. Whyte! Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte /

48. C. longicapsa, (’. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 176. Robust, nearly glabrous. Leaves 6 by 2 in., lanceolate-obovate, narrowed at the base into a quasi-petiole $3 in. long. Spathes nearly 1 in. long, glabrous, 2 or 3 together, terminal. Capsule } by 4 in., quadrate-oblong, 4-seeded. Seeds cylindric, smooth.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426.

Lower Guinea. Gaboon: Gaboon River, Mann !

The long quasi-petioles, leaves and capsules, show that this fragment indicates some very distinct species.

49. C. umbellata, Zhonn. in Schumach. Beskr. Guin. Pl. 21. Sparingly hairy. Stem 15 in. long, much branched, slender, with internodes 2—3 in. long, at the base decumbent and rooting. Leaves 4 by j-} in. Peduncles scattered, exserted 0-4 in. from the leaf- sheath. Spathes 4-4 in. long, brvadly ovate, acute, hispid, slightly curved ; margins connate at the base. Flowers purple or white (Zhonning), or almost flesh-coloured (Voyel). Capsule } in. long, papery, 3-celled, 3-valved, 3-seeded. Seeds 4 in. long or rather more, ellipsoid, brown, smooth, each with 2 pits on the back.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 179 ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 428; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135. C. nigritana, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 541. ;

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory: Nupe, Barter, 1473! Quorra, Vogel, 85!

Mozamb. Dist. (rerman East Africa: Unyamwezi District (ex A. Schumann).

\0. C. bracteosa, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Lot. 524. Sparingly hairy. Stems 8-15 in. long, branched ; internodes 2 in. long. Leaves up to 34 by 1 in., elliptic, acuminate, narrowed at either end. Peduncles 1 (or 2) at the ends of the branches, exserted 0—] in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes 3 by 1 in., obtusely triangular at the tip, slightly white-hispid ; margins connate at the base. Capsule { in. long, papery, 3-seeded. Seeds ;}, in. long, subglobose, flattened.—Hassk. in Flora, 1863, 386; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 180 ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect.. Fl. Afr. v. 424; K.Schum. in Engl. Pti. Ost-Afr. C. 135; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i119.

Nile Land. British East Africa : Kich District; at Ador Village, Petherick !

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Sacleux, 218, Portuguese East Africa : Mozam- bique, Peters ; Zambesi Delta; Luabo River, Airk, 32 partly !

51. C. guineensis, Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par.i. 119. Root fibrous. Stem branched from the base, ylabrescent. Leaves rather long, lanceolate, sessile. Inflorescence terminal, usually 1 only, peduncled. Spathe hooded, not curved, striate, puberulous. Capsule Subglobose, with 3 one-seeded cells. Seeds smooth.

Lower Guinea. French Guinea, Puroisse, 195; Brazzaville, Thollon, 961.

D6 CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

Not seen, The above condensed from the description by Hua, who says the species belongs to the Section Trithyrocarpus.

52. C. aspera, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 542. Hairy. Stem 4-6 in. long; internodes up to 1} in. long. Leaves up to 3 by q in., linear or linear-lanceolate. Spathes in a terminal head, } in. by } in., ovate, acuminate, much curved ; margins shortly connate at the base. Capsule small, 3-celled, papery, 3-seeded. Seeds 3/5 in. long, globose or very shortly ellipsoid, smooth.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. 1. 180; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 423; Rendle in Cat. Afr. FL Welw. ii. 78.

Upper Guinea. (told Coast: Accra, Don! Niger Territory: at the Con- fluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers, Vogel !

53. GC. mensensis, Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii. Append. ii. 57. Leaves 4-5 by } in., narrowly linear, rough hairy on the upper surface. Spathes 2 or 3 clustered at the end of the branches, } in. long, shortly lanceolate, hispid, striate; margins united at the base for } in. Capsule } in. in diam. ; cells 3, equal, thin, smooth, all dehiscing. Seeds lin each cell, globose, } in. in diam., smooth, sculptured on either side of the hilum by 4 transverse wrinkles.

_ Nile Land. Eritrea : below Geleb, 4800-5500 ft., Schweinfurth, 1414, 1434 ; Anseba, near Keren, Stewdner, 1417.

Not seen; the above condensed from Schweinfurth’s description.

54. C. firma, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii, 78. Hairy. Stems 12-18 in. long, robust ; internodes up to 3 in. long. Leaves 3-4 by 4 in., oblong, when mature hairy on both surfaces. Spathes ciustered, often many in a terminal head. Seeds}in.long. Otherwise nearly as C’. aspera,—C. aspera, var. (3 firma, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 180. Cyanotis hirsuta, Baker in Trans. Lim. Soc. xxix. 162.

Wile Land. British East Africa: Unyoro; Ukidi Forest, Speke § Grant !

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo, 2400-3800 ft.; Pando woods, between Calundo and Mangue, Welwitsch, 6644! in shady woods around Pedras de Guinga and Mangue, Welwitsch, 6645 !

Flowers dark blue (Welwitsch), as they probably are in C. aspera. This is altogether a inuch stouter plant than C. aspera, with longer capsule and seeds.

55. ©. Wogelii, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan, iii. 189. Sparingly hairy. Stems 1-2 ft.long ; internodes 2—5 in.long. Leaves 4} by 1} in., elliptic-lanceolate, acute, narrowed at the base. Spathes mostly in clusters of 2 or 3 at the end of the branches, }—2 by ? in. broadly ovate, very shortly acuminate, pubescent, margins shortly connate at the base. Flowers white (Vogel). Capsule small, papery, 3-seeded, or sometimes 2-seeded (the dorsal cell being suppressed). Seeds tz-yo in. long, subglobose, more or less angular.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 428; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 120, C. suleata, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 541, not of Willd.

Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Heudelot, 476! Senegal, Bellamy, 2. Lagos Millen, 77! Rowland! Fernando Po: in woods, Vogel, 261!

4] “J

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE, (CLARKE).

Lower Guinea. Angola; Guingongue, Herb. Paris ! Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland (ex K. Schumann)

56. C, Bainesii, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 184. Hairy. Stems | ft. long ; internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 6 by 2 in., narrowly lanceolate, narrowed at the base, with wavy margins, when mature hairy on both surfaces. Peduncles few, scattered towards the end of the branches, exserted 0-} in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes % by # in., obtuse or with a very short point, hairy ; margins shortly connate at the base. Capsule small, obovoid, trigonous, 3-seeded ; dorsal cell similar, indehiscent. Seeds 51, in. in diam., globose, brown, smooth. —Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 423; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79. CO. bracteosa, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135, partly.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo, 3300 ft. ; in thickets near Ponte de Luxillo, Welwitsch, 6636 ! by streams on the Presidium near Fonte de Cazella, Welwitsch, 6641! in woods near Condo, Welwitsch, 6643 !

Mozamb. Dist. (German East Africa: Kilimanjaro; Marangu, 2600 ft., Volkens, 2147! British Central Africa: Matabeleland; River Mangwe, Baines !

Var. 8 glabrata, Rendle in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iv. 52. More glabrous. Mature leaves glabrate; sheaths more or less hairy. Spathes more exserted on peduncles up to Zin. long, sparsely hispid or glabrous——Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. 429. C. angustifolia, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mosamb. Bot. 528, and in Flora, 1863, 388, not of Michaux.

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: province of Rios de Sena, Peters ; Makua; Namuli Mountains, Zast! British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Mount Mlanji, Whyte! Zomba Plains, 2500-3000 ft., Whyte! and without precise locality, Buchanan, 508! 1374!

All the examples of this variety 8 have dried brown, unlike the typical C. Bainesii, which is greyish, and might be esteemed specifically distinct.

57. C. lagosensis, (. B. Clarke. Stems 2 ft. or more long, weak, branching, prostrate, rooting at many nodes; internodes 1~3 in. long. Leaves 2} by 1 in., broadly elliptic, shortly acute, obscurely hairy when mature on both surfaces, suddenly narrowed at the base into a very short quasi-petiole. Peduncles few, scattered, exserted 0—} in. from the leaf-sheath. Spathes 2 by 2 in., tip obtuse or depressed triangular, pubescent ; margins shortly connate at the base. Capsule small, ob- ovoid, trigonous, 3-celled, 3-seeded ; dorsal cell indehiscent. Seeds ;, in. in diam., globose, brown, smooth.

Upper Guinea, Lagos, Willen, 21!

58. C.albescens, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 210, 295. Nearly glabrous. Rhizome woody, knotted, with thick roots. Stems 8-20 in. long, branched; internodes 2-3 in. long. Leaves 4 by } in., narrowed at both ends. Spathes clustered at the end of the branches, usually 2 or 3 together, } in. long, funnel-shaped, very much curved, acute; margins connate for } in. at the base. Capsule } in. long, 3-celled, 3-seeded, the dorsal cell smaller and indehiscent. Seeds of the ventral cells 1 in. long, ellipsoid, flattened, brown, nearly smooth.—

58 CXLIII. COMMELINACEZ (CLARKE). [ Commelina.

C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 184; Durand & Schinz, Con- spect. Fl. Afr. v. 423; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 373; Martelli, Fl. Bogos. 88; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. 429; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 120; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfi. Ost-Afr. C. 135, partly. C. multicaulis, Hochst. in Schimper, Exsic. 1242. C. schimperiana, Hochst. in Schimper, Exsic. 2268.

Upper Guinea. Cape Verde Isles: Brava, Lowe! Senegal, Bellamy, 573. Dahomey, Burton !

Wile Land. Eritrea: Keren; 4800 ft., Beccari, 297! Abyssinia: Jaja, Schimper, 1242! Agow district ; on mountains near Gageros, 4000 ft., Schimper, 2268! Somaliland; Ahl Mountains, Hildebrandt, 1473! Wagga Mountains, Mrs.

Lort-Phillips! oobi, James & Thrupp! Witu, Gregory. Dadaro, 3700 ft., Lord Delamere !

Also in Socotra, Arabia, and Scinde.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland; Mlanji, 6000 ft., Whyte, 112!

59. C.spherosperma, (. 2. Clarke. Thinly and obscurely hairy. Stems 18 in. long, branched ; internodes 2-4 in. long. Leaves 4—5 by 3-1 in., narrowly lanceolate, narrowed at the base, when mature ob- scurely pubescent on the surfaces or glabrate. Spathes 2—4 together at the ends of the branches, 3-3 by 1 in., shortly acuminate, acute, not much curved; margins connate for + in. at the base. Petals blue when dry. Capsule 1 in. long, obovoid, trigonous, 3-celled, 3-seeded, dorsal cell indehiscent. Seeds of the ventral cells ;1, in. long, globose or sub- cuboid, black-brown, smooth.—C. Gerrardi, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 183, as to Trop. Afr. examples. C. albescens, K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135, partly ; Rendle in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iv. 52.

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: Zambesi Delta ; at the mouth of the River Melambe, Kirk! Lower Zambesi; between Lupata and Tete, Kirk f

opposite Sena, Kirk! British Central Africa : Nyasaland ; Zomba, 2500-3600 ft., Whyte !

60. C. opulens, (. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrous. Stems 4-6 in. long, decumbent, rooting at the base, densely leafy in the upper half with very short internodes. Leaves 4 by 4 in., narrowly oblong- lanceolate, not narrowed on the leaf-sheath. Upper branches for 2 in. clothed with numerous subsessile spathes. Spathes 3 in. long, ovate, shortly acuminate, acute ; margins connate at the base. Capsule 1—} in. long, obovoid, 3-celled, 3-seeded, the dorsal cell smaller, indehiscent and sometimes sterile. Seeds ;', in. long, very shortly ellipsoid (subglobose), smooth.—C. aspera, C. B. Clarke in DC, Monogr. Phan. iii. 180, partly ; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. 78.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla, 3800-5500 ft., among crops of Penicillaria,. near Humpata, Welwitsch, 6592 !

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa : Nyasaland ; Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte !

61. C. venusta, (. B. Clarke. Sparsely hairy. Branches 10 in. long, undivided, with 1-3 approximated spathes at the end of each

Commelina. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 59

branch ; internodes 1-2} in.long. Leaves 4 by } in., linear, acuminate, acute. Spathe scarcely exserted from the leaf-sheath, $—? by 1 in, very acute, curved, hairy ; margins hardly connate at the base. Petals. blue, # by ? in., exclusive of the claw. Capsule small, 3-seeded, the dorsal cell smaller, indehiscent. Seeds ;4, in. in diam., globose (some- what tetrahedral), smooth, brown.

Wile Land. British Somaliland : Golis Range, Miss Edith Cole !

Separate expanded flowers have been carefully dried ; they must be unusually large and bright. The stamens, barren and fertile, are just as those of C. nudiflora, Linn, (and numerous other species), but larger.

62. C. Livingstoni, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 190. Nearly glabrous, or somewhat hairy, Stems 1-2 ft. long, sometimes robust, suberect from a stout base, straggling, branched ; internodes 2-5 in. long. Leaves 54 by } in., lanceolate, narrowed at either end. Peduncles 1 (or 2, rarely 3, close together) at the end of a branch, hardly longer than the leaf-sheaths. Spathes attaining 1 by 1} in., shortly acuminate, acute, nearly glabrous; margins connate for j—} in. at the base. Petals blue. Capsule } in. long, obovoid compressed, 2- seeded. Seeds } in. long, ellipsoid, brown, smooth.—Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 11; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 426.

Wile Land. British East Africa: Witu; Mkanumbi, Gregory! Rabai Hills, near Mombasa, Taylor.

Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Kilimanjaro, 5000 ft., Johnston ! Portuguese East Africa: Zambesi Delta ; near Vicente, Scott! Lower Zambesi ; between Lupata and Sena, Kirk! between Lupata and Tete, Kirk! Tete, Kirk! near Sena, Kirk! Lower Shire Valley; near the foot of Morambala Mountain, Kirk ! Matabeleland, Elliott !

Also in South Africa.

63. C. Zenkeri, C. B. Clarke. Sparsely hairy. Stems cxspitose from a stout base, up to 12 in. long, branched, decumbent and rooting at the lower nodes; internodes up to 3 in. long but mostly short. Leaves 2 by 1-1} in., ovate, shortly acute, suddenly narrowed at the base, sessile. Peduncles solitary, few, scattered, exserted 0—{ in. from the leaf-sheaths. Spathes $-3 by 1 in., hardly acute, minutely pubes- cent or glabrate; margins very shortly connate at the base. Petals blue when dry. Capsule 1 in. long, quadrate, compressed, 2-seeded. Seeds nearly } in. long, ellipsoid, smooth.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: Yaunde, 2600 ft., Zenker & Staudt, 432!

Distributed from Berlin Herbarium as C. ethiopica, C. B. Clarke ; but it is not that species.

64. C. wthiopica, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 189. Nearly glabrous. Stems 8-14 in. long, suberect, cespitose, thick at the base; internodes 1-2} in. long. Leaves 3} by #-1 in., broadly oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at the base into a very short pseudo-petiole. Peduncles solitary or 2 at the end of a branch, hardly longer than the leaf-sheath. Spathes } by 1 in., acute, hardly acuminate, sparsely

60 CXLIII, COMMELINACEAY (CLARKE). | Commelina.

white-hispid ; margins shortly connate at the base. Flowers deep blue (Schweinfurth). Capsule 4 in, long, 2-seeded. Seeds § in. long, sub- globose, smooth.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 189.

Wile Land. British East Africa: Jur; Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth, 2027! Kurshook-Ali’s Seriba, Schweinfurth, 1601!

This may prove to be only a 2-seeded form of C. bracteosa ; it has larger leaves, smaller capsule and seeds, More material of both species is desirable.

65. C. pyrrhoblepharis, HWassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 209, 295. Stems 2 ft. long (at least), rooting freely by stout roots from the lower nodes; internodes up to + in. long, robust, glabrate. Leaves attaining 54 by 2 in., broadly elliptic, acuminate, when mature minutely pubescent, unequally and rather suddenly narrowed at the base into a quasi-petiole 0-} in. Jong; leaf-sheaths often with long rufous hairs at the mouth. Spathes 2 or 3, near together at the ends of the branches, hardly exserted from the leaf-sheaths, 3-3 in. long, very broadly ovate, shortly acute, slightly hairy; margins connate at the base for } in. Flowers blue. Capsule small, 2-seeded. Seeds 33, in. long, round-ellipsoid, smooth._—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 190; Engl. Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 155; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. F). Afr. v. 427. (©. acuminata, R. Br. in Salt, Abyss. Append. 63, pave wae not of H. B, K. C. saltiana, Steud. Nomencl. Bot. ed. n. 402.

Nile Land. Abyssinia: Lotho, 7000-8000 ft., Schimper, 591! 1591! Mount Sholoda, 6700 ft., Schimper, 341 ; Adowa, Quartin-Dillon & Petit. Gondar, Rochet @ Héricourt ! and without precise locality, Plowden !

Hasskarl does not describe the capsule, nor does he cite the number of Schimper he had. So far as his description goes of the large leaves with red hairs at the mouth of the leaf-sheaths and turbinate clustered spathes, his plant might have been the large state of C. benghalensis, which Schimper, 1591, closely resembles. The species really stands on the assumption that Plowden’s examples (which contained one capsule) are truly conspecific with Schimper, 1591.

66. C, obscura, K. Schum. in Engl. PA. Ost-Afr. C. 135. Hairy; small. Stems 4-6 in. long, weak, branched, annual, rooting at the lower nodes ; internodes 1-1} in. long. Leaves 1} by § in., elliptic- oblong, shortly acute, when mature hairy on both surfaces ; leaf-sheaths with long spreading red hairs. Spathes 1~} in. long, solitary, on very short peduncles, ovate, hardly acute. Petals blue or rarely violet (A. Schumann). Capsule 4 in. long, quadrate, 2-seeded. Seeds sub- globose, somewhat wrinkled.

_ Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Kilimanjaro; Marangu, 5000 ft., Volkens, 2267! 633! K. Schumann has referred this plant to the Section Dissecocarpus, but I find

only 2 seeds to the capsule, Imperfectly known species.

67. C. grossa, U. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrous. Stems 6—10 in. long, erect, bearing 1 or 2 leaves and 1 peduncle. ‘Leaves up to 14 by

Commelina. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 61

4-} in., linear, slightly dilated at the very base. Peduncle exserted 3-2 in. from the leaf-sheath. Spathe 14 in. long, 14 in. broad, ovate- triangular, acute, purple-green; margins free. Cymes paired in each spathe, upper with many flowers. Sepals } in. long, elliptic, nearly free. Corolla in the dried state purple-blue.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Kambole, south-west of Lake Tan- ganyika, 5000 ft., Nutt /

The examples of this call to mind the large Mexican C, elliptica, H. B. & K., but the leaves are totally unlike.

68. C. Holubii, C. B. Clarke. Nearly glabrous. Stems 5 in. long, with 2 leaves and 1 spathe each. Leaves 4 by }—1 in., linear, slightly wider at the base. Peduncles exserted }~1 in. from the leaf- sheath, nearly glabrous. Spathe ? in. by ? in., ovate-lanceolate, acute, very nearly glabrous, pale yellow-brown in the dried examples ; margins free or obscurely connate at the base. Flowers numerous, some exserted entirely from the spathe. Petals 4 in. iong, appear to have been pale violet. Two fertile anthers intensely blue in the dried state. Capsule about } in. long, square, 4-seeded.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Rhodesia ; Leshumo Valley, Holub 715!

From the imperfect capsule, this almost certainly belongs to the Section Disseco- carpus,

69. ©. senegalensis, Linn. ex Cat. Ort. Bot. Napol. 1845, 22. (name only) ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 429.

Upper Guinea. Senegal?

4, POLYSPATHA, Benth. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. ni, 849.

Sepals 3, small, concave. Petals 3, white, 2 very long-clawed. Stamens 3 fertile, 3 sterile with dissimilar rudimentary anthers. Ovary sessile, 2-celled, with one ovule in each cell. Capsule 2-celled, loculicidally 2-valved. Seeds half-ellipsoid; hilum vertical ; embryo- stega opposite the hilum.—Cymes few-flowered, scattered along simple (rarely branched) elongate axes springing from the axils of the upper leaves and sometimes piercing their sheaths; spathes ovate, folded flat, sessile, each enclosing one cyme.

Endemic, monotypic.

1. P. paniculata, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 543. Stem 1-2} ft. long, trailing or weak, often rooting at the lower nodes, undivided but in one example throwing several weak stems from the rooting node. Leaves 6 by 24 in., broadly elliptic, acuminate at either end, quasi- petioled, glabrate above, pubescent beneath ; lower leaves smaller, sometimes reduced to sheaths. Panicle of 1-6 branches, each 3-6 in. long, pubescent ; spathes } in. long, about 4 in. apart, pendent in fruit.

62 CXLISI, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). | Polyspatha.

Flowers 4—5 in each spathe; bracteoles small. Capsule { in. long, flattened, shining, obtuse at the apex. Seeds with ribs radiating from the embryostega.-—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr, Phan. ui. 154, incl. var. 8; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 429, incl. var. / ; Schoenl. in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. iv. 64; Baill. Hist. Pl. mitt, 271.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: near Kukuna on the River Scarcies, Scott- Elliot, 4678! Ashanti: Assin-Yan-Coomassie, Cummins, 163! Lagos: by the side of forests on the road to Otto, Millen, 4! Otto, Millen, 26! Lagos Botanic Station, Millen, 7! Cameroons: Yaunde, 2600 ft., Zenker & Staudt, 566! Bipinde, Zenker, 1239! Efulen, Bates,447! Cameroon Mountain, 3000 ft., Mann, 2138! and without precise locality, Preuss, 1186! Fernando Po, Vogel, 93! Barter, 1474! 2055! Mann!

5, ANEILEMA, R. Br., partly ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI, iii. 849.

Sepals 3, small, elliptic or ovate, obtuse, concave. Petals 3, obovate, blue or yellow. Stamens 3 (or 2) fertile, the intermediate one with more or less dissimilar anther, and 3-2 sterile, rudimentary or cruci- form; filaments with or without beaded hairs. Ovary 3~2-celled. Capsule ovoid to linear, 3-valved; seeds several (or 2-1) superposed in one vertical row (in the Tropica] African species) in each cell.—Panicles dense or lax; peduncles simple or divided; cymes simple, 1-sided; bracts to the cymes flat or hardly folded, never spathaceous (as in Commelina).

Species 60, tropical or subtropical, whereof 5 only are American. The genus differs from Commelina in the absence of the strongly folded or hooded bracts which enfold the cymes in Commelina.

*TRICARPELLARIA.—Capsule subequally 3-celled. Cells

2-seeded, acute, in the African species. Inflores- cence dichotomous . : . : : ~ iL. A, sinicum. ** DICARPELLARIA.—Capsule 2-celled ; a dorsal small cell with 1 (or no) seed sometimes added, } Amelina.—Panicles terminal, Capsule truncate, with 2 acute corners.

Sepals 4-3 in. long.

Capsule with 3-5 seeds in each cell : . 2. A. equinoctiale. Capsule with 2-1 seeds in each cell . : - 4. A. nyasense.

Sepals 4 in, long : : i ; ‘5 . 98. A. tacazzeanum. ttLamprodithyros.—Panicles terminal. Capsule ellipsoid without angles at the

top.

Petals yellow or green-yellow.

Panicle short, hardly exserted from the leaves . 5. A. angolense. Panicle peduncled; cyme-peduncles in false- whorls. : : : é . . 6. A. Johnstoni. Petals (where known) blue to white. Ovules often 3 in each cell. Leaves ovate or elliptic ; panicle dense . Leaves lanceolate ; panicle lax Ovules 2—1 in each cell. Le ives ovate to elliptic-oblong (see also 16, Wel- witschi),

- %. A. beniniense. 8. A. Rendle.

Aneilema. | CXLII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 63

Inflorescence very loose. : : . 9. A. ovato-oblongum, Inflorescence dense, Leaves sessile, base rounded. Medium-sized plant; leaves up to 23 in. long . . 10. A. somaliense.

Plant 5in. high; Jeaves up to 1} in. long . ; : : : 11. A. Smiths. Base of leaves acuminate into a pseudo- petiole. Panicle glabrate ; : c . 12. A. dregeanum.

Panicle patently hispid : . 13. A. Nicholsoni. Leaves lanceolate-oblong to linear (sometimes elliptic in A. Welwitschii). Inflorescence lax. 3 : : . 14. A. Petersit. Inflorescence dense. Stem erect at the base ; roots thick. Flowering stem with few reduced leaves 15. A. Schweinfurthii. Flowering stem with many well-devel- oped leaves. Minutely pubescent . ; - 16. A. Welwitschii, Hispid . ; : ; . 17..A. soudanicum. Stem decumbent or rooting at the lower nodes ; roots fibrous. . Many pedicels sterile, ended by a black

rudiment . : : . 18. A. Whyte. Sterile pedicels none (or very few occa- sionally). Leaves linear-lanceolate, very long . 19. 4. lanceolatum. Leaves lanceolate . - : . 20. A. Speket. Leaves linear, hardly 2 in. long . 21. A. gracile.

{++Pseudo-axillares—Panicles appearing irregularly scattered, all terminal, but not rarely on remote short axillary branches. Leaves 1-2 in. long.

Inflorescences of very many flowers ¢ : . 22. A. pedunculosum. Inflorescences of about 8 flowers. : A . 23. A. Clarket. Leaves at most 3 in. long . ; ‘ ‘ : . 24. A. Taylori.

1. A. sinicum, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. t. 659. Nearly glabrous. Roots occasionally bearing tubers. Stems 1-3 ft. long, sparingly leafy. Leaves linear, 8-18 by 1-1 in. (but see var. 3). Panicle-branches elongated, slender, subracemose ; bracts 3—2 in. long, linear-lanceolate, flat ; cymes usually thin, loose, but sometimes the inflorescence is dense with numerous flowers; lower flowers of the cyme often sterile, early cadu- cous, so that the top of the cyme-peduncle appears knotted. Sepals t in. long, elliptic, obtuse, half-petaloid in texture. Petals } in. long and upwards, blue, or sometimes dull purple. Stamens 2 only fertile (but see var. 3). Capsule 1-1 in. long, 3-valved ; seeds normally 2 in each cell, obscurely wrinkled.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 212, and in Dyer, Fl. Cap, vii. 12; Oliv. in Trans. Linn. Soe. ser. 2, Bot. ii. 352; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 432; Durand & Schinz, Etudes Fl. Congo, i. 271; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 136; Durand & De Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87, and in Bull. Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvii. 128; Rendle in Journ. Linn.

64 CXLIII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). [ Aneilem

Soe. xxx. 430, in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iv. 52, and in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 120. Commelina sinica, Roem. et Schultes, Mant. i. Addend. i. 376.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone; Bumban to Port Lokko, Scott-Elliot, 5742 !

Worth Central. French Congo: Uaddas, on the Ubangi River, Dybowski, 26.

Nile Land. British East Africa: Jur; Agad Seriba (Wan), Schweinfurth, 1684! Ruwenzori, below 6000 ft., Scott-Hiliot, 6673! Leikipia district, at Gnaso Thegu and Kithungulu, Gregory! Ukamba, above 4000 ft., Scott-Elliott, 2340! Ribe to Galla Country, Wakefield! Nyika Country at Duruma, Wakefield, 26! Rabai Hills, near Mombasa, Taylor !

Lower Guinea. (Gaboon: Munda; Sibange Farm, Soyauxr, 341! French Congo; Franceville, Thollon, 314; Brazzaville, Dybowski ; Bangui, Dybowski, 525- 529; Lower Congo: Lukungu, Hens, 228A! Bingila, Dupuis! Stanley Pool, Biittner, 305! Quiballa, Monteiro! Angola; Pungo Andongo, in marshes to the west of the Presidium, and by streams in the Presidium itself, 2400-3800 ft., Wel- witsch, 6627! 6628! Huilla; marshy places round the base of Morro de Lopollo, 3800-5500 ft., Welwitsch, 6591! Dammara-land, Hen !

South Central. Congo Free State : Bolobo, on the River Congo, Johnston ! Upper Marungu, De Beerst! Lualaba River, Briart ! Katanga, Briart ! Mussima, Briart !

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Hildebrandt, 1055! Sacleux, 406! German East Africa: Kilimanjaro, 5000 ft., Zohnston! Rovuma Bay, Kirk! ‘Portuguese East Africa: Zambesi Delta; mouth of the West Luabo River, Kirk, 2! British Central Africa: Urungu; Fwambo, Carson, 43! 76! 77! Kambole, south-west of Lake Tanganyika, 5000 ft., Nutt! Nyasaland; Kondowe to Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte! Mount Malosa, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! Mount Zomba, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! Zomba and vicinity, 2500-3500 ft., Whyte! Mount Mlanji, Whyte, 39! and without precise locality, Buchanan, 368!

Also in South China, Malaya, South India, Mascarene Islands, and South Africa.

Var. 8 longifolia, C. B. Clarke, Rather larger in all parts ; leaves often 3-5 in. broad ; fertile stamens commonly 2, but sometimes 3.—<A. longifolium, Hook. Exot. Fl. iii, t. 204; Baker in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix, 163. 4. giganteum, as to the African plants, C. B, Clarke in DC. Monogr, Phan. iii, 212 ; Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 480; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 136.

Nile Land. British East Africa: Jur; Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth, 1840! Niamniam ; by the River Sway, Schweinfurth, 3904!

Lower Guinea. Cameroons: Batanga, Bates, 120!

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Bojer! Lake Tanganyika, Carson! German East Africa: Unyamwezi ; near Tabora, in swamps, 3000 ft., Speke & Grant ! Usambara, Hoist, 2962! Portuguese East Africa: Zambesi Delta; Luabo River, Kirk, 50! River Shire, near Morambala Mountain, Kirk ! British Central Africa : Nyasaland; without precise locality, Buchanan, 1835! 1863! Rhodesia: Six-mile Spruit, near Salisbury, Hon. Mrs, Evelyn Cecil, 148!

This series of plants runs without a break into the typical form. It was attempted, in DC. Monogr. Phan, iii. 212, to separate 4. giganteum with 8 fertile stamens specifically from 4. sinicum with 2 fertile stamens. Hooker says that his A. longifolium had 2 or 3 fertile stamens ; and I do not find that the Indian A. gigan- teum has always 3. 1 think the number of fertile stamens is not absolute, and that all the African plants cited under A. sinicwm, var. longifolia, are one species. The Indian A. giganteum differs very little ; it is rather more robust, with thicker branches to the panicle.

Var. simplex, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 212. Leaf-sheaths shaggy-

Aneilen. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 65

Panicle small, Capsule depressed, as broad as long. Durand & Schinz, Consp, FL. Afr. v. 432. A. simplex, Kunth, Enum. iv. 71 ; Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 547, Commelixa simplex, Vahl, Enum. ii.177; Thonn in Schamacher, Beskr. Guin. Pl, 22. Upper Guinea. Gold Coast: Accra, Dow! This may represent a distinct species, but the material is small,

2. A. equinoctiale, Kunth, Enum. iv. 72. Hairy, sometimes hispid or viscous. Stems 2-8 ft. long. Leaves often 4 by 1 in., some- times 7 by 1} in., elliptic or lanceolate, the lower attenuated, the upper often ovate at the base. Panicle terminal, often 5 by 2-3 in., rigid, loose ; the cyme-peduncles in distant false-whorls or less often alternate ; bracts at their base 1—} in. long, oblong; empty bracts on the lower part of the cyme-peduncles hardly } in. long, ovate or obovate; pedicels 4-2 in. long. Sepals } in. long and upwards, oblong, not acute. Petals yellow, blue, mauve, or lilac. Fertile stamens 2 or 3. Capsule } by $ in., 2-celled with a dorsal small or imperfect cell sometimes added, truncate at the top, the two upper angles acute or minutely horned ; seeds 3-5 in each cell, pale, stony.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. ili, 221, incl. all the vars., and in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 12; Oliver in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. ii. 352 ; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. FI. Afr. vy. 429, and Etudes Fl. Congo, i. 270; Schoenl. in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. iv. 65; Durand & De Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soe. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 136; Rendle in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. 430, in Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. iv. 52, and in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 120; Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898, 80. A. adherens, Kunth, Enum. iv. 72. A. tacazzeanum, A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. ii. 343, not of Hochst. Commelina equinoctialis, Beauv. Fl. Owar. i. 65, t. 38. Lamprodithyros equinoctialis, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 211. ZL. adherens, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 211. Amelina Wallichii, C. B. Clarke, Comm. et Cyrt. Beng. t. 26.

Upper Guinea. Ashanti: Dumassi, Cummins, 19! Western Lagos, Rowland ! Lagos, Punch! Old Calabar River, Mann, 2338! Cameroons : Efulen, Bates, 376.

Nile Land. British East Afiica: Uganda, Scott-Elliot, 7263! Ukamba ; Kitui, Hildebrandt, 2641! Taita: Maungu Mountain, 2000 ft., Johnston! Ribe, near Mombasa, Wakefield! Nyika Country, near Mombasa, Wakefield! Fimbine, near Rabai, Taylor !

Lower Guinea. Loango: Chinchocho, Soyaux, 19! Landana, Du Parguet. French Congo: Brazzaville, Brazza, 313, Thollon, 957, Dybowski. Lower Congo : Lukungu, Hens, a,272! Bingila, Dupuis ! Congo, Smith, 52! 58! Burton! Angola: 30 miles inland to Bembe, Monteiro! Golungo Alto ; banks of the River Delamboa, Welwitsch, 6605 !

South Central. Monbuttu: near Bongwa, Schweinfurth, ser. iii, 215!

Mozamb. Dist. Zanzibar, Grandidier, 28. German East Africa: Usambara ; Lutindi, Holst, 3451! Tanga, Holst, 2107! Kilimanjaro, 6000 ft., Johnston! Por- tnguese East Africa: Beira Railway, Hon, Mrs. Evelyn Cecil, 5! Lower Zambesi ; near Sena, Kirk! Tete Hill, Kirk! Shupanga, Kirk! Shamo, near the mouth of the River Shire, Kirk ! Morambala Mountain, 2000 ft., Kirk! British Central Africa: North Nyasaland and Upper Loangwe River, Nicholson! Nyasaland: Nyika Platean, 6000-7000 ft., Whute! Mount Mlanje, Whyte, 131! Mount Zomba and vicinity, 2500-3500 ft., Whyte! Mount Malosa, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! Shire Highlands,

VOL. VIII. F

66 CXLIUI. COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). | Aneilema.

Buchanan, 286! Movnt Sochi, Scott-Elliot, 8527! Manganja Hills, Waller! Mount Chiradzulu, Meller ! and without precise locality, Buchanan, 459! 510! 528! 1401! Matabeleland, Elliott ! Salisbury to Buluwayo, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn Cecil, 81!

Also in South Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and Arabia.

Schimper, 1660, contains, by admixture, both 4. equinoctiale and A. tacaz- zeanum. -A, Richard describes therefrom his 4. tacazzeanum as having six seeds to each cell of the capsule, so that his plant was certainly 4. equinoctiale, Kunth. Lamprodithyros tacazzeanus, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 531, is said to be Aneilema tacazzeanum, Walp. Ann, iii. 658, which is merely copied, with a little confusion, from A. Richard ; but Hasskarl describes his Zamprodithyros tacazzeunus at great length, and says the ovules were only 2-1 in each cell; so that Hasskarl’s plant was really the tucazzeanus of Hochsteiter, excluding the citation of Walpers. There is ample evidence of the variation in the colour of the petals; the different- coloured flowers have been esteemed different species by many collectors.

3. A. tacazzeanum, Hochst.ex C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 222, not of A. Rich. Thinly hairy. Stems 1—2 ft. long, weak, de- cumbent at the base and there sometimes divided, rooting often at the lower nodes. Leaves 3 by 1 in. (in Hochstetter’s two ‘“ types ”), elliptic, acute, base contracted, often subpetioled. Inflorescence terminal, pe- duneled, 1? by 14 in., very lax, obscurely pubescent; cyme-peduncles alternate ; bracts less than } in. long, ovate; bracteoles less than ¢ in. long, obovate. Sepals about } in. long, elliptic, concave. Corolla smaller than in 4. eguinoctiale, appears to have been yellow. Ovules 3-2 in each cell. Capsule nearly 4 by 4 in., white, truncate, with the two upper angles acute, mostly 2-celled, with 3-1 seeds in each cell.— Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 432; K. Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 136. A. Forskalei, Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ii, Append. ii. 58, not of Kunth. Lamprodithyros tacazzeanus, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 531 (excl. the syn. of Walpers), and in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 295. Cfr. DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 222.

Mile Land. Eritrea: Gorge of Ailet, Schweinfurth & Riva, 427! below Geleb, 5000 ft., Schweinfurth, 1416, 1788 ; Ginda, 3259 ft., Schweinfurth, 128, 392. Abyssinia: Valley of the River Tacazze, Schimper, 1660, 1729! Quartin-Dillon & Petit, 449!

This is a much weaker plant than A. equinoctiale, the capsule smaller, with often only 2-1 seeds in each cell. The example of Schweinfurth, 427, is much stonter than Schimper’s, with larger inflorescence and 3 seeds to each cell; this is separated from the smaller examples of A. equinoctiale by the smaller, more concave elliptic

sepals. Hua (in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 121) appears to draw the line between the two species at a different point.

Schweinfurth reduces here A. Ehrenbergii, C. B. Clarke (which see No. 27 helow); and A. Forskalai, Kunth. The latter is fully described as Commelina paniculata by Vahl (Enum. ii. 179), who appears to have had Forskal’s plant; and who describes inter alia “ peduncles lateral and terminal, paired, with a sheath 3 in. long at the base of each”; so that this plant must have been very remote from 4. tacazzeanum, and was almost certainly a species of Commelina.

4. A. nyasense, (’. B. Clarke. Pubescent. Portion of stems seen 1 ft. long, unbranched. Leaves 3 by 1 in., elliptic, acute. Panicle terminal, 5 by 2} in., loose; cyme-peduncles mostly in distant false-

Aneilem. | CXLIII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). 67

whorls, the bracts at their base } in. long, elliptic ; one or two of the lower cyme-peduncles supported sometimes bya leaf 21in. long. Cyme- peduncles glabrate ; several of the lower bracteoles empty,4—} in. long, ovate; pedicels in fruit }—2 in, long. Sepals nearly } in. long, narrowly elliptic, glabrate. Capsule + in. long, truncate, with acute angles at the top; seeds 2-1 in each cell.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa : Nyasaland ; 2000-6000 ft., Kondowe to Karonga, Whyte, 337 !

This species is close to the small examples of A. equinoctiale, but has broader sepals, and not more than 2 seeds to each cell of the capsule.

+. A. angolense, (. B. Clarke. Sparsely hairy. Stems 24-3 ft. long, with long internodes, and branches from most axils. Leaves 3 by 4 in., broadly ovate, acute, narrowed at the base almost into a quasi- petiole ; the uppermost large and folded. Inflorescence sessile on the upper leaves, and shorter than they, of several lax panicles (i.e. of one panicle divided at the very base); an axillary panicle is added in one ‘example. Bracts very small; no ovate smal! empty bracts seen. Pedicels of the fruit 4 in. long. Flowers green, the lower petal yellowish (Welwitsch). Capsule + by 4 in., papery, shining, 2-celled, 4-seeded. —A. Khrenbergii, Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Golungo Alto; in woods on the mountains of Alto Queta, 1000-2400 ft., Welwitsch, 6610!

A description of this plant is given in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 230, where it is supposed that it may be Lamprodithyros Ehrenbergii, Hassk., an Abyssinian plant, which probably differs, cfr. No. 27 below.

Var. magis-lutea, C. B. Clarke. Stems slenderer, 6-14 in. long. Leaves smaller, attaining 2} by 14 in. Panicle depauperated, lax, few-flowered. Sepals green (Welwitsch). Petals 2 yellow, 1 green or yellow (Welwitsch).—A. peduncutosum, var. lutea, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 228; Dnrand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 431; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Pungo Andongo; 2400-3800 ft., in shade on the rocky heights of Pedras de Guinga, Welwitsch, 6630! on the rocks of the Presidium, Welwitsch, 6649!

The habitat, the colour of the flowers twice noted by Welwitsch, the lax panicle, the tendency to produce short branches from the leaf axils all tend to show that this plant is nearer to 4. angolense than to A. pedunculosum.

6. A. Johnstonii, HK. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 135. ‘Thinly hairy. Stems 18 in. long, not rarely branched. Leaves up to + by 3-}in., lanceolate. Panicle terminal, peduncled, 34 by 1} in,, open, nearly glabrous, erect; cyme-peduncles in apparently distant whorls; bracts hardly } in. long ; pedicels attaining }-4 in. ; bracteoles scarcely ;', in. leng, ovate or obovate. Sepals 4 in. long, roundly elliptic, obtuse. Petals 2, yellow, the odd one a_brown-yellow. Capsule 1 by 1 in., broadly ellipsoid, very obtuse at the top, but with- out horns at the corners; seeds usually 2 in each cell.—Anetlema, cfr, lanceolatum, Oliver in Trans. Linn. Soe. ser. 2, Bot. ii. 352.

Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Kilimanjaro; Lower slopes, 2000- 3000 ft., Johnston! below Marangn, 2600 ft., Volkens, 2146! Usambara; Pare

68 CXLIII. COMMELINACES (CLARKE). | Aneilema.

Mountains, Hoehnel, 159. British Central Africa: Rhodesia; on the road from Missala to Luia River, Nicholson ! Nyasaland ; Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 435.

Oliver regarded this as belonging to the sect. Lamprodithyros ; K. Schumann transferred it to sect. Hu-Aneilema.

7. A. beniniense, Awnth, Knum. iv. 73. Stem trailing 1-2 ft. long, rooting near the base; the axillary shoots sometimes boring through the base of the Jeaf-sheaths. Leaves 2-5 in. long, ovate elliptic or oblong, acuminate, very slightly hairy, upper much less narrowed at the base than the lower. Inflorescence usually of 1 (or 2) terminal peduncled dense nearly glabrous panicles 2 by 14 in.: the cyme-peduncles often 100 or more, spreading at right angles; bracts inconspicuous; bracteoles minute, obovate; the inflorescence is some- times evolute into a mass 7 by 2 in. of a number of congested panicles. Flowers very small, blue or whitish. Sepals about ;}, in. long, thin, ovate, concave. Fertile stamens (at least often) 3; filaments without hairs. Capsule } by } in., shining, thin in texture, not truncate, normally 7—5-seeded. Seeds pale, stony.—Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 546; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 224; Durand & Schinz, Con- “spect. Fl. Afr. v. 430,and Etudes Fl. Congo, i. 270; Durand & De Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost- Afr, C, 136; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 121, inel. var. oaycarpa ;: Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79; Cummins in Kew Bulletin, 1898,, 80. Commelina beniniensis, Beauv. Fl, Owar. ii. 49, t. 87. Lampro- dithyros beniniensis ? Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 529.

Upper Guinea. Liberia: Grand Bassa, Vogel, 40! Cape Palmas, Ansell! Gold Coast, Burton § Cameron! Ashanti, Cummins! Togo, Buettner, 262! Lagos, Millen, 22! 91! Moloney! Western Lagos, Rowland! Old Calabar, Holland, 110! Robb! Cameroons : Barombi, Preuss, 1195! Batanga, Bates, 71! Fernando Po,. Vogel, 7! Barter! Mann, 92!

Wile Land. British East Africa: Niamniam; at Linduku (Unduku) River,. Schweinfurth, 3284! at Nabambisso River, Schweinfurth, 3698! Ruwenzori ; Butugu Valley, Scott-Elliot, 7977 !

Lower Guinea. (iaboon, Du Bellay, Du Parquet. French Congo : France- ville, Brazza, Bangui, Dybowski, 528; Cape Lopez, Dybowski, 172 ; Congo, Smith, 53! 57! Lower Congo: Bingila, Dupuis! Blakasi, Burton ! Angola: Golungo Alto, 1000-2400 ft., Mata de Quibanga, Sobato Mussengue, Welwitsch, 6600! Zengas- de Queta, Welwitsch, 66008! in woods on the banks of streams near Trombeta, Cam- bondo, and Sange, Welwitsch, 6601! 6654!

Mozamb, Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland ; Masuku Plateau, 6500- 7009 ft., Whyte, 305! Mount Malosa, 4000-6000 ft., Whyte! and without precise locality, Buchanan, 1167!

The number of ovules is often 3 in each cell of the ovary, but not always. The varjation in the size of the panicle is great. :

8. A. Rendlei, (. 2. Clarke. Sparsely hairy. Stems 15 in. long, undivided, rather slender. Leaves 3} by 4 in., exactly lanceolate,. acuminate at either end, the base almost pseudo-petiolate, with a few scattered brown hairs especially on the lower margins; leaf-sheaths unusually long (some 1 in, long) glabrescent. Peduncle terminal, 3-4 in. long, with a leaf-sheath (without leaf) in the middle. Inflorescence

Aneilema. | CXLIII. COMMELINACEH (CLARKE). 69

dense, minutely or scarcely pubescent; primary axis weil marked; primary branches having in their lower half many approximated small ovate empty bracts (as in A. beniniense and many other species). Capsule 4 by + in., linear-oblong, obtuse, 2-celled, papery, shining ; seeds 3-5 in each cell.

Nile Land. Somaliland, Donaldson Sinith !

This species resembles the Australian A. acuminatum, R. Br.; it bas-a much denser inflorescence and a longer capsule. On the same day, Donaldson Smith also collected his 346, which has a looser inflorescence and a smaller capsule (in which a l-seeded third cell is sometimes present), and is very near 4, acuminatum, R. Br., under which possibly both plants may be hereafter placed.

9. A. ovato-oblongum, Beawy. Hl. Owar. ii. 71, t. 104, fig. 1. Very sparingly hairy. Stem 1-2 ft. long, trailing, rooting near the base. Leaves 2} by 1 in., elliptic, acuminate. Panicle 2 by 1} in., with 8-18 primary branches often falsely whorled, slender, nearly glabrous; bracts at their base minute. Flowers very small, pale lilac or white. Sepals less than 4 in. long, thin, ovate, concave. Fertile stamens (at least often) 3; filaments slightly hairy. Capsule ;',—} in. long, shining, thin, quadrate, the upper shoulders rounded, normally 4-seeded. Seeds pale, stony.— Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 545; C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 226; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. FI. Afr. y. 431, and Etudes FI. Congo, i. 270; Durand & De Wild. in Comptes-rendus Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvi. 87; Schoenl. in Eng!. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ii. iv. 65; Hua in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Par. i. 121. A. bracteolatum, R. Br. in Bowditch, Mission to Ashantee, 444. Com- melina umbrosa, Vahl, Enum. ii. 179; Thonn. in Schumacher, Beskr. Guin. Pl. 23. C. ovato-oblonga, Roem. & Schultes, Mant. i. Add. i. 376.

Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone: near Berria, in dense forest, Scoté-E/liot, 5424! Liberia : Cape Palmas, Ansell! Dahomey: Lake Porto Nova, Newton, 14! Gold Coast, Burton § Cameron! Fernando Po, Vogel, 143! Milne! Cameroons, Preuss, 96 !

Lower Guinea. Gaboon: Munda; Sibange Farm, Soyaux, 336! and without precise locality, Zedlie! French Congo: Ogowe River, Z'hollon, 266 bis; Brazza- ville, Dybowski. Loango ; Chinchocho, Soyaux, 169! Landana, Phillips. Lower Congo: Bingila, Dupuis !

Also in Tropical South America.

Var. 8 nigritana, C, B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 227. Leaves 6 by 2 in. Panicle hardly peduncled, much overtopped by the leaves; its main axis and the sepals minutely pubescent. Empty bracts at the base of the cymes numerous, close together,

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory: Nupe; Jeba, on the Quorra (Niger), Barter !

10. A. somaliense, (. 2. Clarke. Sparingly pubescent. Upper leaves 24 by 1} in., ovate, acute; base sessile on the leaf-sheath, rounded. Peduncle to the panicle 3 in. long, terminal; panicle TZ. by 1} in,, main axis straight; cyme-peduncles about 24, spreading, scattered, not whorled, bracts at their base less than } in. long, ovate. Sepals 1-1 in. long, concave, nearly glabrous. Petals small, white.

70 CXLIII. COMMELINACE& (CLARKE). | Aneilema.

Capsule 2-celled, ellipsoid, shining, with rounded shoulders, obscurely emarginate, 4-seeded.

Wile Land. Somaliland: Harradigit, James § Thrupp !

The specimen consists of a panicle with the 3 uppermost leaves.

11. A. Smithii, (. B. Clarke. Sparingly pubescent. Roots. clustered, thick, several thickened at the end. Stems cespitose, erect, 5 in. high, often divided, the flowering with several well-developed leaves. Leaves small, broadly ovate, subacute, the largest seen 1} by ? in. Inflorescence terminal, 1} by ? in., dense; peduncle 1-1} in. long; main rhachis well marked; bracts at the base of the primary branches +}; in. long, ovate or obovate, obtuse, somewhat scarious ; similar small empty bracts on the lower half of the primary branches. Flowers very small; pedicels and sepals obscurely pubescent.

Wile Land. British East Africa: Lake Rudolph, Doxaldson Simith !

12. A. dregeanum, Awnth, Hnum. iv. 73. Sparingly hairy. Stems 12-18 in. long, suberect, frequently branched. Leaves 4 by #-1} in., oblong-elliptic or subovate, lower with a quasi-petiole, }—? in. long, all (but occasionally the topmost) shortly acuminate at the base. Panicle 14 by ?-1 in., dense, nearly glabrate. Sepals 1-4 in. long. Petals small, blue. Fertile stamens usually 3. Capsule } by } in., thin, shining, usually 2-celled, shoulders rounded. Seeds 2—1 in each cell, pale, stony.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii, 229, and in Dyer, Fl. Cap. vii. 13. Lamprodithyros dreyeanus, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 529.

Mozamb. Dist. Portuguese East Africa: Lower Zambesi ; Tete, Kirk!

Also in the North-Eastern parts of South Africa.

13. A. Nicholsoni, C. B. Clarke. Leaves 34 by 1 in., broadly elliptic acuminate at either end, when mature thinly hispid on both surfaces, those near the top of the stem with a pseudo-petiole } in. long. Peduncle 1—2 in. long, terminal, patently hispid. Panicle 14 by ?-1 in., very dense ; cyme-peduncles very numerous and (as the pedicels) hispid ; bracts minute. Calyx small, nearly glabrous. Petals very small, bright: blue in the dry specimens. Capsule } in. long, 2-celled, 4-seeded.

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa ; Rhodesia; on the road from Missala: to Luia River, Nicholson !

14. A. Petersii, (. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 225. Thinly hairy. Stems 12-18 in. long, sometimes branched in the upper’ part. Leaves up to 34 by 3-} in,, lanceolate. Panicle 2 by 14 in., rather loose ; primary branches not whorled ; in several cases a second penultimate panicle makes the inflorescence appear as dichotomous. Sepals $-} in. long, nearly glabrous. Petals blue. Capsule 1—} in., normally 2-celled with 2 seeds in each cell, minutely glandular pubescent, less papery than in most of the section Lamprodithyros.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 431; K.Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C-

Anedlema. | CXLIII. COMMELINACE& (CLARKE). ca

136. A. tetraspermum, K.Schum. in Engl. Pf. Ost-Afr. C. 136. Lam- prodithyros Petersii, Hassk. in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 529. Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Usambara; Tanga, Volkens, 175!

Stuhlmann, 6062, 6458. Portuguese Eust Africa: Zambesi Delta; mouth of the River Melambe, K7rk / Mozambique, in damp places, Peters /

15. A. Schweinfurthii, ('. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 227. Minutely pubescent. Roots thick. Stems 8-14 in., with few oblong leaves, 1-2 in. long; erect from a short rhizome (not annual), Leaves ona barren stem 44 by } in., oblong-linear. Panicle in fruit 1} by ? in., very dense, pubescent ; lowest bracts to the cyme-peduncles 4 in. long, lanceolate ; bracteoles ;1; in. long, obovate. Sepals 35 in. long, glabrate. Petals small, blue. Capsule nearly } in. long, white, 2-celled, 4-sceded.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 432 ; Durand & De Wild. in Bull. Soc. bot. Belg. xxxvii. 128; K. Schum. in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 186; DC. Monogr. Phan, iii, 227. Lamprodithyreos gracilis, Kotschy & Peyr. Pl. Tinn. 47, t. 23, fig. A; Kanitz in Flora, 1868, 513; Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 295.

Nile Land. British East Africa: Jur; Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth, 1832! ser. iii, 214! Bongo; Gir, Schweinfurth, 1886!

South Central. Congo Free State: Tanganyika, De Beerst!

16. A. Welwitschii, (. B. Clarke i DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 229. Minutely grey pubescent. Stems czespitose on a bundle of thick roots clavate and subtuberous at their extremities. Fertile stems 10-16 in. long, rather robust, little divided, with many fully developed leaves. Leaves 3 by }-1 in., oblong or elliptic-lanceolate, sessile, tip obtuse. Peduncle 2—4 in. long, terminal, with often a sheath or nearly obsolete leaf in the middle. Panicle in fruit 1 by ? in., even in fruit very dense ; flowers blue (Welwitsch). Capsule 4 by } in., quadrate-oblong, shining, thinly crustaceous, 4-seeded.—Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 432; Rendle in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. ii. 79.

Lower Guinea. Angola: Huilla; edges of woods, Lake Ivantala, 3800-5500 ft., Welwitsch, 6596! Golungo Alto; marshy places between Catumba and Ohai, Wel- witsch, 6597 ! :

The leaves in 6596 are considerably broader than in 6597 ; but no one has

doubted their being one species. I think this may be only a state of A. Schwein- Surthii,

17. A. soudanicum, (’. B. Clarke. Hispid, especially the stems and leaf-sheaths. Stems 15 in. long, branched throughout their lengtb, at the base erect, with the lowest leaves reduced to pale brown scales ; roots thick. Leaves up to 34 by 4-4 in., linear-lanceolate. Panicle terminal, peduncled, 1} by #-1 in., dense, thinly hairy ; lowest bracts 3—} in. long, lanceolate ; bracteoles hardly } in. long, ovate. Sepals } in. long, glabrate. Petals small, blue. Capsule + in. long, 2-celled, 4-seeded,

?

i2 < OP: reunded on the shoulders.—Ad. lanceolatum, var. /3 evoluticr partly,

72 €XLUII, COMMELINACEE (CLARKE). [| Aneilema. C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr, Phan, iii. 227; Durand & Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 431 partly.

Upper Guinea. Cameroons: Musgu; on the Fellata Hills, Vogel, 101!

18. A. Whytei, (. B. Clarke. Upper portions of stems 10 in, long, rather slender, pubescent, not rarely branched. Leaves 2} by 3 in., lanceolate, when mature hairy, especially beneath. Panicle 1 by ? in, dense, with long spreading white hairs; lower bracts minute or 0; many of the lower pedicels sterile, terminated by a black glandular knob (the rudimentary flower). Sepals ;, in. long, glabrate. Petals small, blue. Capsule hardly 1 in. long, 2-celled, 4-seeded.—A. hirtum, C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 228 partly (i.e. by confusion), not of A.Rich. (which see at p. 74 seq.).

Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: North Nyasaland, Whyte !

The description of A. hirtum in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 228 is grounded on the

assumption that the plant here described was the 4. hirtum of A. Richard (which I now believe to have been a Floscopa).

19. A.lanceolatum, Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. 546. Sparingly pubescent. Stems up to 15 in. long, occasionally divided, weak, decum- bent at the base. Leaves up to 6 by 3 in., narrowly lanceolate. Panicle

terminal, peduncled, up to 14 by 1 in. (but usually much smaller), dense,

minutely pubescent ; lowest bracts ;15 in. long, ovate; bracts to the

cyme-peduncles ;1; in. long, obovate. Sepals 5}

;'9 in. long, glabrate. Petals small, blue. Capsule + in. long, 2-celled, 4-seeded, shoulders

rounded at the top.—C. B. Clarke in DC. Monogr. Phan. iii. 227; Durand «& Schinz, Conspect. Fl. Afr. v. 431. A. rhodospermum, K, Schum. in Zenker, Exsice. 1110.

Upper Guinea. Niger Territory: Lower Niger; Stirling Hill,