Tab. D.

PTEROCARPUS AFRICANUS. GUM KARI.
CLASS AND ORDER—DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.
Natural Order—Leguminosæ.

Gen. Char. Calyx quinquedentatus. Legumen falcatum, foliaceum, varicosum, ala cinctum, non dehiscens. Semina aliquot solitaria. Willd.

Pterocarpus Senegalensis; foliis pinnatis, foliolis ovalibus fructibus lunato-orbiculatis pubescentibus.

Hab. Prope Kacundy et aliis locis montanis, vulgaris. Fl. mense Decembri.

Arbor mediocris, ramis diffusis, cortice pallida.

Folia pinnata, decidua, foliolis ovalibus alternis integerrimis, glabris, superne nitidis nervosis, nervis parallelis approximatis, petiolis partialibus brevissimis.

Racemi compositi, terminales.

Flores numerosi, flavi. Pedicelli breves curvati, basi bractealis, bracteis parvis lanceolatis subulatis. Calyx quinquedentatus, pubescens, basi bracteis duabus parvis subulatis munitus; dentibus subæqualibus, duobus superioribus apice rotundatis, reliquis acutis. Corolla papilionacea, cito caduca. Vexillum rotundatum margine undulatum, basi breve unguiculatum, alis majus. Alæ carina majores. Carina foliolis distinctis. Stamina monadelpha tubo superne fisso, filamentis alternatim longioribus. Antheræ rotundatæ, flavæ. Pistillum staminum longitudine. Germen subovatum, pubescens, viride. Stylus filiformis, curvatus. Stigma simplex.

Legumen majusculum, compressum, in orbiculum curvatum, pubescens, monospermum.

Fig. 1. Flowering branch, after the leaves have fallen away. a. the red gum flowing from the wounded part. Fig. 2. Leaflet of the compound pinnated leaf. Fig. 3. Calyx. Fig. 4. Standard of the corolla. Fig. 5. One of the wings. Fig. 6. The Keel. Fig. 7. Bundle of Stamens. Fig. 8. Pistil. Fig. 9. Legumen. All but figures 1, 2, and 9, more or less magnified.

This plant loses its leaves in the month of November, and in December the flowers appear. The tree is known amongst the inhabitants by the name of Kari, affording one of the best kinds of Gum Kino. Where an incision is made, the juice flows out, at first of an extremely pale red colour, and in a very liquid state; but it soon coagulates, becoming of a deep blood red hue, and so remarkably brittle, that its collection is attended with some difficulty.

G. Scharf Lithog:

Printed by C. Hullmandel.

Pterocarpus africanus.

[(Large-size)]

London. Pub^d. by J. Murray, Albemarle St^t. 1825.