Page:Miscellaneousbot01brow.djvu/308

 290 OBSERVATIONS ON PLANTS

respect to the memory of the celebrated traveller, by whom the fruit of this genus was observed in his first journey, and who, among other services rendered to botany, ascer- tained that the plant producing Gum Kino is a species of Pterocarpus.^ I have formerly endeavoured to distinguish Mimoseae from Caesalpine8e,bythe valvular aestivation of both its floral envelopes, and by the hypogynous insertion of its stamina. Instances of perigynous insertion of stamina have since been noticed by MM. Kunth and Auguste de St. Hilaire ; but no exception has been yet pointed out to the 235] valvular aestivation of their calyx and corolla. Parkia, however, differs from other Mimoseae, not only in its aesti- vation, which is imbricate, but in the very manifest irregu- larity of its calyx, and in the inecjuality of its petals, which; though less obvious, is still observable.

Eri/tJiropJdeim, another genus indigenous to equinoctial Africa, which I have elsewhere' had occasion to notice, and then referred to Caesalpineae, more probably belongs to Mimoseae, although its stamina are perigynous. In this genus both calyx and corolla are perfectly regular, and their aestivation, if not strictly valvular, is at least not manifestly imbricate, though the flower-buds are neither acute noi angular. In Erythrophleum and Parkia, there-

lisque muUijugis ; stipulis mimitis. Spicae axilla res^ peduncidatce^ clavaice, fiorihus infer ioribus {dimidii cijlindrucei racJieos) Sd'pe masculis.

Pakkia Africana, pinnis sub-20-ju^is, pinniilis sub-30-jugis obtusis inter- valla sequantibus cicatricibus distinctis parallells, glandula ad basin petioli, racbi commuui eglaudulosa, partialiuni jugis (2-3) summis glandula umbili- cata.

Inga biglobosa, Talis, de Beauv. Flore d'Oware, 2, p. 53, tab. 90. Sabine in Hortic. Soc. Transact. 5, p. 4:44. De Cand. Prodr. 2, f;. 442.

Inga Sencgalensis. Be Cand. Prodr. 2, p. 442.

Mimosa taxifolia. Pers. Sj/n. 2, p. 26G, n. 110.

Nitta. Park's First Journey., p. 336 — 337.

^ Paries Second Jotirnei/, p. c:l\\y,v!\\q.\'q it is stated to be an undescribed species of that genus. Soon after that Narrative appeared, on comparing Mr. Park's specimen, which is in fruit only, with the figure published by Lamarck in his Illustrations {tab, 602, /. 4), and with M. Poiret's description {JEncyc. Meth. Botan. 5, p. 728), I referred it to that author's P. erinacea, a name which is, I believe, adopted in the last edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the London College. Dr. Hooker has since published a drawing of the same plant by the late Mr. Kummer, and, considering it a new species, has called it Pterorarpus Senegalensis. {Gray's Travels in Western Africa, p. 395, tab. D.)

2 Tuclceys Congo, p. 430. [^Ante, p. 111.)

�� �