MARY GUNN LIBRARY

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE i

PRIVATE BAG X 101

f-' PRETORIA 0001

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

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South

BLodiversitV

THE FLOWERING PLANTS OF

SOUTH AFRICA.

A MAGAZINE CONTAINING HAND-COLOURED FIGURES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE

FLOWERING PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO SOUTH AFRICA.

EDITED BY

I. B. POLE EVANS, C.M.G., M.A., LL.D., D.Sc.,

ffitbiaion of $lant Enbustvb, IBepartment of Agriculture, )0rttoria;

anli director of the botanical Sitrbcp of ttjE ©nion of Soutf) Africa.

(Published with the Assistance of the Carnegie Corporation of New York)

VOL. XVII.

The veld which lies so desolate and bare

Will blossom into cities white and fair,

And pinnacles will pierce the desert air,

And sparkle in the sun.

R. C. Macfib’8 “Ex Unitatr Vires.”

L. REEVE & CO., Ltd.,

LLOTD8 BANK BUILDINGS, BANK STREET, ASHFORD, KENT

SOUTH AFRICA:

J. L. VAN SCHAIK LTD.

P.O. BOX 724, PRETORIA

1937.

[ All right % reserved.]

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2016

https://archive.org/details/floweringplantso17unse

TO

JOHN MUIR

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE, DOCTOR OF SCIENCE, BOTANIST

AND NATURALIST,

OF

“ LEEUW ARDEN,” RIYERSDALE

THIS VOLUME

IS DEDICATED IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF THE

VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION HE HAS MADE TO THE KNOW-

LEDGE OF THE FLORA OF RIVERSDALE AND OTHER

DISTRICTS IN THE PROVINCE OF THE CAPE OF GOOD

HOPE ; BUT MORE ESPECIALLY OF HIS RESEARCH WORK

ON THE DRIFT OF SEEDS IN THE OCEAN CURRENTS

WASHING THE STRANDS AND BEACHES OF SOUTHERN

AFRICA.

Division of Plant Industry, Pretoria.

October, 1937.

fUl

C. Lett.y del.

Plate 641.

EUPHORBIA GRANDIALATA.

Transvaal.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia grandialata R. A. Dyer, sp. nov., affinis E. Cooperi

N. E. Br. et E. grandicorni Goebel ab ilia caule brevissimo basi perramoso

ramorum segmentis basi cordatis faciebus transverse viridi luteis aculeis

cymos proxime, ab hac ramorum segmentis majoribus spinis minoribus, ab

ambabus segmentis plerumque 4-alatis involucris majoribus differt.

Frutex succulentus, spinosus, aphyllus, usque 2 m. altus, basi perramosus.

Rami elongati, segmentis cordato-pyramidalibus vel subreniformibus 7-15

cm. vel rariter usque 30 cm. longis 7-13 cm. latis, constricti, virides et trans-

verse late viridi- luteo lineati, 4-vel rariter 3-angulati ; anguli multo compressi,

5-8 cm. lati, plus minusve 7 mm. crassi, leviter repando-dentati, podariis

corneis griseis confluentibus aculeatis. Aculei robusti 2 junioribus 2 alter-

nati; majores 1-5-2-5 cm. longi vel ad ramorum constrictos minores; aculei

proxime cymos usque 5 mm. longi. Cymae (1— )3, breviter pedunculatae,

3 cyathia supra aculeos majores circiter 1-1-5 cm. emittentes; pedunculus

crassus, 4 mm. longus, bibracteatus. Cyathium primum masculinum, mox

deciduum ; cyathia bisexualia, breviter pedunculata. Involucrum glabrum,

1-1-1 cm. diam., quinquis lobis crassis obovato-oblongis ciliatiset glandulis

transverse oblongis 5 mm. latis integris flavis vel virido-flavis munitum.

Ovarium subsessile, glabrum ; styli ad medium connati. Capsula trilobata,

usque 1-5 cm. lata, dilute rubra.

Transvaal : Lydenburg district, near Penge mine, July, fl. van der

Merwe in Nat. Herb. Pretoria, No. 21372 ; fruit Aug.-Sept.

The discovery of this new species, and of E. comjplexa

R. A. Dyer, described also for the first time in this volume, is

due to the energies of Dr. F. van der Merwe. The type

specimen of E. grandialata, so named because of the excep-

tionally broad and attractively marked wings or angles of the

branches, was found by Dr. van der Merwe in July 1936 on a

dolomite hillside near Penge mine in the district of Lydenburg.

It grows also on ironstone outcrops in the same area. Some

of the collector’s field notes have been incorporated in the

description, and a special note on the habit of the plant may

be quoted : “A small proportion of the stems have branches —

from one to three ; and occasionally in old plants the central

stem is definitely thicker than the others, especially at the

nodes, and has up to 10 or more side-branches, with an occa-

sional secondary branch : this at first may give the impression

of being a main trunk, but this Euphorbia is definitely not a

tree. The tops of the branches tend to be equally high. The

whole of a full-grown plant forms such a dense mass of branches

that the bases of the innermost cannot be seen.”

E. grandialata is related to E. Cooperi N. E. Br., which may

be seen on Plate 157, and is readily distinguished by its shorter

habit, the 4-angled branches constricted into somewhat

heart-shaped segments, the thinner, yellowish banded wings

and the small spines on either side of the flowering eye. It is

related also to E. grandicornis Goebel, an illustration of which

appears on the following plate. From this species it differs

in the shape of the 4- rarely 3-angled segments and the large

attractive involucres.

The presence of the pair of stipular spines, one on either

side of the flowering eye, is unusual, although occasionally

found also in E. grandicornis. These “ stipular ” spines are

not to be confused with the “ peduncular ” spines usually

possessed by such species as E. polygona Haw. The particular

specimen of this species figured elsewhere in this volume,

however, shows very little development of the peduncular

spines. The peduncular spines, as the term implies, results

from the hardening of flowering branches, and are not associ-

ated with a horny margin on the angles as in the case of

stipular spines.

Description : — A spinescent succulent plant branched

from the base without a developed trunk, its branches, some-

times with a few secondary branches, usually spreading at the

base and then curved upwards to form a dense ragged bush

up to 2 m. high and 2-2-5 m. across. Branches constricted

into subcordate or pyramidal-cordate segments 7-15 cm. long,

the terminal segment occasionally 30 cm. long, 7-13 cm. broad

with a central solid portion about 3 cm. thick, 4- rarely 3-

angled, the angles green on the sides with yellowish-green

bands radiating more or less to the flowering eyes, much

compressed, 5-8 cm. broad and about 7 mm. thick, somewhat

repand-dentate and armed with pairs of spines on the continu-

ous horny margin. Spines in two pairs, the larger pair robust,

1 *5-2-3 cm. long, sometimes with a pair of minute prickles

slightly above their base, alternating with a smaller pair

3-5 mm. long, one spine on either of the flowering eyes, and

there may be a pair of prickles above these also. Cymes 3, or

occasionally only one from each flowering eye, each cyme

consisting of 3 cyathia on a bracteate peduncle 4 mm. long.

Cyathia, the central sessile one male, the two lateral pedun-

culate ones bisexual. Involucre glabrous, 1-1*1 cm. in diam.

with 5 glands and 5 thick obovate-oblong, ciliate lobes ; glands

contiguous, transversely oblong, 5 mm. broad in their greater

diam. entire, with a small suberect lip on the inner margin,

yellow or greenish-yellow. Ovary glabrous, subsessile, ob-

tusely triangular as viewed from above ; the styles united to

about the middle. Capsule (nearly mature, taken later from

a plant in the same area as the flowering material), 1*5 cm.

broad, triangular with the sides more or less straight, green

flushed with pink.

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 641. — Fig. 1, section of horny margin showing pair of large spines

with a pair of prickles at their base and one spine on each side of the flower-

ing eye ; 2, cyme with a central male and two bisexual cyathia ; 3, invo-

lucre glands and ciliate lobes ; 4, gynoecium ; 5, fruit.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6±2

C.Letty del.

Plate 642.

EUPHORBIA GRANDICORNIS.

Zululand.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Etjphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia grandicornis Goebel, Pflanzenbiol. Schilderung, i. pp. 42,

59 and 63.

As far as records go, this is the first occasion on which

fruiting material of E. grandicornis has been figured ; in fact,

fruits were unknown to the late Dr. N. E. Brown when he

monographed the genus in the Flora Capensis, vol. v. sect. 2

(1915). In addition to the fruiting branch, a separate male

cyathium and a group of three cymes in fruit have been repro-

duced in colour. The male cyathia, from the base of which the

fruiting cyathia arise, shrivel and fall off before the develop-

ment of the fruit. In the central fruiting cyme in the plate,

only one of the two ovaries has developed, which may happen

also in the case of the lateral cymes. Another point of interest

is the presence, in most instances, of a pair of small spines at

the flowering eyes, one on each side.

E. grandicornis, very aptly named in view of the exception-

ally large spines, forms much-branched, dense clumps up to

about 6 ft. high amongst scrub in the valleys of the Black

Umfolosi and Pongola Rivers, Zululand, and extends further

north into Portuguese East Africa. Brown, l.c., suggests that

E. breviarticulata Pax, a native of Tanganyika Territory, is not

specifically distinct.

The specimen figured was collected by the writer in the

Pongola valley between Ubombo and Magut during a memor-

able botanical excursion in July 1936, in the company of

Mr. G. W. Reynolds and Miss I. C. Verdoorn. In spite of

its formidable spines, E. grandicornis is not unattractive in

flower, and when in full fruit is decidedly handsome.

Description : — A robust spinescent, leafless, succulent

bush 1-2 in. high, much branched from the base and also

above, but no trunk produced. Branches erect or ascending,

deeply constricted into segments 5-12 cm. long and 5-15 cm.

in diam., 3-angled, with a solid central part 2-3 cm. thick,

glabrous, green, occasionally with lighter green marking ;

angles wing-like, 3-7 cm. broad, 3-5 mm. thick, wavy, with a

continuous greyish horny margin, armed with pairs of spines.

Spines on the branch-segments stout, 1-5-7 cm. long, in pairs,

with or without a pair of minute prickles at their base, those on

the constrictions of the branches much reduced, and often a

small spine is present on either side of the flowering ej7es.

Cymes midway between the spine pairs, 1-3 from each eye,

shortly pedunculate. Cyathia 3, rarely more, in each cyme,

the central one male with 2 lateral bisexual, pedunculate ones

from its base; peduncles bibracteate at the apex, slightly

elongating in fruit; bracts very broadly ovate. Involucre

6-8 mm. diam. with 5 glands and 5 subquadrate, fimbriate

lobes, glabrous ; glands contiguous, transversely elliptic-

oblong, about 4 mm. in their greater diam., yellow. Ovary

subsessile; styles united into a column for half their length,

obtuse or slightly emarginate at the apex. Capsule (nearly

mature) 3-angled, 1*2-1 -3 cm. diam., light to dark red.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 21360.)

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 642. — Fig. 1, involucre glands and lobe ;

flower).

F.P.S.A., 1937.

2, gynoecium (female

613

C. Letty del.

Plate 643.

EUPHORBIA complexa.

Transvaal.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia complexa R. A. Dyer, sp. nov., affinis E. griseolae Pax, ramis

quadrangulatis podariis non confluentibus differt.

Planta succulenta, perennis, armata, basi profunde ramosa usque 40 cm.

alta. Rami suberecti, simplices vel ramosi, basin versus subcylindrici,

1-5-2 cm. crassi, superne circiter 1 cm. crassi, quadrangulati, angulis haud

tuberculatis faciebus lateralibus le viter concavis, podariis tenuibus non con-

fluentibus 4-aculeatis apice truncatis. Aculei superiores 2-2-5 mm. longi,

inferiores 4r-5 mm. longi, leviter reflexi. Folia 1-1-5 mm. longa, late ovata,

mox decidua. Cyma breviter pedunculata, 3 vel rariter 4-5 cyathiis, supra

podarios 1 mm. emittens. Cyathium primum masculinum sessile deciduum ;

cyathia bisexualia, lateraliter producta, perbreviter pedunculata, pedunculis

bibracteatis, bracteis oblongis truncatis vel emarginatis leviter laceratisque.

Involucrum glabrum, circiter 5 mm. diam., quinquis lobis obovatis fimbriatis

et glandulis transverse oblongis integris munitum. Stamina (florum mas-

culinorum) 2 contra lobos involucri, intus late bracteata. Ovarium sub-

sessile, trilobatum, glabrum ; styli 2 mm. longi, ad basin breviter connati,

apice emarginati vel subintegri.

Transvaal : Barberton district ; near the road from Louws Creek to

Kaapmuiden, June, van der Merwe in Nat. Herb. Pretoria, No. 21373, type.

Of the South African species of Euphorbia, this new one is

most nearly allied to E. griseola Pax, a somewhat imperfectly

known species from Bechuanaland. It is allied also to some

in Tropical Africa belonging to the subsection Tetracanthae,

characterised by the presence of 4 spines in 2 pairs on each

spine-shield. It differs from E. griseola mainly in the 4-angled

stems, the slender, discontinuous spine shields and the longer

upper pair of spines. E. griseola, on the other hand, has 5-

angled stems with a continuous horny margin along the angles,

and the upper pair of spines is reduced to mere prickles.

Another feature of interest in E. complexa is the arrangement

of the stamens (male flowers), 2 together, with bracteoles,

enclosed between 5 separate broad bracts and the 5 lobes of the

involucre. E. lydenbergensis Schweickerdt & Letty, t. 486, is

another closely related species which is distinguished by a

continuous horny margin along the angles.

Dr. F. van der Merwe, who collected the type plant near the

road from Louws Creek to Kaapmuiden in the eastern Trans-

vaal, states that he found specimens growing in large clumps

in clearings among bush composed largely of Acacia sp. and

Combretum sp. Further, that it seems to prefer patches of

limestone, and each clump usually represents one plant which

has branched freely at and below ground level. The older

branches produce 1-3 secondary branches which flower, some

more freely than shown in the figure, during the period from

April to June. The profuse branching of the plant and the

somewhat complex nature of the inflorescence suggested the

specific name.

Description : — A spinescent succulent up to about 40 cm. high, pro-

fusely branched from the base, main stem obsolete. Branches simple or

branched, usually 4-angled, 1-5-2 cm. thick, and subcylindric near the base,

about 1 cm. square above, sides slightly concave, glabrous ; angles slightly

constricted above the spine shields ; spine shields with 2 pairs of spines, not

continuous, truncate above the upper pair of spines and tapering below the

lower pair to about half-way to the spine shield below. Spines, the 2 pairs on

each shield 1-5-2 mm. apart, diverging, the upper pair, one on each side of a

rudimentary leaf, 2-2-5 mm. long, slightly ascending, the lower pair 4—5 mm.

long, slightly reflexed. Leaves rudimentary, 1-1-5 mm. long, broadly ovate.

Cymes of 3, rarely 4—5 cyathia, shortly pedunculate, arising singly 1 mm.

above the spine shields ; peduncle bibracteate at the apex with one central

sessile male cyathium and a shortly pedunculate bisexual cyathium on eac h

side or rarely an additional hermaphrodite cyathium above or below the male

cyathium, or four hermaphrodite cyathia surrounding the male cyathium.

Male cyathium about equal to the others ; bisexual cyathia very shortly

pedunculate ; peduncle bibracteate at the apex ; bracts oblong, emarginate

or truncate at the apex, minutely lacerate ; Involucre cup- or funnel-shaped,

glabrous, about 5 mm. diam. with 5 glands and 5 obovate, fimbriate lobes;

glands 2-2-5 mm. in their greater diam., transversely oblong spreading,

slightly lipped on the inner margin. Stamens (male flowers) 2 together,

developed successively within 5 separate bracteate bundles opposite the

involucre lobes. Ovary subsessile, glabrous, 3-angled; styles 2 mm. long,

divided nearly to the base ; emarginate or subentire at the apex ; capsule not

seen. R. A. Dyer.

Plate 643. — Fig. 1, whole plant; 2, bract from peduncle; 3, bisexual

cyathium opened out showing stamens (male flowers) enclosed in 5 separate

bracteate bundles.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

C.Letty del.

Plate 644.

EUPHORBIA TORTIRAMA.

Transvaal.

Etjphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia tortirama R. A. Dyer, sp. nov., affinis E. enormi N. E. Br.,

a qua ramis triangulatis multo spiraliter tortis facile distinguitur.

Planta succulenta, perennis, armata. Radix tuber osa caudice continuata,

usque 30 cm. longa et 15 cm. crassa, basin versus angustata, ramosa, radicibus

tenuibus paucis instructa. Rami 20-plurimi caudicis apice editi, 3-angulati,

6-30 cm. longi, 2^-5 cm. crassi, intervallis leviter constricti, basi angustati,

vetustiores patentes, multo spiraliter torti, angulis compressi, sinuato-den-

tati, podariis corneis plerumque tenuiter confluentibus 2-aculeatis. Aculei

plus minusve 2 cm. longi vel ad ramorum constrictione minutissimi. Cyma

breviter pedunculata tribus cyathiis ; pedunculi apice bibracteati ; bracteae

oblongae, cilia tae, cucullatae. Cyathia alabastro leviter compressa ; primum

masculinum, hermaphrodita 2 lateraliter producta. Involucrum usque 7 mm.

diam., glabrum, lobis 5 parvis fimbriatis et glandulis transverse oblongis

integris luteis munitum. Ovarium glabrum, sessile; styli 1-5-2 mm. longi,

ad medium connati, apice bifidi. Capsula circiter 1 cm. diam., sessilis, partim

exserta, obtuse trilobata ; semina suborbiculata.

Transvaal : Zoutpansberg district ; Bandolierkop, April, Soil and

S. W. Smith in Nat. Herb. Pretoria, No. 21371, type.

The kindly co-operation of a number of people has made

possible the illustration and description of this remarkable

new species. In the first place, Mr. A. E. Soil sent specimens

to Miss G. Britten, Albany Museum, Grahamstown, from whom

I received branches for determination and Mr. Soil’s address.

Later Mr. Soil put me in touch with Sergeant S. W. Smith,

stationed at Bandolierkop, and from him I received a number

of complete specimens, in April and May 1936, portions of

which appear in colour in the accompanying plate. The task

of digging out these strongly spiny plants with thick tuberous

roots penetrating 1 to 2 ft. into very hard, stony ground is no

mean labour.

The branches, which are twisted in a clockwise or anti-

clockwise direction, are the most characteristic feature of this

species, and suggested the trivial name tortirama. The hooded

bracts enclosing the somevrhat laterally compressed young

cyathia and the comparatively large scars left by the falling

peduncles are noteworthy. Interesting also are the slender

spine shields which touch the flowering eyes on the lower side

only. Reference has been made to the rootstock under

E. tubiglans which appears on Plate 646.

Specimens, without flowers, of a plant which I consider the

same species as the one described, were collected by Dr. I. B.

Pole Evans, in 1929, near Orangefontein in the Limpopo River

valley.

Description : — A dwarf spiny succulent plant with the main stem and

root forming a large tuberous body mostly below ground level. Root up to

3 cm. long and 15 cm. thick, parsnip- or carrot-shaped, usually unbranched,

terminating in a slender tap root, and also giving rise to a few secondary

roots which penetrate surface soil. Stem crowning the root and distinguished

from it by a slightly warty appearance, producing from its apex, depending

on its size and age, 20-50 or more branches. Branches 6-30 cm. long, 2—4-5

cm. thick, slightly less when dr}’, 3-angled, very rarely 2-angled when young,

strongly spirally twisted in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, the older

ones obscurely segmented by the reduction or suppression of spines, homy

margin and tubercles at fairly regular intervals between 3—4 pairs of normal

spine-pairs, finally drying off; angles compressed, irregularly toothed or

tuberculate; tubercules up to 9 mm., prominent, bearing pairs of spines at

the apex. Spines about 2 cm. long, greyish, without prickles at their base ;

spine shields forming a continuous homy margin, except where spines are

much reduced, extending round the base and lower side of the flowering

eyes but not encircling them. Cymes, usually one from each eye, of 3 cyathia,

slightly less than half-way between the spine-pairs, shortly pedunculate,

the first cyathium male and the two lateral ones bisexual ; peduncles 2—4 mm.

long, bibracteate at the apex ; bracts oblong, ciliate on the margin, hooded

and enclosing the young cyathia. Involucre somewhat flattened when young,

up to 7 mm. in diam., with 5 glands and 5 small fringed lobes; glands

transversely oblong, about 3-5 mm. in their greater diam., yellow. Ovary

sessile, glabrous; styles 1-5-2 mm. long, united into a column for about

half their length, bifid at the apex. Capsule about 1 cm. in diam., obtusely

3-angled, sessile; seed suborbicular, only slightly narrowed towards the

minute caruncle.

Plate 6-44. — Fig. 1, young plant ; 2, young cyathium enclosed in bracts ;

3, longitudinal section of involucre ; 4, gynoecium (female flower).

F.P.S.A., 1937.

645

C.Letty del.

Plate 645.

EUPHORBIA polygona (with VISCUM minimum)

Cape Province.

Ettphorbiaceae. Tribe Ettphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia polygona Harv. i n Misc. Nat. 184, and Syn. PI. Succ. 129.

VISCUM MINIMUM.

Loranthaceae. Tribe Visceae.

Viscum L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 213.

Viscum minimum Harv. in Harv. & Sond. FI. Cap. vol. ii. p. 581 .

Viscum minimum, growing on Euphorbia polygona, is one

of the most interesting examples of parasitism in the flora of

South Africa. So far as our records go, J. F. Drege was the

first botanical collector to make the discovery, a little over

100 years ago. The excellent specimen used for the accom-

panying illustration was collected in June 1936 near Grahams-

town by Miss G. Blackbeard, who for a number of years has

taken a keen interest in the local flora, particularly as regards

the cultivation of succulents. The inclusion in the plate of

a male flower of Viscum with the anthers dehiscing is probably

the first occasion on which this stage has been recorded.

Euphorbia polygona is a characteristic feature in the vegeta-

tion of the eastern Cape from Uitenhage to Albany division,

where it grows socially on many quartzite outcrops. Viscum

minimum, however, is found only rarely in this area. It has

been recorded also on Euphorbia horrida in a restricted area

near Willowmore, and has been established by artificial means

on an allied species, E. stellaespina Haw.

The berries or fruits of Viscum minimum contain a very

sticky substance by means of which they adhere to the host.

It is surmised that birds eat the soft outer covering and wipe

off the hard seed from their beak on to other plants, and so

effect the distribution of the parasite. Within the seed is a

disc or roundish pad-like structure, which is pushed out

during germination, and becomes pressed to the surface of the

host. A sucker then grows out from the cohering surface of

the disc and penetrates the host, aided possibly by an excretion

which dissolves the skin of the host at the point of contact.

Connecting haustoria from the parasite link up with the vessels

containing the food-supply of the host. Unlike other species

of Viscum, the sucker growths or haustoria of V. minimum

have ramifications within the host and emerge at various

points for sexual reproduction. Euphorbia polygona appears

to suffer no ill effects from the diminutive intruder.

Euphorbia polygona.

Description : — A dioecious succulent plant suckering

from the base forming clumps of stems of unequal length.

Stems usually unbranched, occasionally branched due to

injury, 0-5-1 m. high, rarely up to 1-75 m. high, 7-10 cm.

thick, often slightly curved from the base, spiny or nearly

spineless, when young about 7-angled, later developing 12-20

angles; angles acute, sides slightly wavy, about 1-5 cm.

prominent. Leaves rudimentary. Spines (modified ped-

uncles) solitary or 2-3, rarely 5 from a flowering eye, 4-10 mm.

long, those on the male plants often more developed than on

the female. Cyathia pedunculate, arising at and near the

top of the older stems, solitary from each flowering eye, or 3

together or one on each side of a spine. Peduncles 2 -4 mm.

long, bearing one unisexual involucre and several bracts ; upper

bracts larger, obovate, dull purple, greyish-puberulous beneath,

minutely ciliate. Involucre 5-7 mm. diam., cup-shaped, dark

purple with 5 glands and 5 minutely toothed lobes; glands

subcontiguous, 2-4 mm. in their greater diam., slightly sloping

outwards, and somewhat concave above, dark purple. Cap-

sule (not available for figuring) 5-6 mm. diam. globose, densely

greyish pubescent. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

21374).

Viscum minimum.

Description : — A minute, monoecious, parasitic plant.

Stem consisting of a single internode about 0-5 mm. long,

bearing at its apex a whorl of 2 or 3 scale-leaves and a single

inflorescence or 1 terminal and 2 to 3 axillary inflorescences,

each of which has 2 or 3 scale bracts at the base, in the axils

of which other 3-flowered cymules may arise — that is, the

whole inflorescence may be an extremely congested once or

twice branched cyme. Leaves scale-like, less than 1 mm.

long, subdeltoid; lateral scales 0-5-0*75 mm. long, ovate,

acute, thickened on the back, occasionally very minutely

ciliate. Bracteal-cup peduncled, 1-5-2 mm. long, usually

somewhat boat-shaped, 3-flowered, the terminal one sometimes

3-lobed and 4-flowered; the first central flower of the cyme

male ; the anthers broad, sessile, dehiscing introrsely ; female

flowers lateral, shortly pedicellate ; petals 3 or 4, less than 1

mm. long, deltoid. Ovary with 2 sessile stigmas. Fruit a

globose berry, 8-9 mm. diam., smooth, brilliant red, crowned

by the persistent petals and with a pedicel up to 2 mm. long,

thickened upwards. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

21375.) R. A. Dyer.

Plate 645. — Fig. 1, male cyathium of Euphorbia polygona ; 2, three young

cymes of Viscum minimum ; 3, single cyme of Viscum; 4, male flower of

Viscum with two petals removed showing sessile anthers dehiscing.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

K4 6

C.letty del.

Plate 646.

EUPHORBIA TUBIGLANS.

Cape Province.

Ettphokbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia tubiglans Marl, ex R. A. Dyer in Kew Bull. 1934, p. 268.

Many readers will remember the late Dr. R. Marloth as an

ardent worker on the flora of South Africa, and one whose

attention was often focussed on the genus Euphorbia. It was

a pleasure, therefore, when publishing a description of this

species for the first time, in Kew Bulletin, 1934, to adopt the

name E. tubiglans suggested by him in his herbarium notes.

The name refers to the characteristic shape of the involucral

glands.

In addition to the interest attaching to the involucral

glands, the modification of the main stem and root is also

noteworthy. These two organs are almost indistinguishable,

and together give the impression of a uniform tuberous struc-

ture. The stem portion, however, is recognised by minute

tubercle-like remains of rudimentary leaf-bases. This type of

“ rootstock ” is common to a number of related and unrelated

species, and is not of primary importance in systematic

classification. Some related species, such as E. Susannae

Marl., show a greater development of the stem, whereas others,

such as E. N esemannii R. A. Dyer, have the tuberous root

more enlarged. E. tortirama R. A. Dyer, with a similar root-

stock, appears in this volume (pi. 644), but belongs to an

entirely distinct group with paired spines along the angles.

Male and female flowers of E. tubiglans are produced on

separate plants, and one plant of each sex appears in the

accompanying illustration. They were collected by Mr.

David Pringle near Klipplaat, Jansenville division, in the

eastern Cape. The species occurs also in the divisions of

Steytlerville, Ladismith and Swellendam.

Description : — An unarmed dwarf succulent with a tuber-

ous rootstock. Main root and main stem forming a turnip or

stumpy carrot-like organ up to 8-5 cm. long and 4*5 cm. wide,

becoming hard and cracked on the surface with age. Main

stem underground, distinguished from the root by the presence

(often obscure) of the remains of small tubercle-like leaf-bases.

Branches 2-5 from the apex of the stem, 4-8 cm., rarely up to

12 cm. long, 1-3-2 -2 cm. thick, usually 5-angled, green,

abruptly contracted at the base into a stalk 5-15 mm. long;

angles obtuse, up to 5 mm. prominent, minutely tubercled

by the leaf bases. Leaves rudimentary, triangular, canali-

culate, ciliate, soon deciduous. Cyathia on short peduncles

near the apex of the branches, male and female on separate

plants. Peduncles 2-3 mm. long, those of the female usually

shorter, bracteate, with 3 larger, oblong, obtuse bracts sub-

tending the cyathia. Involucre campanulate, glabrous with

5 widely separate glands and 5 broad fimbriate lobes ; glands

somewhat wrinkled on the margin, the lateral margins infolded

to form a tubular structure, reddish. Ovary minutely pilose;

styles 3 mm. long united at the base for 1 mm., bifid at the

apex. Capsule obtusely 3-lobed, shortly stalked, glabrescent.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 21370.)

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 646. — Fig. 1, male inflorescence ; 2, gland, inner view ; 3, capsule.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

(54 7

C\ Letty del.

Plate 647.

EUPHORBIA globosa.

Cape Province.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia globosa Sims in Bot. Mag. t. 2624.

Euphorbia globosa was first described by Haworth in

1823 under the generic name Dactylanthes Haw. on account of

the unusual finger-like processes of the involucral glands.

When, three years later, it was figured in Curtis’s Botanical

Magazine under Plate 2624, Sims referred it to the genus

Euphorbia, and this classification has been adopted by most

subsequent authors. The species has been figured also by

Berger and Marloth, the former in Sukkulente Euphorbien,

p. 105, and the latter in The Flora of South Africa, vol. 2, sect. 2,

Plate 44.

The plant illustrated here flowered at the Division of

Plant Industry, Pretoria, during Nov. 1935. It was collected

between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage by Professor H.

Humbert, Director of the Museum National d’Histoire Natu-

relle Botanique, Paris, and it is a pleasure to commemorate in

this way his botanical tour in South Africa during 1933.

E. globosa is closely allied to E. tridentata Lam., an illu-

stration of which appears on Plate 197 of this work. Marloth,

in South African Gardening and Country Life, May 1931,

p. 127, gave a resume of the closely related species of this group,

and included description of two new species. E. globosa is an

example of one of the most interesting growth forms in the

genus, and makes a very good subject for planting in a rockery.

It is fairly hardy if given an open position in well-drained

sandy soil. The original stem forms a small round, or turnip-

shaped body which is gradually drawn further underground,

and several series of globose branches grow in turn to ground

level, connected together like strings of large beads. From

those at ground level are produced other globose or elongated

branches bearing cyathia including male and female flowers.

Description : — A spineless dwarf succulent ; the primary

stem and root subglobose or top-shaped, 2-3 cm. in diam.,

pulled deeper under ground as successive series of globose

branches are produced at ground level, eventually forming

a cushion of congested marble-like bodies; these in turn

produce subcylindric, clavate or subglobose flowering branches,

2-6 cm. long, 0*7-1 -4 cm. thick, which under natural con-

ditions usually wither and fall off with age (depending some-

what on degree of protection and rainfall) often persistent

under cultivation; branches marked into flattish or slightly

prominent tubercles up to 1 cm. long with the raised leaf-scar

about the middle. Leaves rudimentary, deciduous, 2-3 mm.

long, lanceolate. Peduncles of tvro kinds some 2-3 mm. long ;

bearing 1 involucre and usually perfecting fruit, others

1*5-8 cm. long bearing a few minute bracts and a wrhorl of 3-4

larger ones under the first involucre, from the base of which it

may be 1-3 times dichotomously branched with mostly male

functioning cyathia. Cyathia 1*5-2 cm. in diam. Involucre

obconic, with 5 glands and 5 quadrate, apiculate, minutely

ciliate lobes; glands ascending-spreading, 5-7 mm. long,

deeply divided into 3-4 subulate, finger-hke processes with

minute whitCr-margined pits along their upper side, and a

cavity at the base covered over the middle by a wThitish flap

from the inner margin. Ovary subglobose, very obtusely

angled, long exserted and curved over, glabrous ; styles about

3 mm. long, united for about half their length, slightly spread-

ing above and thickened at their tips. (National Herbarium,

Pretoria, No. 20590.)

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 647. — Fig. 1, inner basal portion of involucre gland; 2, involucre

lobe ; 3, stamens (male flowers) ; 4, female flower.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6/. 8

C-Letty del.

Plate 648.

EUPHORBIA Franksiae.

Natal.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia Franksiae N. E. Br. in FI. Cap. vol. v. sect. 2, p. 315.

This rare species of Euphorbia is named after Miss M.

Franks, who collected the type material in October 1910,

near Camperdown. So far as records go, it is restricted in its

distribution to that area. The plant, an old one, which forms

the subject of the accompanying illustration, flowered at the

Division of Plant Industry, Pretoria, from July to September

1935. It was obtained with the co-operation of a number of

people to whom equal credit is due. Miss L. M. Forbes, on the

staff of the Natal Herbarium, obtained specimens for us during

December 1934 from Mr. H. G. Goodwill of Camperdown, who

writes as follows “ As far as I can ascertain from the native

who collected the plants for me, they were growing in open

stony ground in the valley of a Thousand Hills about 4 miles

from Camperdown station. The locality is very dry and

studded with thorn trees.” The term “ very dry ” when

applied to localities in Natal does not have the same meaning

as when applied to the Karroo, and a rough estimate of the

rainfall is something between 25-30 in. per annum. The per-

centage run-off, however, is high in this area of precipitous

slopes, and temperatures near 100° F. are not infrequent during

summer months.

Euphorbia Franksiae is very closely allied to E. Woodii

N. E. Br., which occurs along the Natal coast, and differs from

it in its smaller size, longer and more slender peduncles, and in

certain minor details of the involucral glands. Although

the main body of the plant is usually unbranched, branched

specimens are found occasionally. This feature, which may

or may not be due to an injury to the growing point, has been

noted at various times in allied species such as E. Woodii

N. E. Br., E. pugniformis Boiss., E. Gorgonis Berger and E.

gatbergensis N. E. Br., also figured in this volume. In the

original description of E. Franksiae the peduncles are said to

arise from the central part of the top of the main body of the

plant inside the crown of branches. While this is correct,

peduncles are produced also from the young branches and from

near the base of the older ones.

Description : — A dwarf, spineless succulent. Stem or

body of the plant mostly below ground level and little differen-

tiated in general appearance from the thickened main root-

stock, subcylindric or slightly obconic, 2-5-35 cm. thick,

covered with small, closely packed tubercles about 1-5 mm.

prominent when young, less so with age, with 2-3 rows of

branches near the top, and a small slightly depressed space

without branches at the centre. Branches 1-5-5 cm. long,

about 0-5 cm. thick, cylindric, tuberculate, green. Leaves

rudimentary. Peduncles arising from towards the base of

the old branches, from the young branches and from the central

area of the main stem, 8-18 mm. long, erect, bearing 3-4

bracts and a solitary involucre. Bracts 3-4 mm. long, about

2 mm. broad, obtuse, ciliate. Involucre about 7 mm. diam.

with 5 glands and 5 broadly rounded, fimbriate lobes, glabrous.

Glands not touching, horizontally spreading, flat, transversely

oblong, 2-3 mm. diam., outer margin either entire, or slightly

crenate-toothed, greenish-yellow. Ovary subsessile, sparingly

hairy. Styles united into a column for about half their length ;

branches stout, grooved on the upper surface. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 21368.)

R. A. Dyer.

Plate : — Fig. 1, part, of cyathium showing two glands and a fimbriate

lobe ; 2, stamens (male flowers) and branched hair ; 3, gynoecium (female

flower).

F.P.S.A., 1937.

649

Plate 649.

EUPHORBIA GATBERGENSIS.

Cape Province.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia gatbergensis N. E. Br. in FI. Cap. vol. v. sect. 2, p. 310.

A species very closely allied to E. gatbergensis, namely

E. Franksiae N. E. Br., is also figured in this volume, and may

be seen on Plate 648. The two species differ mainly in the

length of the peduncles and the thickness of the branches.

The group to which they belong is composed of a number of

very closely related species, some of which have been men-

tioned under E. Franksiae. It seems probable that all these

species developed or evolved from a common parental stock,

from which they became differentiated due to the effects of

changing environment in the course of the colonisation of their

respective areas of distribution. It is possible also that a

detailed survey of the distribution of the various species would

result in the discovery of some intermediate forms. In this

connection, with regard to the distinction between E. Woodii

and E. passa described by Brown, l.c., the differences do not

appear to justify specific separation, and investigations in

the field support this opinion. In view of the fact that the

former name is well established both in scientific institutions

and private gardens and the latter remains in some obscurity,

I propose to adopt the name E. Woodii N. E. Br., in

preference to E. passa N. E. Br., published on the same date.

The young plant of E. gatbergensis illustrated here was for-

warded in Oct. 1935 by Mr. G. W. Reynolds, well known for his

researches on the indigenous species of Aloe. He collected it in

grassveld near the type locality 4-5 miles south of Elliott,

where it grows in some profusion, and extends over a fairly

wide area.

Description : — A dwarf, spineless succulent. Stem or

body of the plant partly below ground level, not sharply

distinguished from the thickened main root, somewhat ob-

conic, flattened at the top, with a crown of radiating branches

surrounding a central area covered with conical tubercles,

glabrous. Branches in about three series, youngest towards

the centre, older ones spreading, up to about 5 cm. long and

1 cm. thick, subcylindric, densely tuberculate, green, slightly

narrowed to the base, more so in the older ones. Leaves

oblong- or elliptic-lanceolate, about 3 mm. long, soon decidu-

ous. Peduncles 0*5-3 mm. long, bearing 3-4 subquadrate,

membranous, ciliate, scale-like bracts. Cyathia thinly pro-

duced on old branches, 3-6 on young ones, none on the de-

pressed central area of the main stem, usually hermaphrodite

occasionally with ovary aborted. Involucre about 7 mm.

diam., with 5 glands and 5 broadly rounded or subquadrate,

fimbriate lobes, glabrous; glands not touching, horizontally

spreading, 2 mm. in their greater diam., transversely oblong,

or elliptic-oblong, entire or crenate or with a few or several

short teeth along the outer margin, slightly concave on the

upper surface, yellow. Ovary subsessile, glabrous; styles

united into a column about 2 mm. long, slightly more than

half the total length, branches stout, grooved on the upper

surface. Fruit when nearly mature 8 mm. diam., obtusely

3-lobed from above. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

21359.)

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 649. — Fig. 1, cyathium;

lobes.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

2, involucre with glands and fimbriate

G 50

C.Letty del.

Plate 650.

EUPHORBIA BUPLEURIFOLIA.

Cape Province. Natal.

Euphorbiaceae . Tribe Euphorbieae.

Euphorbia L. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia bupleurifolia Jacq. Hort. Schoenbr. vol. i. p. 55. t. 106.

The genus Euphorbia, as may be judged by the other illu-

strations in this part of volume 17, contains a wide range of

growth forms. Among these E. bupleurifolia is unique. The

somewhat bulbiform stem covered with prominent leaf bases

is an intermediate stage in evolution between practically

stemless tuberous rooted species such as E. elliptica Thunb.

and the more elongated, tuberculate stemmed E. clandestina

Jacq. In his monograph of the genus in FI. Cap. vol. v.

sect. 2, p. 304, Brown is incorrect in his generalisation that the

plants are unisexual. It is true in some cases, yet most of

those examined by me have been bisexual.

E. bupleurifolia was first figured and described by Jacquin

in 1797 from cultivated specimens collected, no doubt, earlier

in the century by the two Viennese gardeners Boos and Scholl,

who penetrated as far as Albany division in their search for

South African plants for cultivation at the Royal Botanic

Gardens, Schoenbrunn, Vienna. The species extends in

temperate situations from the eastern Cape into Natal. The

specimen figured here was collected in the shade of the “ palm ”

Hyphaene crinita Gaertn. on the south coast of Natal by

Miss Cythna Letty, our artist, who has conveyed to the

reader better than words can do the true form, and I may add

beauty, of the ten species of Euphorbia comprising this part.

Description : — A dwarf succulent with an unbranched,

globose or subcylindric stem 4 cm. or occasionally up to 20 cm.

above ground, 4-7 cm. thick, tuberculate ; tubercles crowded,

2-3 mm. prominent with a leaf-scar about the middle. Leaves

in a tuft at the top of the stem, 5-7 cm. or more long, 2 cm.

broad, spathulate-lanceolate, falling with age. Peduncles

several, solitary in the axils of the leaves, 1-5 cm. long, bearing

a pair of bracts and a single cyathium at the apex, puberulous

or velvety ; bracts about 1 cm. long, and 2 cm. broad, suborbi-

cular to reniform, obtuse, apiculate, glabrous or slightly

puberulous at the base, forming a cup round the involucre,

green becoming reddish at maturity. Cyathium bisexual or

unisexual through the abortion of the ovary. Involucre

7 mm. in diam., cup-shaped, puberulous with 5 glands and

5 subquadrate lobes cut to their middle into several lobules ;

glands 2-5 mm. in their greater diam., 2-lipped by the inner

margin being incurved and forming a pocket-like cavity,

entire or minutely crenate. Ovary stipitate, undeveloped in

the specimen figured. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

21364.)

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 650. — Fig. 1 , cyathium ; 2, glands and lobes of involucre ; 3,

stamen; 4, undeveloped gynoecium.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

<557

Plate 651.

LEPTALOE BLYDERIVIERENSIS.

Transvaal.

Liliaceae. Tribe Aloineae.

Leptaloe Stapf in Bot. Mag. C. 9300 (1933).

Leptaloe blyderivierensis Groenewald, sp. nov., affinis L. minimae

(Bkr.) Stapf, sed racemis densioribus differt.

Caulescens, radicibus fusiformibus. Folia viridia, circiter 4-8, multi-

faria, circiter 25 cm. longa, 8 mm. lata, 1 mm. crassa, linearia, e basi canali-

culata deinde ligulata, apice subito acuminata, supra basi subtus albo-

maculata vel tuberculata, basin versus aculeata,apicem versus integra ; dentes

recurvati, circiter 1 mm. longi, et circiter 3 mm. inter se distantes. Pedun-

culus 30 cm. altus, ca. 4 mm. crassus ; bracteae 2 cm. longae, basi 8 mm. latae,

ovatae, longe acuminatae. Racemus dense capitatus, 30-100-florus, circiter

4 cm. longus, 3 cm. latus. Bracteae deltoideo-lanceolatae, longe acuminatae,

plurinerviae. Pedicelli 1 cm. longi, perigonios versus ampliati, in alabastris

erecti, in floribus decurvati. Perigonium cylindraceum, circiter 11 mm.

longum, 3-4 mm. crassum ; segmenta ad basin libera, circiter 10 mm. longa ;

exteriora pallide roseo-violacea, 3-nervata praesertim intus, apice viridia

et baud recurvata ; interiora viridia marginibus albidis, apice recurvata.

Filamenta vix exserta; antherae pallide flavae. Stylus brevis, inclusus.

Capsula circiter 13 mm. longa, oblonga.

Transvaal : Pilgrim’s Rest distr. ; on slopes of the Drakensbergen

near the Blyde River, about 30 miles north of Pilgrim’s Rest, van der Merwe in

National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 21361.

This species of Leptaloe is closely related to L. minima

(Bkr.) Stapf, figured in Hooker’s leones Plantarum tab. 2423,

but differs in the more compact raceme and the differently

shaped perianth. While the perianth is not bilabiate as in

typical species of Leptaloe, we consider it correctly placed in

this genus, and not in the genus Aloe. The plant was collected

in February 1936 by Dr. F. van der Merwe, to whom we are

indebted for so many species of Aloe presented to the Division

of Plant Industry.

Description A slender plant up to 41 cm. high. Roots

fusiform. Stems thickened due to remains of old leaf bases.

Leaves up to 24 cm. long, 5 mm. broad, channelled below, flat

on the inner face above and slightly convex beneath, in older

leaves with the uppermost three-quarters becoming dry,

toothed on the lowermost quarter and with white spots be-

neath; teeth small, about 3 mm. apart. Peduncle up to

30 cm. long, 3 mm. in diam., bracteate on the uppermost three-

quarters, with a few teeth on the lowermost quarter. Bracts

2-3 cm. long, 6 mm. broad at the base, membranous, distinctly

veined, semi-clasping at the base, produced into a long fine

point. Racemes sub-corymbose. Flowers at first light-

greenish, later becoming suffused with pale pink. Bracts

similar but smaller than those on the peduncle. Pedicel 1 -6 cm.

long, terete, at first erect, later recurved. Perianth 1*2 cm.

long, 4 mm. in diam. more or less cylindric, but narrowing

slightly upwards; outer segments 4 mm. broad at the base,

lanceolate, sub-acute, 3-nerved ; inner segments 2 mm. broad,

linear, concave above, keeled beneath, obtuse, slightly recurv-

ing at the apex. Filaments green, slightly shorter than the

perianth-lobes; anthers yellow, about 1 mm. long. Ovary

green, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. diam., ellipsoid; style 5 mm. long,

terete.

Plate 651. — Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; 2, cross-

section of leaf near apex ; 3, cross-section of leaf near base.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

C. Letty del.

Plate 652.

COTYLEDON leucophylla.

Transvaal.

Crassulaceae.

Cotyledon Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 659.

Cotyledon leucophylla C. A. Smith, nomen subnudum, ex Steyn in

The Toxicology of Plants in South Africa 1934 : pp. 32, 33, 224; C.

orbiculata Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. & Swaz. vol. 1, 143 (1925) excl. ref.

Bot. Mag. et Journ. Bot., et extra Transv. cit., non Linn. ; affinis C.

orbiculatae Linn, corollae tubo breviore et lobis longioribus habitu

minore differt.

Planta succulenta sparse ramosa usque 30 cm. vel rariter 45 cm. alta,

caule 1-5-4 cm. crasso. Rami 3-5, breves, subpatentes, apicem versus foliati.

Folia plus minusve obovata vel obovato-oblonga, 7-14 cm. longa, 5-10 cm.

lata, circiter 1 cm. crassa, ambitu plus minusve plana, glabra vel minutissime

glanduloso-pubescentia, glauca, margine apicem versus rubro, apice apiculato

vel 2-3 mucrolulis instructo. Pedunculi 20-40 cm. longi, 0-8-1 cm. crassi,

rubro-colorati, glauci. Inflorescentia dense cymosa. Flores 18^0, sub-

corgesti. Corolla extus rubra, glauca, intus luteo-rubra, tubo cylindrico

1-5-1-6 cm. longo 1-1-3 cm. diam., lobis elliptico-lanceolatis patenti-reflexis

1-7-1-9 cm. longis 8-9 mm. latis. Stamina 2-seriata, circiter 2 cm. et 1-8 cm.

longa, e basi corollae 5 mm. affixa. Carpella plus minusve filamentis aequi-

longa. Stylus gracilis, supeme paullum recurvatus.

Transvaal : Pretoria district, near Pretoria ; on south slope of rocky hill-

side at Rietondale, Sept., Dyer & Letty 3201 in Nat. Herb. Pretoria , No. 21204 ;

Wonderboompoort, on rocky cliff, facing south-east, Aug., Dyer & Verdoorn

3200 ; Smith 6022 ; 6023 type ; Fountains Valley, on iron-stone outcrop,

east slope, Aug., Verdoorn 455 ; north slope of Meintjes Kop, 4800 ft., Sept.,

Smith 694 A ; Lydenburg district ; Sekukuni, Barnard in Nat. Herb. Pretoria ,

No. 21205.

The genus Cotyledon is of considerable economic importance

in South Africa owing to the fact that many species have toxic

properties. As in the case of most genera of succulent plants,

systematic classification on herbarium material alone is ex-

tremely difficult, and in this genus the task is complicated by

the facility with which natural hybridisations seems to take

place. Cotyledon orbiculata Linn., to which species our plant

has been referred previously, is a Cape plant characterised by

a somewhat inflated corolla-tube slightly longer than the lobes ;

it is usually shrubby in habit and occurs frequently in low

scrub. C. leucophylla has a more cylindric corolla-tube,

shorter than the spreading-reflexed lobes, and is usually a

sparsely branched dwarf succulent. It favours rocky slopes,

but may also be found in fairly flat rocky veld.

Plants of C. leucophylla in the vicinity of Pretoria show

some variation in the size of leaves, and occasionally, in addi-

tion to the characteristic whitish powdery bloom, from which

character the name is derived, some leaves are very minutely

glandular-pubescent or papillate. The justification for this

form being considered specifically distinct from C. orbiculata

was first investigated by ]\Ir. C. A. Smith, and although the

name C. leucophylla was used by Steyn, l.c., no authentic

description of the plant was published to validate it. Dr.

D. G. Steyn, Division of Veterinary Services, Onderstepoort,

worked on the toxic properties of the plant and gave refer-

ences to previous work.

There are specimens in the National Herbarium, Pretoria,

collected in Belfast and Middelburg, Transvaal, by Dr. E. E.

Galpin and Dr. I. B. Pole Evans respectively, at altitudes of

7000 ft. and 7200 ft. These may be conspecific with C.

leucophylla, but the flowers- are larger and the herbarium

specimens do not show the characteristic whitish, powdery

bloom ; this latter, however, may have been rubbed off during

preparation.

On Plate 161 of this work a plant of unknown origin is

illustrated under the name C. orbiculata Linn. It does not,

however, represent the typical form, and is probably specific-

ally distinct. It may even be a cultivated form of C. leuco-

phylla, but in view of the fact that its origin is unknown, I am

not prepared to make a specific identification.

Description : — A succulent half-shrub about 30 cm.

rarely up to 45 cm. high, excluding inflorescence. Stem 1-5-4

cm. thick near the base with 3-5 curved or suberect branches,

occasionally producing secondary branches. Leaves close

together at the ends of the branches, 7-14 cm. long, 5-10 cm.

broad, about 1 cm. thick in the middle, more or less obovate

or obovate-oblong and fairly flat on both sides, glabrous or

minutely viscid-pubescent or subpapillose, covered with a

whitish, waxy powder, in the upper half with a red margin

1 mm. wide, apex broadly rounded, apiculate, or with 2-3

points separated by small hollows. Peduncle 20-40 cm. long,

glaucous, reddish. Inflorescence densely cymose, 18-40-

flowered. Calyx segments 5-6*5 mm. long, deltoid-lanceolate.

Corolla 3 *2-3 *4 cm. long, red outside, glaucous, somewhat

yellowish-red within; the tube cylindric, 1*5-1 *6 cm. long,

1-1*3 cm. diam. ; lobes 1*7-1 *9 cm. long, 8-9 mm. wide, ellip-

tic-lanceolate, spreading and reflexed. Stamens in two series,

inserted 5 mm. from the base of the corolla tube, with a ring

of hairs at the level of attachment. Carpels slender, about

equalling the stamens in length, glands small. Style half the

total length of the carpel, recurved towards the apex. — R. A.

Dyer.

Plate 652. — Fig. 1, flower; 2, corolla opened out; 3, calyx, glands

(squamae) and carpels.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

.

E .NLemeypr del.

Plate 653.

TULBAGHIA alliacea.

Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal.

Liliaceae. Tribe Allieae.

Tulbaghia Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. 3. p. 798.

Tulbaghia alliacea Linn. f. Suppl. 193 ; FI. Cap. vol. 6. p. 405.

The genus Tulbaghia is one of the genera recently trans-

ferred by Dr. J. Hutchinson from the family Liliaceae to the

family Amaryllidaceae, mainly on account of the umbellate

inflorescence, but for the sake of uniformity we have followed

Bentham and Hooker and retained it in the family Liliaceae.

We have previously figured two species of the genus,

T. violacea (Plate 9) and T. fragrans (Plate 438), both of which

deserve some attention from horticulturists. The genus may

be divided into two very distinct sections on the character of

the corona. The corona may be either membranous and re-

semble the perianth-lobes and divided to the base into three

oblong entire lobes (rarely bipartite), or the corona may be

entire or with three very short broad emarginate or bipartite

lobes or, more rarely, irregularly toothed.

The genus, which was founded by Linneaus in 1771, was

named in honour of Ryk Tulbagh, one of the early governors

of the Cape. The specimen we figure was collected by Mr.

C. A. Smith, B.Sc., at Onderstepoort, near Pretoria, and is

known by the common names of “ wilde knoflook ” or “ wild

garlic.”

Description : — Cor ms subglobose, with fairly thick cylin-

dric fleshy roots. Outer leaves brown, papery ; normal leaves

up to 16 cm. long, 2 mm. broad, linear, obtuse, glabrous.

Scape up to 34 cm. long ; peduncle 1-2 mm. in diam. glabrous.

Spathe-valves up to 1-2 cm. long, brown, membranous. Pedicels

2*2-3-2 cm. long. Flowers 3-6 in an umbel. Perianth-tube

5 mm. long, campanulate, glabrous; lobes 5 mm. long, 1*5

mm. broad, oblong, subacuminate, with the 3 inner lobes

adnate for half their length to the corona. Corona 4-lobed,

fleshy, 4 mm. long, with each lobe about 2 mm. broad, entire,

emarginate or shortly 2-lobed. Stamens in 2 series; the

lower in the perianth-throat ; the upper attached to the base

of the corona ; anthers subsessile, 2 mm. long, oblong. Ovary

3 mm. long, obovate in outline, glabrous; style 1 mm. long,

thick; stigma almost flat. (National Herbarium, Pretoria,

No. 22430.)

Plate 653. — Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; 2, pistil.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6S4-

Plate 654.

PROTEA ASPERA.

Cape Province.

Proteaceae. Tribe Proteae.

Protea Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 169.

Protea aspera Phillips in Kew Bull. 1910, p. 236 ; FI. Cap. vol. 5.

sect. i. p. 598.

We have previously figured several species of the genus

Protea, but this is the first opportunity we have had, due to the

courtesy of Dr. J. Muir of Riversdale, of showing a species

belonging to the acaulescent section of the genus. Dr. Muir

writes that he collected his specimens between Elim and

Ailenkraal in the Bredasdorp district growing among macchia.

It is a low shrub with most of the stem underground. Other

species of Protea, species of Serruria, Leucadendron and Leuco-

spermum were associated with it. As the heads lie on or near

the ground, they are not very noticeable, but when once

observed, they are seen to be locally plentiful.

The species is evidently very restricted in distribution,

as the only other records we know of are specimens collected

by the late Dr. H. Bolus, also in the Bredasdorp district.

In the Mario th Herbarium are specimens ( Marloth 7047) taken

from the Flower Show in Cape Town in 1925, and noted to

have been collected at Hermanus in the Caledon district.

Description : — Stem and branches below ground, black,

rough with remains of old leaf -scars. Leaves arising from the

ground level, 25 — 30, clustered at the apex of the branches,

7-13 cm. long, 2-5-6 mm. broad, linear, usually somewhat

widening upwards, concave on the lower face, scabrid, especi-

ally on the margins, scantily pilose. Heads solitary, terminal,

surrounded and overtopped by the leaves, about 9 cm. long.

Involucral-bracts about 17-seriate, densely rufo-tomentose,

ciliate ; the outer ovate, obtuse ; the innermost linear,

channelled on the inner face. Receptacle 7 mm. high, 6 mm.

broad at the base, conical, covered with prominent ovate

concave bracts. Perianth 6 mm. long, somewhat dilated and

3-keeled below, densely white-villous; lip 1*5 cm. long, 3-

toothed. Anthers linear, 1 cm. long. Style 5*5 cm. long;

stigma 7 mm. long ; ovary surrounded at the base with long

brown hairs. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 20384.)

Plate 654. — Fig. 1, portion of leaf; 2, receptable; 3, a single flower;

4, lobe of perianth segment, showing stamen ; 5, pistil ; 6, stigma.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

MARY GUNN LIBRARY

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE

PRIVATE BAG X 101

PRETORIA 0001

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

/V .5 5

C . L etty del.

Plate 655.

LIMOSELLA maior.

Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal.

Scrophulariaceae. Tribe Gratioleae.

Limosella Linn.; Benth. et Hootc. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 958.

Limosella maior Diels in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. vol. 26. p. 122.

We have previously figured (Plate 106) a member of the

tribe Gratioleae, and a comparison of that with the accompany-

ing Plate will show that the genus Limosella differs from the

genus Craterostigma in not having a bilabiate corolla. The

species of Limosella are also aquatic or marsh plants. The

Flora Capensis describes five species of Limosella, but states

“ that they might properly be all regarded as varieties or

forms of the original L. aquatica Linn.” All the species

described have a similar distribution with the exception of

L. longiflora O. Kuntze, which has been recorded only from

Van Reenen’s Pass in Natal.

Our plate was prepared from specimens ( Dyer 2501) col-

lected by Mr. R. A. Dyer, M.Sc., at the Rietvlei Dam, near

Pretoria. Growing associated with it was a very dwarf plant

( Dyer 2500) with leaves a few millimetres long and the flower-

pedicels many times longer than the leaves (L. aquatica L.

var.), and it is difficult not to consider the two collectings as

distinct species.

Description : — Aquatic or marsh herbs with runners

from the nodes of which arise the clusters of roots and leaves.

Leaves 2-6-5 cm. long, with the broadened upper portion

lanceolate and 0-7-1 -5 cm. long, the lower portion of the leaf

narrowed into a long petiole. Flowers arising between the

leaves. Pedicel up to 4-5 cm. long, always shorter than the

leaves, erect in flower, decurved in fruit. Calyx 5 mm. long,

oblong-campanulate, shortly 5-lobed; lobes 1-5 mm. long,

ovate. Corolla-tube about as long as the calyx ; lobes 4 mm.

long, 2-5 mm. broad, oblong, rounded at the apex, hairy on the

lower half. Stamens 4; filaments crossed, shortly exserted.

Style about equalling the longer pair of filaments, gently

arching; stigma capitate. (National Herbarium, Pretoria,

No. 22322.)

Plate 655. — Fig. 1, side-view of flower ; 2, vertical section of same.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

656

Plate 656.

CADABA TERMITARIA.

Transvaal, Ngamiland, Mashonaland.

Capparidaceae. Tribe Cappareae.

Cadaba Forssk. in Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 108.

Cadaba termitaria N. E. Br. in Hook. Icon. Plant, t. 2527.

The specimen from which onr Plate was prepared was

collected on 23rd February, 1929, by Dr. J. Hutchinson

between Postma’sburg and Griquatown in Griqualand West,

but has since been found several times in the Zoutpansberg

district of the Transvaal. The late Dr. N. E. Brown de-

scribed the species from specimens found in Mashonaland, and

it has also been collected in Ngamiland by Lugard. Cadaba

termitaria is a shrub 5-15 ft. high with the leaves often crowded

on short shoots. In the bush it is an occasional component,

but somewhat striking, as the coloured flowers and pendulous

fruits attract the eye. The species has been suspected of

being poisonous, and has figured in a criminal case of poison-

ing, though Dr. D. G. Steyn obtained negative results with

another species ( C . juncea) which he investigated.

The native name is “ Ndau.”

Description : — A woody shrub 5-15 ft. high. Branches

greyish, with somewhat conspicuous lenticels, glabrous.

Leaves often crowded on abbreviated shoots, petioled, 1-T7 cm.

long, 3-6 mm. broad, oblong, obtuse, often faintly emargin-

ate, somewhat scurfy, glabrous; petiole 1-1-5 mm. long.

Flowers solitary or 2-3 on the abbreviated shoots. Pedicel

8 mm. long, elongating in the fruiting stage, somewhat

scurfy. Outer sepals 1 cm. long, 4 mm. broad, boat-shaped,

scurfy without, glandular-pubescent within, ciliate; inner

sepals thinner in texture than the outer, 9 mm. long, 4 mm.

broad, ovate-oblong, subacuminate, glandular-pubescent on

both surfaces, ciliate. Nectary 4 mm. long, 3-5 mm. broad,

strongly compressed, adnate to the base of the gynophore.

Stamens adnate to the apex of the gynophore; filaments 1*5

mm. long; anthers 4 mm. long, oblong. Gynophore bent

double in bud. Ovary cylindric, scurfy ; stigma sessile. Fruit

up to 8 cm. long, cylindric, somewhat pustulate; inner

pericarp orange-yellow. Seeds somewhat globose, furrowed.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 8111; Hutchinson No.

3040.)

Plate 656. — Fig. 1, Nectary and part of gynophore; 2, half of same;

3, anther ; 4, outer sepal ; 5, cross-section of ovary ; 6, seed ; 7, inner sepal ;

8, stamens and tip of ovary.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

S. Gower del.

Plate 657.

GARDENIA Rothmannia.

Natal, Cape Province, Transvaal.

Rubiaceae. Tribe Gxrdenieae.

Gardenia Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. 2. p. 89.

Gardenia Rothmannia L.fil. Suppl. p. 165 ; FI. Cap. vol. 3, p. 6.

Gardenia Rothmannia, which we figure on the accompany-

ing Plate, is one of the components of the shrub and tree

flora on the hills surrounding Pretoria. When a small tree,

the stems are 1-1 f in. thick at the base, branched and leafy

above. The flowers are sweet-scented, yellow, with rows of

mauve-purple spots on the corolla-tube along and below the

insertion of the stamens.

The type locality of the species is probably the Swellendam

district in the Cape Province, but we have seen specimens

from Grahamstown, Natal, Swaziland, and from the P.

Potgietersrust, Rustenburg, Pilgrim’s Rest, and Barberton

districts of the Transvaal. We have dissected and compared

a Knysna specimen with a Pretoria specimen and while

differences were noted, they were not considered of sufficient

importance to warrant regarding the Pretoria plants as speci-

fically distinct from the Cape Plants. Herbarium material is,

however, not very complete, and when it is possible with satis-

factory material to examine all specimens named G. Roth-

mannia, it may be that we shall find that more than one species

is involved.

The Cape plant was introduced into Kew Gardens in the

year 1774 by Francis Masson, and an excellent plate appeared

in the Botanical Magazine (t. 690, 1803). In the Cape it is

known as Aapse Kos, Kershout, Candlewood. The globose

fruits when ripe soften like a guava and are eaten by baboons.

Description : — A small tree. Branches dark brown,

with the bark much fissured. Leaves 3-8 cm. long, 1 *5-2*5

cm. broad, elliptic, obtuse, paler beneath, with small ciliated

cavities in the axils of some of the lateral veins, glabrous.

Flowers terminal, solitary. Calyx-tube 9 mm. long, 7 mm.

diam., glabrous without, densely villous within, with a few

stout papillae in longitudinal bands alternating with the lobes ;

lobes 1-5 cm. long, almost terete, channelled above, glabrous

without, hirsute within. Corolla-tube 5 3 cm. long, cvlindric

and 4 mm. in diameter in the lower 2 cm., campanulate and 2-5

cm. in diameter at the mouth; lobes 2-3 cm. long, 1’4 cm.

broad at the base, ovate, subacuminate, glabrous within and

without. Anthers 2-4 cm. long, linear, attached at the middle

by a very short filament to the throat of the corolla-tube.

Style 3-8 cm. long, glabrous; stigmas 2, somewhat thickened,

2-5 cm. long. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 1446 : The

description of the flower drawn up from Repton 305.)

Plate 657. — Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; 2, fruit.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

658

Plate 658.

NERINE ANGUSTIFOLIA.

Cape Province, Orange Free State, Natal, Transvaal .

Amaryllidaceae. Tribe Amarylleae.

Nerine Herb. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Oen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 728.

Nerine angustifolia Baker in FI. Cap. vol. 6. p. 211.

The specimens from which our Plate was prepared were

gathered by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., in March 1934,

between Belfast and Machadodorp. As not many of the

Transvaal species have been figured, we welcome the oppor-

tunity of illustrating a species from the Transvaal flora.

Through the courtesy of Mrs. L. Bolus we were able to devote

a complete part to the genus Nerine (see Plates 561-570),

and have now figured fifteen species. A reference to any of

the plates should convince lovers of our wild flowers that all

the species are worthy of more attention from gardeners.

Description : — Bulb ovoid, 2*8 cm. in diam. Leaves

6, contemporary with the flowers, up to 60 cm. long, 3-4 mm.

broad, linear, channelled down the face, glabrous. Peduncle

erect, twisted, 70 cm. long, 6-8 mm. in diam. near the base.

Umbel 6-9-flowered. Spathe-valves 4-5 cm. long, 1 cm. broad,

ovate, lanceolate. Flowers dark pink, centripetal. Pedicels

2-5-4-5 cm. long, (sometimes longer in fruit), pubescent.

Perianth-segments 4 cm. long, 4-5 mm. broad, linear-lanceolate,

crisped in the uppermost third. Stamens shorter than the

perianth-segments. Ovary obtusely angled, pubescent ; style

ultimately as long as the stamens; stigma 3 lobed, with the

lobes flattish and papillate. (National Herbarium, Pretoria,

No. 22320.)

Plate 658. — Fig. 1, a single flower ; 2, portion of flower, showing stamens

and pistil ; 3, stigma.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

659

C- Letty del.

Plate 659.

GAZANIA Munroi.

Transvaal.

Compositae. Tribe Arctotideae.

Gazanla Gaertn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 459.

Gazania Munroi Phillips, sp. nov., affinis G. pygmaeae Sond., sed floribus

flavis differt.

Planta acaulescens. Folia 7-11 cm. longa, 2-3-5 mm. lata, linearia,

apice subacuta, supra glabra, subtus tomentosa, marginibus ciliatis. Pedun-

culus 5-10 cm. longus, glaber. Involucrum 1 cm. longum, 1 cm. latum,

campanulatum ; bracteae exteriores 5-6 mm. longae, 0-75-1 mm. latae,

lineares, dentatae ; bracteae interiores 5-5 mm. longae, basi 3-5 mm. latae,

ovatae, glabrae. Receptaculum 2 mm. altum, conicum. Flores radii flavi,

3-2 cm. longi, 5-5 mm. lati, apice minute 4-denticulati. Flores disci flavi.

Tubus corollae 6 mm. longus, cylindricus, superne leviter ampliatus; lobi

2 mm. longi, 0-5 mm. lati, oblongi, apice subobtusi. Ovarium pilis longis

dense vestitum. Squamae pappi lineares, laceratae.

Transvaal: Nelspruit distr., Karino, August 1931, Munro in Nat. Herb.

Pretoria, No. 21379.

We have previously figured four species of the typical

S. African genus Gazania, which is confined to Africa, 30 of

the known 35 species being found in South Africa, mainly in the

coastal districts. The species we describe and figure on the

accompanying Plate is related to G. pygmaea (see Plate 64), but

differs in having yellow ray-florets. Species of trypedit flies

breed in the flower heads of many species of Gazania, and Mr.

H. K. Munro, B.Sc., of the Entomological staff of the Division

of Plant Industry, first found the larvae of Insizwa striatifrons

Munro in the flower-heads of G. uniflora growing at Port

Shepstone in Natal, and later the larvae and puparia of the

same fly in the flower heads of the species we now describe.

We are indebted to Mr. Munro for the specimens from which

our Plate was prepared.

Description : — An acaulescent plant. Leaves 7-11 cm.

long, 2-3*5 mm. broad, linear, subacute, glabrous above,

tomentose beneath except on the midrib, rigidly ciliate on the

margins. Peduncle 5-10 cm. long, glabrous. Involucre 1 cm.

long, 1 cm. in diameter, campanulate, intruse at the base,

glabrous; outer-bracts 5-6 mm. long, 0-75-1-5 mm. broad,

linear, pungent at the apex, with a distinct midrib and cartila-

genous teeth along the margins, glabrous; inner bracts 5-5

mm. long, 3-5 mm. broad at the base, ovate, subacute, gla-

brous. Receptacle conical, 2 mm. high, with the edges of the

cells produced into membranous cups. Ray-florets yellow,

3-2 cm. long, 5-5 mm. broad, 12-nerved, with 2 of the nerves

more prominent than the others, minutely 4-toothed at the

apex. Disc-florets yellow. Corolla-tube 6 mm. long, tubular,

very gradually widening upwards, glabrous ; lobes 2 mm. long,

about 0-5 mm. broad, oblong, subobtuse. Anthers 3-5 mm.

long, linear, sagittate at the base, with an ovate-lanceolate

apical appendage. Ovary densely covered with long hairs

which reach up to § of the length of the corolla-tube; style

terete, glabrous, with a slightly swollen ring about 2-2-5 mm.

lower than the forking of the lobes; lobes 1 mm. long, lanceo-

late, subobtuse. Pappus of hyaline linear deeply-cut scales,

hidden by the long hairs of the ovary and often difficult to see.

Plate 659. — Fig. 1 , receptacle ; 2, inner involucral bracts ; 3, an outer

involucral bract; 4, ray floret; 5, disc floret; 6, stamens; 7, style and

stigmas ; 8, a pappus-scale.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6 6 >0

C.Letty del.

Plate 660.

EUPHORBIA Vandermerwei.

Transvaal.

Euphorbiaceae. Tribe Euphorbieae.

Ettphorbia L.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 258.

Euphorbia Vandermerwei R. A. Dyer, sp. nov., affinis E. Schinzii Pax,

cyathiis solitariis podariis corneis interruptis vel tenuiter confluentibus

floribus capsulisque maioribus ramis diflusis robustioribusque differt.

Planta succulenta perennis, armata. Caudex brevis, sublignosus, apice

plus minusve breviter ramosus. Rami usque 20, caulium apice emittentes,

usque 30 cm. longi, 1-5-2-5 cm. lati, leviter constricti, 4-5 angulati; anguli

compressi sinuato-dentati, podariis corneis interruptis vel tenuiter confluenti-

bus, dentibus 2-aculeatis, 0-5-1 -5 cm. distantibus. Aculei usque 1 cm. longi.

Cyma cyathio solitario reducta, breviter pedunculata ; pedunculi apice

bibracteati. Cyathium bisexuale. Involucrum usque 6 mm. diam., glabrum,

quinquis lobis parvis fimbriatis et glandulis transverse oblongis integris

munitum. Ovarium glabrum, sessile. Styli 2 mm. longi, infra medium

connati, apice bifidi. Capsula 5-6 mm. diam., sessilis, partim exserta,

obtuse trilobata; semina suborbiculata, 2-2-25 mm. diam., globosa, rubro-

maculata.

Transvaal : Nelspruit district, near White River, Sept., van der Merwe

in Nat. Herb. Pretoria, No. 22436, flower and fruit (type) ; near Nelspruit,

Nov., van der Merwe in Nat. Herb. Pretoria, No. 22487, flower and fruit.

Until the discovery of this novelty all South African species

of Euphorbia with paired stipular spines were characterised

also by the inflorescence being composed of cymes of 3-5

cyathia-groups of flowers enclosed in an involucre with glands.

E. Vandermerwei differs from these by the presence of solitary

bisexual cyathia at the flowering eyes. In one only, of very

many cyathia examined, was there a rudimentary cyathium

within the bracts at the base of the bisexual one. Except

for this important difference it is closely allied to E. Schinzii

figured on Plate 523. In Part 1 of this year, which was de-

voted entirely to Euphorbia, E. tortirama, another related

species, was described for the first time. An important differ-

ence from this is the absence of a well-developed tuberous root.

The absence of a tuberous root in E. Vandemerwei and

E. Schinzii may be due, in some measure, to their presence in

areas of higher rainfall than allied species with tuberous roots.

The following notes by the collector are of particular interest :

“ It growrs on exposed surfaces of granite on the sides of hills

round Nelspruit and White River, often in crevices with

scanty soil, nearly always surrounded by Aloe petricola and

A. sessili flora. After rains it is often found in wet depressions

as it has a predilection for these sites. Its nearest Euphorbia

neighbour is E. Cooperi, which is found on the same hills.”

Flowering is evidently erratic since plants were found in

September and November with both flowers and fruits.

It is with a degree of satisfaction to the vrriter that this new

species bears the name of Dr. F. van der Merwe, wrho recognised

it in the veld as likely to prove an undescribed species. Dr.

v. d. Merwe, who for many years past has paid considerable

attention to the succulent flora of the Transvaal, has within

recent months paid particular attention to the genus Euphor-

bia, and has brought to light at least three undescribed species,

one of which E. grandialata R. A. Dyer, is the first plate of this

volume.

Description : — A dwrarf succulent armed with paired

spines. Rootstock short and thickened, not tuberous, pro-

ducing twro or several stems. Stems thickened, mostly

subterranean with a fewr to many spreading branches from each

apex forming entangled clumps about 20 cm. high. Branches

spreading 4-5-angled up to 30 cm. long, usually less, 1 *5-2-5

cm. thick (including angles), straight or occasionally spirally

twisted, slightly constricted at intervals depending on seasonal

growth, green ; angles subacute, tuberculate on the margin

and furnished vrith paired spines on spine-shields; tubercles

2*5-5 mm. prominent, 0*5-1 *5 cm. distant; spine shields

short or occasionally continuous; spines up to 1 cm. long

of moderate thickness with a pair of minute prickles above

their base. Cymes reduced to a single cyathium, very rarely

with rudimentary lateral cyathia. Cyathium subsessile, bi-

sexual ; peduncle very short in flower, 2-4 mm. long in fruit

and nearly as thick ; bracts very broad and short on the ad-

and abaxial sides of the peduncle, red. Involucre cup-shaped,

6 mm. diam. writh 5 glands and 5 subquadrate fringed lobes,

dark pink ; glands transversely oblong, about 2 mm. in their

greater diam., slightly concave above, pink, often becoming

reddish-brown by the accumulation of dust. Ovary sessile,

red; styles 2 mm. long united below the middle, branches

thickened and bifid at the apex. Capsule 5-6 mm. diam.,

sessile, obtusely triangular from above; seed subglobose,

2-2*25 mm. diam., grey with red mottling. — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 660. — Fig. 1, cyathium in male stage, styles withered; 2, ovary;

3, seed.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

nor

G. Le tty del.

Plate 661.

HOLUBIA SACCATA.

Transvaal.

Pedaliaceae. Tribe Pedalieae.

Holubia Oliver in Hook. Ic. Plantarum PI. 1475.

Holubia saccata Oliv. in. Hook. Ic. Plantarum, PI. 1475 ; Flora Capensis,

vol. 4, sect. 2, p. 457.

The genus Holubia was described and named by Oliver

about fifty years ago in honour of Dr. Holub, and is known in

Southern Africa by only one species. Dr. Holub collected his

specimens in the Marico district in the western Transvaal, and

it was found later by Lugard in Bechuanaland. In the

National Herbarium, Pretoria, there are records of the species

from Messina and Lydenburg in the Transvaal, and from

Southern Rhodesia. The specimen we figure was collected

in the Brits district by Mr. A. 0. D. Mogg, M.A., in April 1935.

Mr. Mogg states that the plants are found growing between the

vertical strata of dolomite, and that the long-petioled leaves

stand erect with the lamina horizontal.

Description : — An annual herb 30-60 cm. high, spreading.

Stems succulent, reddish, 6 mm. in diam., minutely glandular.

Leaves opposite ; petiole 4-7 cm. long (shorter on the branch-

lets), whitish, terete, minutely glandular ; blades 3-6 cm. long,

4 mm. broad, ovate, with 3-4 prominent digitate veins be-

neath, minutely glandular, becoming slimy when wet. Flowers

pale sulphur yellow, solitary in the axils of the leaves (on the

same branch there may be unopened buds above and almost

mature fruits below), lying horizontally. Pedicels 6 mm. long,

glandular, with a dark red somewhat bottle-shaped gland on

either side. Sepals 4 mm. long, lanceolate, acuminate, glan-

dular. Corolla-tube 5-3 cm. long, tubular above, expanded

into a large flattened sac below, minutely glandular; lobes

1*5 cm. broad, 8 mm. long, transversely oblong. Stamens

attached to about the middle of the corolla-tube ; filaments of

two lengths 1*1 cm. and 1*5 cm. long, terete, glandular villous

at the base. Ovary seated on a thick cushion-like disc which

bulges more on one side than the other, 4 mm. long, 4-angled,

2-chambered, with about 8 ovules in each chamber, glandular ;

style 3 cm. long, terete ; stigmas of 2 ovate flat lobes. Mature

fruits reddish, 6 cm. long, 4-winged, with the wings 2-5 cm.

broad and conspicuously reticulately veined. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 20158.)

Plate 661. — Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; 2, part of

filament with anther ; 3, top of style showing stigmas ; 4, section of fruit.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

GG2

C . I.etty del

Plate 662.

SENECIO aizoides.

Cape Province.

Compositae. Tribe Senecionideae.

Senecio Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii, p. 446.

Senecio aizoides (DC.) Sch. Bip. in Flora, vol. 28 (1845), p. 499; Kleinia

aizoides DC. in Flora Capensis, vol. iii, p. 317.

The genus Kleinia was founded by Linnaeus in honour of

J. Th. Klein, a German zoologist, and the species placed in the

genus are characterised mainly by having succulent leaves or

stems and discoid heads (cf. S. scaposus figured on Plate 434).

In 1921, when the description of Senecio stapeliaeformis (see

Plate 28) was being prepared, the plant was referred to the

genus Kleinia, but the Kew authorities were of opinion that

the genera Senecio and Kleinia could not legitimately be separ-

ated, the habit character not being sufficient. Dr. O. Stapf,

however, in the Botanical Magazine (t. 9030), transferred the

plant to the genus Kleinia. Our Plate was prepared from a

plant growing in the grounds of the Division of Plant Industry,

Pretoria, and which was originally collected by Mr. C. D. B.

Liebenberg, B.Sc., at Touws River in December 1926.

Description : — Stems fleshy, clustered, about 6 cm. long,

8 mm. in diam., leafy at the apex, sometimes branching at the

apex; branches 4 cm. long. Leaves succulent, 6-16*5 cm.

long, 5*5 mm. in diam., terete, tapering slightly to the base and

apex, glabrous. Peduncle 23-40 cm. long, simple or sparingly

branched, with a few bracts below the head. Heads discoid,

about 1 cm. in diam. Involucre-bracts 12, 7-8 mm. long,

linear, obtuse, keeled on the back, with membranous edges,

with glandular hairs at the apex. Florets yellow. Corolla-

tube 6*5 mm. long, cylindric below, subcampanulate in the

upper half, glabrous; lobes 1*5 mm. long, 0*75 mm. broad,

ovate, obtuse, keeled and papillose at the apex at the back.

Anthers 1*9 mm. long, linear, with an oblong obtuse apical

appendage 0-5 mm. long; filaments swollen near the apex.

Ovary 2-5 mm. long, oblong in outline, villous. Pappus 6 mm.

long, scabrid. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 10841.)

Plate 662. — Fig. 1, a fruiting head; 2, median longitudinal section of

head ; 3, a single floret ; 4, portion of a stamen ; 6, portion of style.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

663

C. Let.ty del.

Plate 663.

SENECIO ALBANENSIS.

Cape Province, Natal.

Compositae. Tribe Senecionideae.

Senecio Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii, p. 446.

Senecio albanensis DC. Prodr. vol. 6, p. 385 ; Flora Capensis, vol. 3, p. 370.

This is a very decorative species of the genus. The

specimens from which the accompanying Plate was prepared

were collected near Beach Terminus, Port Shepstone, Natal, by

Miss C. L. Letty in July 1932. The flower-heads are large

when compared with those of the majority of the South African

species, and as a garden plant the species may have definite

possibilities.

Description: — A herb about 42 cm. high, slightly cob-

webby ; root-stock not woolly. Radical leaves several, as long

as the scape, 1-2-3 cm. wide, long petioled, long linear-lanceo-

late, tapering at the base into a petiole, with a prominent mid-

rib beneath and with recurved denticulate margins ; cauline

leaves sessile, narrow, tapering to a blunt point. Corymb lax,

with several heads (3-6 in each corymb). Peduncles up to

5 cm. long, bearing a few linear scattered bracts. Heads up

to 3 cm. in diameter. Involucral-bracts about 5-seriate; the

innermost 8 mm. long, 1-75 mm. broad, lanceolate, with broad

membranous margins ; the outer smaller and without broad

membranous margins. Receptacle flat, deeply honeycombed.

Ray florets yellow. Corolla-tube 3-5 mm. long, cylindric,

papillose; limb 1 cm. long, 3-5 mm. broad, lanceolate, obtuse,

minutely and bluntly 3-toothed. Ovary 1-75 mm. long,

oblong in outline, striate; style as long as the corolla-tube,

with 2 linear blunt lobes. Pappus slightly longer than the

corolla -tube. Disc florets yellow. Corolla-tube 6 mm. long,

tubular, gradually widening above; lobes 0-75 mm. long,

ovate, obtuse, papillate at the apex. Anthers 3 mm. long,

linear, with an ovate obtuse apical appendage; filaments

swollen at the apex. Ovary similar to that of the ray-floret.

Style-lobes linear, truncate. Pappus almost as long as the

corolla.

Plate 663. — Fig. 1, longitudinal section of head ; 2, an involucral bract;

3, a ray floret ; 4, a disc floret ; 5, stamens ; 6, pistil.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6 (it

C Letty del.

Plate 664.

ADENIUM swazicum.

Transvaal , Swaziland.

Apocynaceae. Tribe Echitideae.

Aden i cm Roem. & Schult. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii, p. 722.

Adenium swazicum Stapf in Kew Bulletin, 1907, p. 53; Flora Capensis,

vol. 4, sect. 1, p. 513.

The Adenium we now figure completes the illustrations of

the South African species. Adenium swazicum differs from

the two other species, A. multiflorum (Plate 16) and A. olei-

folium (Plate 105), in having the inside of the corolla glabrous

and the anther-tails included in the corolla-tube. Like the

above two species, the plant forms a very large thick succulent

underground stem, from which short branches are given off.

The specimens on which Dr. 0. Stapf described the species

came from Swaziland. The specimen illustrated was collected

by Dr. J. Hutchinson in January 1929 between Hectorsprint

and Komatipoort in the Barberton district. Dr. Hutchinson

found it growing on sandy, low-lying, salty soil, in open places

among Acacia pattens, Euclea undulata, and Combretum sp.

Description : — Main stem large and succulent ; branches

a dirty grey ; youngest branches minutely pubescent. Leaves

4-10 cm. long, 0-7-1 *5 cm. broad, oblanceolate, shortly and

acutely apiculate, with the mid-rib prominent beneath,

glabrous above, sparsely pubescent beneath. Flowers in

terminal or pseudo-axillary cymes. Sepals 6 mm. long, lanceo-

late, subacute, pilose. Corolla-tube 3-8 cm. long, constricted

about 5 mm. up and then widening into a tubular-campanulate

portion, with 5 densely tomentose fines below the stamens,

glabrous above ; throat scales obscure ; lobes about 2-5 cm.

long, about 3 cm. broad, obovate, rounded above. Anthers

about 7 mm. long, hairy on the back, with hairy apical tails up

to 1-2 cm. long. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 8110.)

Plate 664. — Fig. 1, plant, much reduced ; 2, median longitudinal section

of a flower ; 3, stamens and ovary in lower portion of the corolla-tube.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

Plate 665.

GASTERIA excelsa.

Cape Province.

Liliaceae. Tribe Aloeneae.

Gastekia Duval in Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii, p. 775.

Gasteria excelsa Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc., vol. 18, p. 195 ; Flora Capensis,

vol. 6, p. 299.

The genus Gasteria, as monographed in the Flora Capensis,

consists of forty-three endemic species, but only eleven of them

are more or less localised. Of those eleven species, five were

introduced from Algoa Bay into European gardens by T.

Cooper about the year 1860. It is more than probable that

when the species are thoroughly studied in their native habitats

we shall find many of the described species are nothing more

than local or growth forms. Mr. R. A. Dyer, M.Sc., when

stationed at Grahamstown, grew a number of species, and

observed that while leaves in a young plant may be strap-

shaped, the older leaves on the same plant become 3 -angled.

He also observed that young leaves may be quite rough with

raised pustules, but that the older leaves become quite smooth.

Without a thorough knowledge of the plants as they grow in

nature it is impossible to place limits to the species. At pre-

sent we are unable to do more than follow the naming in the

Flora Capensis and to hope that our illustrations, descriptions,

and specimens may assist some future monographer of the

genus. The specimen figured was collected near Cala in the

Cape Province by Mr. G. W. Reynolds.

Description : — Leaves in about nine whorls, dark green,

with lighter spots forming transverse bands, up to 21 cm. long,

12 cm. broad at the base, ovate, acute, concave on the inner

face, prominently keeled on the under surface, with the keel

not median, with the keel and margins cartilaginous and either

smooth or somewhat crenate. Inflorescence 1-2 m. high.

branched. Peduncle 2 cm. in diam. at the base, biconvex.

Branches of inflorescence 54 cm. long, bearing flowers in the

uppermost f or Bracts 1 cm. long, linear-oblong, caudate.

Pedicels shorter than the bracts. Flowers pendulous. Peri-

anth 2-3 cm. long, curved ; segments rounded at the apex.

Filaments as long as the perianth; anthers 3 mm. long,

oblong. Ovary 7 mm. long, terete, oblong in outline; style

9 mm. long, terete; stigma simple. (National Herbarium,

Pretoria, No. 22321.)

Plate 665. — Fig. 1, plant, much reduced; 2, cross-section of leaf; 3,

cross-section of peduncle ; 4, median longitudinal section of a flower.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

666

C. Letty del.

Plate 666.

STREPTOCARPUS Rexii.

Cape Province, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal .

Gesneriaceae. Tribe Cyrtandreae.

Streptocarpus Lindl. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii, p. 1023.

Streptocarpus Rexii Lindl. in Bot. Reg. t. 1173; Flora Capensis, vol. 4,

sect. 2, p. 444.

The genus Streptocarpus, which contains many species of

horticultural interest, is known by over fifty species, all con-

fined to the African Continent. From South Africa over

twenty species have been described, nearly all from the eastern

area and the north-eastern Transvaal. The specimen we have

figured was collected at Nelspruit, in the Barberton district,

by Mr. H. van Elden, M.Sc. Streptocarpus Rexii extends

from the eastern Transvaal along the coast southwards as far

as Knysna, in the Cape Province. We are not aware of any

record of a species of Streptocarpus west of Knysna.

The genus is divided into two fairly natural sections based

on the habit of growth. The section Unifoliatae includes

species with only one produced leaf, which is spread flat on the

ground. We figured an example of that section on Plate 214

(S. Vandeleurii). The section Rosulatae contains species with

one or more leaves, but the leaf, if solitary, does not lie flat on

the ground. Our present Plate is an example of the latter

section.

Lindley in the year 1828 described the genus Streptocarpus,

basing the name on the twisted fruits. S. Rexii is the type

species of the genus, and is named after Mr. George Rex of

Knysna, on whose farm plants were found by Bowie about

the year 1820.

Description : — Plant acaulescent. Leaves radical, about

7 to a plant, lying flat or semi-erect, 11-22 cm. long, 4-6-5 cm.

broad (the youngest leaves much smaller), tongue-shaped,

with crenate margins, dark green on the upper surface, rugose,

with numerous papillae and occasional setae from the papillae,

with the setae more numerous towards the margin, light green

on the under surface with the mid-rib and veins very

prominent, pilose on the veins. Scape simple, 1-2-flowered,

up to 14 cm. long, pilose. Pedicel up to 1-3 cm. long, shortly

pilose. Sepals 5 mm. long, lanceolate, pilose. Corolla 4 cm.

long; tube 3 cm. long, whitish, widening upwards to 1 cm.

diam. above, with 7 crimson lines in the throat, densely

glandular-pubescent; lower lip 3-lobed; lobes 1 cm. broad,

ovate, obtuse ; upper lip 2-lobed ; lobes 1 cm. broad, shorter

than the lobes of the lower lip. Stamens 2, adnate to the

corolla-tube at the middle ; filaments 7 mm. long, with short

brownish glandular hairs above; anthers connate, with the

thecae separated ; staminodes present. Ovary 1-5 cm. long,

merging into the style, densely pubescent ; style with brown

glandular hairs ; stigma saucer-shaped, minutely glandular.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 21353.)

Plate 666. — Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of corolla ; 2, pistil, with

part of pedicel and calyx ; 3, stigma.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

66 7

c.

Plate 667.

LEUCOSPERMUM conocarpum.

Cape Province.

Proteaceae. Tribe Proteeae.

Leucospermum R. Br. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii, p. 170.

Leucospermum conocarpum R. Br. in Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. 10, p. 99 ;

Flora Capensis, vol. 5, sect, i, p. 616.

The accompanying figure is an illustration of the well-

known Cape “ Kreupelhout,” the name being derived from the

“ crooked ” branches which are characteristic of the growth

of the species. From September to November numerous

bushes of the Kreupelhout are to be seen in flower on the lower

slopes of Table Mountain above Camp’s Bay, near Cape Town.

As the plant, when in flower, is such a conspicuous feature of

the landscape at the Cape, we are not surprised to find that it

was described in botanical literature over two centuries ago.

Leucospermum conocarpum is allied to L. glabrum Phill.

(see Plate 311), but is readily distinguished from this species

by the villous branches and pale yellow “ flowers.”

The specimen figured was bought in the Adderley Street,

Cape Town, flower market and presented by Mrs. R. E.

Phillips. For commercial reasons the coloured flower sellers

dye the beautiful pale yellow heads a deep orange-red.

Description : — A shrub 6-10 ft. high. Branches stout,

tomentose and also villous with long hairs. Leaves crowded,

partly surrounding the head, 6-9 cm. long, 2-5-4 cm. broad,

elliptic, not narrowed at the base, usually 7-toothed at the

apex, with each tooth capped with a blunt callous point,

villous at the base, otherwise glabrous, ciliate. Heads shortly

peduncled, solitary or 2-nate, or one abortive, about 7 cm. long

and 6 cm. in diam. Peduncle about 1 cm. long, covered with

ovate subacuminate hirsute bracts. Receptable 3-5 cm. long,

1 cm. in diam. at the base, tapering upwards. Floral-bracts

1 cm. long, 3 mm. broad, oblong, very densely villous, pro-

duced into a villous tail 5 mm. long. Perianth-tube 1 cm. long,

somewhat hairy above ; claw 2*6 cm. long, linear, pilose ; limb

6 mm. long, more or less oblong, densely villous on the back.

Anthers slightly shorter than the perianth-lobes. Style 4'7

cm. long, terete, glabrous ; stigma 5 mm. long, conical.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 22432.)

Plate 667. — Fig. 1, receptacle; 2, a floral-bract; 3, a single flower.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

C. Letfcy del.

Plate 668.

LEUCOSPERMUM Gerrardii.

Natal, Transvaal.

Proteaceae. Tribe Proteeae.

Leucospermum R. Br. ; Benth. et. Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii, p. 170.

Leucospermum Gerrardii Stapf in Flora Capensis, vol. 5, sect, i, p. 619.

Leucospermum Gerrardii and L. hypophyllum are peculiar

in that neither conforms to the general habit of growth of the

other species in the genus. The former is an acaulescent

shrub, and the latter a prostrate creeper. Mr. W. T. Gerrard

first collected specimens of this interesting Leucospermum

either in Natal or Zululand about the year 1860, but his speci-

mens remained undescribed for over fifty years. Up to the

time that the family Proteaceae was monographed in the Flora

Capensis, Gerrard’ s specimens were the only ones known.

In the Flora Capensis, Galpin No. 1045 is cited as L. attenua-

tum, but specimens of this number in the National Herbarium

are L. Gerrardii.

Mr. G. W. Reynolds, who collected specimens near the

summit of Nelsberg, 55 miles east of Carolina, in October 1936,

writes, “ The plants grow socially in fairly large patches and

are found on rather flat stony ground in the mist-belt, where

they receive plenty of moisture from mists or light rains.

The branches are not more than 9 inches above the ground,

and the patches are up to 3 feet in diameter.” Mr. Reynolds

discovered the plant while it was in full bloom, and states

that it made a very attractive sight. Growing, associated

with it, were plants of Greyia, Agapanthus, Aloe arbor escens,

Aloe Boylei, Aloe Marshallii, Aloe Integra, Scilla natalensis and

Cyrtanthus sp.

Description : — A dwarf plant 16-23 cm. high. Stems

unbranched from an underground rootstock, villous or pilose.

Leaves 4-5-7 cm. long, 5-7 mm. broad, linear, attenuate at the

base, entire, with a few hairs on the attenuated portion, other-

wise glabrous. Heads solitary at the ends of the branches

and loosely surrounded by the upper leaves, shortly peduncled.

Barren bracts on peduncle 1-5 cm. long, 4 mm. broad, oblong,

caudate, tomentose on the back. Receptacle 1*5 cm. long,

4 mm. in diam. at the base, tapering upwards. Floral-bracts

1 cm. long, ovate, accuminate, tomentose on the back.

Perianth-tube 1 cm. long, sparsely pilose; limb 2-5 cm. long,

densely pilose; lobes 4 mm. long, long-pilose on the back.

Anthers about § as long as the lobes. Ovary surrounded by a

ring of hairs at the base ; style 5 cm. long, gradually tapering

from the base upwards ; stigma 2 mm. long, somewhat ovate

in outline. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 22431.)

Plate 668. — Fig. 1, receptacle ; 2, a bract ; 3, a single flower.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

Plate 669.

PETALIDIUM OBLONGIFOLIUM.

Transvaal.

Acanthaceae. Tribe Ruellieae.

Petalidium Nees; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii, p. 1081.

Petalidium oblongifolium G. B. Cl. in Flora Capensis, vol. 5, sect. 1, p. 22.

In the Flora Capensis two species of Petalidium are

described, but since that date other collections, especially from

South-West Africa, have accumulated. Miss A. A. Ober-

meijer, who is in charge of the herbarium of the Transvaal

Museum, recently revised the genus, and described six species

from Southern Africa. The outstanding feature of the genus

is the two large more or less prominently veined bracts which

surround the flowers.

The species we figure has so far not been found outside the

Transvaal and is only known from the P. P. Rust and Peters-

burg districts. The plants are usually found in sandy soil,

but are abundant in the areas in which they occur. The leaves

have often a striking metallic hue.

Our specimens were collected by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans,

C.M.G., near the bridge in the Olif ant’s River Valley, Peters-

burg district.

Description : — Plant up to 1 m. high. Branches whitish

and scurfy, with the nodes 4-5 cm. apart; branchlets at the

nodes abbreviated. Leaves 2-2*5 cm. long, 3-4 mm. broad,

oblanceolate, obtuse, narrowed to the base, glabrous. Bracts

whitish, 2, connate below, 2*2 cm. long, 1*2 cm. broad, convex,

with a distinct midrib, prominently reticulately veined with

reddish veins, glabrous. Calyx 6 mm. long ; lobes connate at

the base, linear, acute; tube and lobes glandular-pubescent.

Corolla 3 cm. long; tube cylindric for 1 cm., then expanded

into a campanulate portion, pubescent without, with a few

scattered long hairs within on the campanulate portion ; lobes

obovate, obtuse. Stamens in pairs, with the members of each

pair slightly unequal in length, 5-5-5 mm. long; filaments

swollen at the junction with the corolla-tube and glandular-

pubescent ; anthers 2 mm. long. Ovary 3 mm. long, ellipsoid ;

style 1-3 cm. long, minutely glandular-pubescent; stigma

unequally 2-lobed. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

22488.)

Plate 669. — Fig. 1, flower with bracts removed; 2, median longitudinal

section of flower ; 3, a stamen ; 4, fruit ; 5, longitudinal section of fruit

showing septum ; 6, a seed.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6 70

C.Letty Ael.

Plate 670.

HOODIA Dregei.

Cape Province.

Asclepiadaceae. Tribe Stapelieae.

Hoodia Sweet ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii, p. 783.

Hoodia Dregei N. E. Br. in Flora G'apensis, vol. 4, sect. 1, p. 897.

Hoodia Dregei is the fourth species of the genus we have

been fortunate enough to figure. The species is distinguished

from the six others described in the Flora Capensis in having

the corolla hairy all over the inner surface. In that respect it

resembles H. rosea, which we figured on Plate 615. Our

specimen was grown at the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria, and

flowered in November 1936. Dr. R. Broom, F.R.S., originally

collected the plants at Fraserburg Road.

Description : — Stems succulent, 24 cm. long, about 5 cm.

in diam. at the thickest part, somewhat narrowing upwards,

shallowly 17-angled, with the angles tuberculed and retaining

scars of the spines; youngest portion of stem with blackish

spines on the tubercules. Bud deeply 5-angled and long

apiculate due to the adhering of the tips of the corolla-lobes.

Flowers about 9, irregularly arranged near the apex of the stem

without a perceptible odour. Pedicel 7 mm. long, terete,

glabrous. Sepals 3-25 mm. long, 1 mm. broad at the base,

ovate, acuminate, with a few minute papillae on the back,

glabrous. Corolla flat or convex in the open flower, becoming

concave in older flowers, 3 cm. in diam., glabrous beneath;

lobes 1-3 cm. broad at the base, ovate, long-apiculate, ciliate;

upper surface of corolla a dirty yellow, with a pinkish area

round the corona, dotted with minute pinkish pustules from

each of which arises a long white hair, with five swellings round

the corona which alternate with the corolla-lobes, glabrous in

the depression round the corona. Corona black, 3-25 mm. in

diam. ; outer corona of 5 broad flat lobes, with each lobe

2-lobed ; inner corona of 5 lobes attached to the outer corona

at the base, erect and then expanding into an oblong ovate

or suborbicular flap incumbent on the anthers. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria.)

Plate 670. — Fig. 1, a bud ; 2, a single corolla-lobe ; 3, portion of corolla,

showing pustules and hairs ; 4, corona, with a small portion of upper surface

of corofla.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

677

Plate 671.

PELARGONIUM Bowkeri.

Cape Province, Natal, Orange Free State.

Geraniaceae. Tribe Pelargonieae.

Pelargonium L'Herit ; Benth. et Hook. fit. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 273.

Pelargonium Bowkeri Harv. Thes. Cap. t. 121 ; FI. Cap. vol. ii. p. 592.

In the year 1863, Harvey figured and described this very

handsome species of Pelargonium and named it in honour

of Mr. Henry Bowker, who collected it in the Transkei. Since

then the species has been found on the Drakensbergen in

Natal and at Harrismith in the Orange Free State. The

year after Harvey’s figure appeared, the species was illustrated

in colour in the Botanical Magazine (t. 5421) from plants

collected by Cooper and sent to Mr. W. Wilson Saunders, who

grew them in England. A good figure of the species is also

given in Engler’s Pflanzenreich, vol. 4, 129, p. 368. The

species belongs to a section of the genus characterised by

having a large tuber.

The plant we figure was taken from the garden of the

Division of Plant Industry, Pretoria. While we are not quite

certain of the original locality, it is probable that it was

collected on the Mont-aux-Sources by Miss I. C. Verdoorn.

Description : — Tuber large, 4-6 cm. in diam. Stem

short and succulent. Leaves up to 22 cm. long, petioled,

much cut; petiole 6-5 cm. long, sub-terete, shortly villous;

leaflets opposite, usually divided at the base into 2 portions,

each portion much cut ; ultimate lobes 0-5-1 cm. long, terete,

obtuse, villous (the whole leaf is soft to the touch and there

are distinct internodes between each pair of leaflets). Stipules

1-2 cm. long, 7 mm. broad, ovate, acuminate, minutely ciliate.

Scape longer than the leaves; peduncle pubescent. Umbel

several-flowered; bracts 1 cm. long, oblong, villous. Pedicels

about 1 cm. long, villous-canescent. Calyx-tube about 4-5 cm.

long, tubular, swollen at the base, villous-canescent ; lobes

oblong, obtuse, at length reflexed. Petals twice as long

as the calyx-lobes, deeply fimbriated; the 2 upper yellow;

the 3 lower broadly veined with a bright wine-red. Stamens

10 ; filaments connate at the base, long and short alternately ;

anthers basifixed, falling easily. Ovary 5-lobed, densely

hairy ; lower half of style densely hairy ; stigmas 5. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 10842).

Plate 671. — Fig. 1, calyx ; 2, stamens and gynaecium ; 3, a single petal ;

4, gynaecium ; 5, a single fruit ; 6, fruit before separating.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6 7:.’

C. Letty del.

Plate 672.

PELARGONIUM reniforme.

Cape Province.

Geraniaceae. Tribe Pelargonieae.

Pelargonium L’Herit. ; Benth. et Hook. fil. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 273.

Pelargonium reniforme Curt. Bot. Mag. t. 493 ; FI. Cap. vol. i. p. 300.

The genus Pelargonium is one of the characteristic genera

in the South African flora. Over 200 species are known,

mostly South African, though a few occur in tropical Africa,

Australia, and Syria. They are particularly numerous in the

south-western region of the Cape Province, and most of the

cultivated plants known as “ Geraniums ” are derived from

the Cape species of Pelargonium. The species have been

extensively hybridised in cultivation, and many such hybrids

are extremely ornamental.

The accompanying Plate should be compared with previous

illustrations we have given of species of the genus. In vegeta-

tive characters it somewhat resembles P. pulverulentum

(PI. 52), though it falls into a distinct group in the genus.

Like so many South African plants we have figured,

P. reniforme was known to the early European horticulturists,

and the coloured plate in Curtis’ Botanical Magazine was

published over a century ago. A few years later it was again

illustrated in colour in Sweet’s Geraniaceae, t. 48. In the

Flora Capensis, Harvey included two varieties under the

species, one of which at least — namely, P. sidifolium Kunth —

with blackish-purple flowers, is worthy of specific rank.

P. reniforme occurs near van Stadens in the Uitenhage

district and extends in grassveld to the neighbourhood of

Queenstown and Umtata. When growing in the open veld,

which is periodically subjected to burning, the half succulent

main stem is short and the leaves closely placed. The speci-

men was collected by Prof. H. Humbert near Port Elizabeth

and grown at the Division of Plant Industry, Pretoria.

Description : — Stems up to 6 cm. long, 8 mm. diam.,

semi-succulent, covered with remains of old stipules, minutely

pubescent; branches simple or branched. Leaves petiolate,

up to 15 cm. long on the main stem, up to 6 cm. long on

branches. Stipules on main stem 6 mm. long, acuminate

from an ovate base ; on branches 3 mm. long, broadly ovate.

Petiole of stem-leaves up to 8 cm. long, terete, swollen at the

base, minutely pubescent; leaves on branches with petioles

up to 1-5 cm. long, otherwise similar. Lamina of stem leaves

up to 9 cm. long, 8 cm. broad at base, ovate, cordate at the

base, shallowly lobed, with crenate margins, densely pubes-

cent beneath, sparingly pubescent above, with the veins

prominent beneath, somewhat sunken above ; lamina of

other leaves similar, but smaller. Inflorescence an umbel of

3-4 flowers at the ends of the branches, surrounded at the

base by oblong pubescent ciliate bracts. Pedicels 2-3 mm.

long. Calyx-tube 3-5 cm. long, narrow-cylindric, shortly

pilose, besides longer glandular hairs; segments 7 mm. long,

2 mm. broad, linear-oblong, with a narrow membranous

margin, obtuse, minutely pubescent and also villous ; posterior

lobe more or less erect; others reflexed. Petals 5; the two

upper 1-5 cm. long, 7 mm. broad, obovate, clawed, with a dark

blotch in the middle and 2-3 darker lines above the claw;

3 lower petals smaller. Stamens 10; filaments connate into

a short tube; free portion of filaments linear, tapering up-

wards, only six bearing anthers; barren filaments unequal,

one much larger than the other three; anthers unequal.

Carpels 3 mm. long, villous; style 1-5 mm. long, with 5 free

lobes somewhat shorter than the style. (National Her-

barium, Pretoria, No. 22486.)

Plate 672. — Fig. 1, part of calyx ; 2, lower portion of calyx-tube showing

sac; 3, one of upper petals; 4, 5, lower petals; 6, stamens; 7, stamens;

8, pistil.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

C- L etty del.

Plate 673.

BEGONIA Richard si an a.

Cape Province.

Begoniaceae.

Begonia Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. fil. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 841.

Begonia Richardsiana T. Moore in Gard. Chron. 1871, p. 1065.

This delicate species of Begonia is confined, as far as we

are aware, to the vicinity of Port St. Johns in Pondoland,

where it is common and grows in the shade of the natural

forest. It differs from B. Sutherlandii (Plate 283) in having

much-cut leaves.

The specimen figured was grown at the Division of Plant

Industry, Pretoria, and flowered in January 1935. The

plants were collected by Mr. A. O. D. Mogg, M.A., at Port

St. Johns in December 1932. In botanical literature there is

no very recent illustration and it is probable that the species

has been lost to European horticulture.

Description : — Stems arising from a large tuber which

is partly above ground, brown, subwoody; branches reddish,

herbaceous, glabrous. Leaves 3-6 cm. long; petiole 2-3 cm.

long, pinkish, glabrous; lamina palmately divided into 3-5

lobes ; lobes unequal and each pinnati-lobed, dark green and

glabrous above, lepidote beneath, with a distinct red spot

(which sometimes bears a single hair) at each sinus. Flowers

solitary or 2-3 on a peduncle, axillary in the upper leaves.

Female flowers : Pedicel 1-2 cm. long. Perianth-segments

white, 4, 9 mm. long, 7 mm. broad, suborbicular. Ovary white,

broadly and acutely 3-winged, 3-chambered, with many

ovules in each chamber; styles 3, almost free to the base,

about 1-5 mm. long, forked above ; stigmas (when viewed from

the side) more or less in the form of an inverted horseshoe.

Fruit green, broadly and acutely 3-winged, tipped with the

remains of the style. Male flowers : Pedicel 1-2 cm. long.

Perianth of 2 segments, each 9-5 mm. long, 12 mm. broad,

transversely broadly elliptic. Stamens numerous and bunched ;

anthers 1 mm. long, opening by lateral pores. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 20157.)

Plate 673. — Fig. 1, male flower with one perianth-segment removed;

2, a single stamen; 3, top of ovary, showing styles and stigmas; 4, cross-

section through ovary.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

6 74-

C Letty del.

Plate 674.

SCILLA SATURATA.

Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Swaziland.

Litjaceae. Tribe Scilleae.

SctTjLA Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. fit. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 814.

Scilla saturata Baker in Journ. Bot. xii. 365 (1874); et in FI. Cap. vi.

484 (1897).

Syn. : — S. ( Ledebouria ) Conrathii Baker, in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ser. ii. iv.

1002 (1904).

Scilla saturata belongs to the section Ledebouria Bak. of

the genus. This section consists of about 50 species, most of

which are restricted to the African Continent, whereas a

few species occur in India.

Baker, in Saunders Refug. Bot. III. App. 5 (1870), reduced

the genus Ledebouria Roth to the rank of a sub-genus; at

present his views are still accepted [Krause in Engl. Pflzfam.

15a. 343 (1930)].

The accompanying illustration was prepared from a plant

gathered at Fairy Glen, Pretoria district, by Mr. A. 0. D.

Mogg of the Division of Plant Industry, Pretoria. There it

grew gregariously among tall grass in damp, alluvial, clayey

soil along streamsides and flowered during the spring months

(September-November).

The species has been recorded in damp localities of fair

altitude from Natal, the Orange Free State and Swaziland by

Medley Wood, Galpin, Wilms, Conrath, etc., but was first

described from a plant collected by Cooper in 1862, probably

in the eastern parts of the Orange Free State.

Specimens of Conrath 699 from Modderfontein, Transvaal,

which form the type of Scilla Conrathii Baker l.c., so closely

resemble the above that this species is undoubtedly con-

specific with S. saturata Baker. The same opinion was already

expressed by the late Prof. C. E. Moss in notes made on the

sheet Conrath 699 and in the copy of Bull. Herb. Boiss. l.c.,

both in Herb. Kew. Judging from the sheet of Conrath 693

in Herb. Kew., it is not at all unlikely that S. tristachya Baker

is but a weak plant of S. saturata Baker.

The colour of the flowers in our species is somewhat

variable; the tepals varying from a very deep mauve to a

light purple-rose. But this variation in colour does not

appear to be of any taxonomic importance.

A point of interest is the presence of shoots which arise

in the axils of the lower bulb-scales : a method of vegetative

reproduction. It is therefore not surprising that this species

usually is gregarious.

Description : — A bulbous geophyte. Bulb sub-globose, not tunicated,

up to 2 cm. in diam., somewhat drawn out into a short neck, often several

short rhizomes arising in the axils of the lower bulb-scales. Leaves 2-3,

lanceolate, acute, glabrous, glaucous-green with slightly darker spots which

are not very pronounced on the outer surface, in the dried state somewhat

striate, unequal; the shortest about 4 cm. long and 1-7 cm. wide, not in-

frequently somewhat shorter and narrower; the longest overtopping the

inflorescences, up to 14 cm. long and 2 cm. wide. Inflorescences 1-3, arising

from the same bulb. Peduncle slender, more or less erect, including the

inflorescence up to 13 cm. long. Racemes laxly 20-30-flowered, but often

fewer-flowered, up to 3 cm. long. Pedicels up to 11 mm. long, at first

suberect or spreading, at length (when fruits are maturing) reflexed. Bracts

1 mm. long, apparently unequally split or emarginate, in extreme cases

entire but then the pedicel with a basal fleshy bracteole. Perianth cam-

panulate; tepals up to 5 mm. long and 1-5 mm. wide, free to the base,

recurved and spreading from their lower third, cucullate at the apex, light

purple-rose to deep mauve on the inner and outer surfaces, outer surface

often tinged with green at the base; the inner whorl of tepals often of a

deeper shade than the outer. Stamens slightly more than § the length of

the tepals; filaments bright purple-red, erect; anthers small. Ovary

three-lobed, green, very shortly stipitate; style simple, purple, slightly

exserted in full anthesis; stigma truncate. Fruit unknown.

Transvaal : Pretoria district, at Fairy Glen, gregarious along stream-

side, Oct. 1933, leg. A. O. D. Mogg in Nat. Herb. Pretoria, 15875. — H. G.

SCHWEICKERDT.

Plate 674. — Fig. 1, part of the axis of the inflorescence showing bracts

and pedicels ; 2, a flower with part of the perianth and androecium removed ;

3, inner surface of perianth-lobe with stamen attached.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

G75

C. Letty del.

Plate 675.

CEROPEGIA plicata.

Transvaal, Natal.

Asclepiadaceae. Tribe Ceropegieae.

Ceropegia Linn. ; Benth. et Hook, fit- Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 779.

Ceropegia plicata E. A. Bruce, sp. nov., affinis C. Brownii Ledger, sed

lobis corollae latioribus apice haud pilis tremulis purpureis ornatis,

foliis majoribus basi obtusis vel subcordatis differt.

Caulis gracilis, volubilis, glaber, usque 1 m. longus, basin versus circiter

3 mm. (5 mm.) * diametro, internodiis (7-15 cm.) longis basin versus breviori-

bus. Folia glabra, tenuiter carnosa, patentia, petiolata; petiolus 5-10 mm.

longus, supra leviter canaliculatus ; lamina anguste vel late ovata, 2-4 cm.

(4-6 cm.) longa, 1-2-3 cm. (2-5-5 cm.) lata, apice acuta et apiculata, basi

obtusa vel subcordata, margine undulato-serrulata. Cymae 1-2- (up to 4-)

florae, e nodis lateraliter ortae; pedunculi glabri, 1-1-7 cm. longi; bracteae

parvae, ovatae, acuminatae; bracteolae lineari-subulatae ; pedicelli 0-5-

1-5 cm. longi. Sepala glabra, lineari-lanceolata, acuminata 2-3 mm. (4 mm.),

longa. Corolla 3-3-7 cm. (±4-5 cm.) longa; tubus 2-5 cm. (±3-5 cm.)

longus, 7 mm. (7-8 mm.) supra basin constrictus, superne cylindricus et

apicem versus abrupte dilatatus, late infundibuliformis, 1-1-1 -5 cm. (1-4-

1-8 cm.) diametro, extra glaber, pallide griseo-virens, purpureo-notatus

(apicem versus densius), intus e constrictione in annulum erectum 0-7-

1 mm. (1-5 mm.) longum productus, infra constrictionem et in annulo albo-

pilosus, supra constrictionem per 4 mm. (1 cm.) sulcatus et glaber, deinde

per 6 mm. superne et ipso ore albo-pilosus, ceterum glaber ; lobi erecto-

conniventes, circiter 1 cm. longi, replicati, basi late deltoidei, superne

anguste triangulares, acuti, laete virentes, ad medium zona alba cum zona

atropurpurea superposita ornati, intus pilis atropurpureis longis pilosi.

Corona exterior cupuliformis, 0-7-1 mm. longa, columna staminum duplo

brevior, 5-saccata, truncata, glabra, flavido-alba; lobi coronae interioris

circiter 3 mm. longi, basi antheris incumbentes, superne erecti elongato-

subclavati, glabri, flavido-albi, basi atropurpureo notati, columna staminum

2 mm. superantes.

Transvaal : Barberton, Louis Creek, Dec. 1932, J. N. Thorncroft

in Nat. Herb. 19678; Cult. Kew, J. N. Thorncroft 790/33.

Natal : Minden Valley, near Greytown, Nov. 1936, W. E. Cronivright

16, in Nat. Herb. 22509 (Typus).

* The figures in parentheses, kindly supplied by Dr. R. A. Dyer, refer to

the measurements of fresh material.

The accompanying illustration was made from one of

Mr. W. E. Cronwxight’s plants which flowered at the National

Herbarium, Pretoria, during November 1936. The species

was also collected by the late Mr. J. N. Thorncroft at Louis

Creek, Barberton in December 1932. C. plicata takes its

name from the peculiar fold at the constriction within the

corolla-tube. This character is also found in C. Brovmii

Ledger and C. mozambicensis Scliltr. The fold forms an erect

collar, which, together with the downward-pointing, bristle-

like hairs in the tube, directs the insect to the essential organs

of the flower, and ensures that pollination is effected.

Description : — Stems slender, terete, twining, glabrous, up to 1 m.

long and about 3 mm. (5 mm.) thick towards the base, intemodes (7-15 cm.)

long, shorter below. Rootstock a fasicle of thick fleshy roots. Leaves petiolate,

the petiole thick, suberect, 5-10 mm. long, slightly concave on the upper

surface and minutely serrulate on the margin. Cymes generally 1-2- (up

to 4-) flowered, lateral at the nodes, developed successively; peduncles

glabrous, 1—1*7 cm. long; bracts small, ovate-acuminate; bracteoles

minute, linear-lanceolate; pedicels 0-5-1-5 cm. long. Sepals glabrous,

linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-3 mm. (4 mm.) long. Corolla 3-3*7 cm.

(±4*5 cm.) long; tube 2*5 cm. (±3*5 cm.) long, rather variable, with a

constriction 7 mm. (7-8 mm.) above the base, slightly inflated above this,

then cylindric and ultimately expanding abruptly into a wide funnel-shaped

mouth 1 • 1—1*5 cm. ( 1*4— 1*8 cm.) in diameter, glabrous without and in colour

pale greyish-green speckled with dark reddish -purple (more densely so

towards the apex) within at the constriction produced into an erect collar

or prominent annulus 0*7-1 mm. (1*5 mm.) high, below the constriction and

on the annulus white-pilose with stiff hairs, above the constriction for a

distance of 4 mm. (1 cm.) sulcate and glabrous, for the next 6 mm. and at the

mouth white-pilose, otherwise glabrous ; lobes erect, connivent at the

apex, about 1 cm. long, replicate, broadly deltoid at the base, narrowly

triangular above, acute at the apex, in colour the upper part of the lobe

purple-black with a white triangular patch below, greenish on the margin

and at the base, inside pilose with purple hairs. Exterior corona cup-shaped,

0*7-1 mm. high, half as long as the staminal column, forming 5 truncate,

cream-coloured, glabrous pouches between the inner corona-lobes ; inner

corona-lobes about 3 mm. long, incumbent on the backs of the anthers at

the base, in the upper part erect, elongate-subclavate, glabrous, cream-

coloured with a dark-purple spot on each side at the base, overtopping the

staminal column by 2 mm. — E. A. Bruce.

Plate 675. — Fig. 1, section through the corolla-tube ; 2, corolla-lobe.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

676

C.Letty aeJ.

Plate 676.

OTHONNA Herrei.

Namaqualand.

Compositae. Tribe Senecionideae.

Othonna Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. fil. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 453.

Othonna Herrei Pillans ex Jacobsen, Succulent Plants, transl. Higgins

p. 256, fig. 244 (1935), anglice; affinis 0. triplinervio sed caudice tuberatis

differt.

Caulex tuberatus. Folia ad apicem caudicis disposita, 4-5-6-5 cm.

longa, 1-5-3 cm. lata, obovata, basi attenuata, sparse dentata, glabra.

Pedunculus ad 10 cm. longus. Inflorescentia 1-5 cm. lata. Involucrum

6 mm. longum ; lobi ovati, glabri. Flores radii : Tubus corallae 2 mm.

longus ; limbus 4 mm. longus, 2 mm. latus. Ovarium 1 mm. longum. Pappus

2-5 mm. longus. Flores disci plus minus 20. Tubus corollae 3-5 mm. longus,

supra subcampanulatus, infra cylindratus; lobi 0-75 mm. longi, ovati.

Antherae basi rotundatae. Ovarium 1 mm. longum ; stylus simplex. Pappus

4-5 mm. longus.

Namaquat.and : Sterkfontein, in the Richtersveld, Nov. 1934, Herre

in National Herbarium 19647.

The genus Othonna is confined to Africa, where it is

represented by over one hundred species, most of which occur

in South Africa. The species exhibit a variety of forms from

herbaceous to almost woody; several species have under-

ground tubers.

It is the first occasion we have had to figure a representa-

tive of the genus. The specimen figured was grown at the

Division of Plant Industry, Pretoria, and originally collected

by Mr. H. Herre in the Richtersveld.

Description : — Stem covered with large brown tubercles.

Leaves arising from the apex of the stem and branches, 4-5—

6-5 cm. long, 1-5-3 cm. broad, obovate, attenuated at the base,

distantly toothed, glabrous. Peduncles usually 2 from the

apex of the stem and branches, up to 10 cm. long, each

bearing 3-5 heads. Head 1-5 cm. in diameter. Involucre

6 mm. long, glabrous ; lobes ovate. Ray-florets : Corolla-tube

2 mm. long; limb 4 mm. long, 2 mm. broad. Ovary 1 mm.

long. Pappus longer than the corolla-tube, minutely bar-

bellate. Disc-florets about 20. Corolla-tube 3-5 mm. long,

sub-campanulate in the upper half; cylindric in the lower

half; lobes -75 mm. long, ovate. Anthers blunt at the base,

with a small ovate apical appendage. Ovary and pappus as

in the ray-florets. Style undivided.

Plate 676. — Fig. 1, part of involucre and disc; 2, longitudinal section

of head ; 3, a ray-floret ; 4, a disc-floret ; 5, anthers ; 6, style of disc-floret.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

677

C ett y del.

Plate 677.

STULTITIA PARADOXA.

Zululand, Natal, P.E. Africa.

Asclepiad ace ae . Tribe Stapelieae.

Stultitia Phillips Flowering Plants of South Africa, pi. 520; White

and Sloane “ Stapelieae, ” p. 393.

Stultitia paradoxa Verdoorn sp. nov., a Stultitia Cooperi et S. Taps-

cottii inter aliis forma corollae, annulo angusto et alto, lobis coronae exterioris

cucullatis, valde differt.

Planta rhizomata. Caules carnosi, glabri, obtuse 4-angulati, 1 cm. diam.

dentibus exclusis; dentes robusti, 1-T7 cm. longi, base decurrentes, apicem

versus complanati, acuti, infra apicem minute bi-denticulati. Pedicellus

circa 1 cm. longus, glaber. Sepala 4-7 mm. longa, lineari-lanceolata, acuta.

Corolla expansa, 2-2-4 cm. diametro; tubus 8 mm. longus, intus annulum

infra campanulatus nitido-ruber basi pilis rectis indutis, annulum supra

patens, rubristriatus ; lobi ovati, 6 mm. longi, patentes, acuti, ad apicem

breviter pubescentes, albo-virides, rubri-striati vel maculati, marginibus pilis

rubris clavatis vibratilis dense ornatis. Annulus 2 mm. altus, 1 mm. crassus,

ruber, extus albo-maculatus. Coronae exterioris lobi 1-5 mm. longi, cucullati,

base connati, lobis coronae interioris adnati ; coronae interioris lobi lineares,

luteo-virides, antheris incumbentes.

Portuguese East Africa : Ressano Garcia, Blignaut and v.d. Merwe

403 and in Nat. Herb. 22721.

Natal : Pongola : de Wet in Nat. Herb. 22712.

The plant figured here is very distinct from all the known

species in the tribe Stapelieae, and it was only after long

consideration that it was placed in the genus Stultitia. Accord-

ing to the definition of the genera so far described, the form of

the corona, with the outer lobes joined at the base to the inner,

places it among the forms found in the genus Caralluma.

Stultitia, however, is separated from Caralluma on the presence

of an annulus, and therefore our plant must be placed in that

genus. The stems with the long teeth resemble those of

Stultitia Tapscottii, but in the shape of the corolla, annulus

and outer corona it differs markedly from both S. Tapscottii

and S. Cooperi.

The Rev. J. Gerstner first brought the plant to the notice

of the National Herbarium in 1928 through the photograph

of a specimen he had found near Nongoma, Zululand. Then

in May 1936 a specimen was received from Mr. J. F. de Wet

from the Pongola Valley, Northern Natal, and at the same time

Dr. F. van der Merwe presented to the National Herbarium

specimens, photographs, and living material of this species

which he had had for some time. It is his specimen that is

figured here. He writes that he has seen the plant near

Ressano Garcia and in other places in Portuguese East Africa.

The specimen was collected seven miles beyond Ressano

Garcia on the road to Lourenco Marques by Dr. F. van der

Merwe and Mr. H. Blignaut.

Description : — A dwarf succulent, suckering freely. Stems greyish-

green, marked with purple, obscurely and obtusely 4-angled, under 1 cm.

in diameter (excluding the teeth), glabrous; teeth erect, 1-2 cm. long,

terete, attenuating from a broad somewhat decurrent base to an acute

flattened apex, with 2 or more pairs of minute teeth below the apex. Floivers

about 5, developing successively near the base of the stem. Pedicels 7-10

mm. long, glabrous. Calyx-lobes 4r-7 mm. long, linear-lanceolate, acute,

sometimes with small linear intra-sepalar lobes about 1 mm. long, glabrous.

Corolla 2-2-4 cm. in diameter when expanded ; tube 8 mm. long, cup-shaped

below the annulus and spreading saucer-shaped above the annulus : cup-

shaped portion dark-red and shining, 6 mm. deep, with stiff red hairs in the

basal portion ; annulus shining, dark-red with white spots on the outer rim,

about 2 mm. high and 1 mm. thick, glabrous : spreading portion banded

with dark-red on a greenish-white background, 2 mm. long, glabrous :

lobes greenish-white with dark-red spots in transverse lines, 6 mm. long,

6 mm. broad at the base, ovate, acute, shortly pubescent towards the apex,

ciliate with red clavate vibratile hairs which are dense towards the base.

Outer-corona shining red, with 5 cucullate lobes, 1-5 mm. long, 1-5 mm.

across, dorsally adnate to the inner corona-lobes, sometimes with stiff red

hairs ; inner corona-lobes yellowish-green, linear, closely incumbent on the

anthers and not produced beyond them. — I. C. Verdoobn.

Plate 677. — Fig. 1, flower, natural size; 2, flower enlarged with part of

corolla removed to show the corona.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

678

C.Letty del.

Plate 678.

STREPTOCARPUS Pole-Evansii.

Transvaal.

Gesneriaceae. Tribe Cyrtandreae.

Streptocarpus Lindl. ; Benth. et Hook. fil. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 1023.

Streptocarpus Pole-Evansii, Verdoorn sp. nov., ad sectionem Rosula-

torum pertinens, S. prolixae approximans sed foliis grossius crenatis, pedun-

culo dense reflexo-pubescente, calyce pilis longioribus praedito differt.

Folia 4, 15-30 cm. longa, 2-9 cm. lata, undulata, margine crenulata,

basi cuneata, utrinque sed praecipue subtus in nervis pilis diaphanis vestita.

Inflorescentiae circa 6, e basi folii maximi productae, 6-17 cm. altae. Pedun-

culi 2-5 mm. diametro, pilis deflexis pubescentes. Bracteae 3-4 mm. longae,

pubescentes. Pedicelli 5-15 mm. longi, 1 mm. diametro. Calyx fere ad

basin 5-partitus, intus et extra pubescens ; lobi 4-5 mm. longi, lineares,

acuti. Corolla bilabiata; tubus 8 mm. longus, arcuatus, angustus, basi

2-5 mm. diametro, medio 1-5 mm. diametro, fauce 3 mm. diametro, extra

rubro-purpureus et pubescens ; labium superiore 2-lobatum, valde reflexuin,

lobis 2 mm. longis 2-5 mm. latis extra glanduloso-pubescentibus intus basi

pilosis ; labium inferiore 3-lobatum, 11 mm. longum, lobis orbiculatis laterali-

bus 3 mm. longis, medio 4 mm. longo bicarinato. Stamina 2, corollae medio

inserta ; filamenta 2-5 mm. longa, apices versus sparse glandulosa ; stami-

nodia 2; antherae 1-25 mm. diametro. Ovarium pubescens pilis diaphanis;

stylus planatus, curvatus, basin versus pubescens; stigma capitatum.

Transvaal : Barberton dist. ; Crocodile Poort, Jan., 1937, Pole Evans

3977 and in National Herbarium 22722.

The Lobelia-like flowers, with their short strongly reflexed

upper lip, differ markedly from those of all the known South

African species. As may be seen from the small drawing of

the plant, the several basal leaves place it in the section

Rosulati. The base of the oldest leaf can be seen on the

right-hand side of the drawing. This leaf, with the inflores-

cences which arise from the elongated basal part, was cut off

and figured for the accompanying Plate. It is evident from a

study of the plants received that the next oldest leaf on the

left hand would have elongated at the base the following

season and produced inflorescences. Very probably the next

year the remaining leaf on the right would produce the flowers.

S. Pole-Evansii is allied to S. prolixa C. B. Clarke, a species

known from only a single specimen from Inanda, Natal,

which agrees in having a curved corolla-tube and oblique

limb. S. prolixa, however, may be easily distinguished by its

narrower, more closely crenate-serrate leaves, almost glabrous

peduncle and shorter hairs on the calyx.

Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., who collected the plant in the

Crocodile Poort, Barberton district, in January 1937, noted

that it was growing in open country on granite outcrops, under

the shelter of granite boulders.

Description: — Leaves (in the plants seen) 4; the youngest 15 era.

long, 2 cm. broad; the oldest about 30 cm. long, 9 cm. broad, with the

apex -withered (as is usual in species of the genus) ; all cuneate at the base,

with crenate margins and up to 30 pairs of lateral veins with the midrib

lateral and reticulate veins on the under surface pubescent with diaphanous

hairs and with a few glandular hairs, fairly densely pubescent on the upper

surface with diaphanous hairs. Inflorescences 6, cymose, developing in

succession on the elongated basal portion of the oldest leaf, 17 cm. long.

Pedtincles up to 13 cm. long, 2-5 mm. in diameter, pubescent with appressed

deflexed hairs. Bracts about 4 mm. long, linear, pubescent. Pedicels 5-15

mm. long, 1 mm. diameter, pubescent. Calyx 5-lobed almost to the base,

pubescent within and without with diaphanous hairs mixed with a few gland-

tipped hairs ; lobes 4-5 mm. long, linear, acute. Corolla-tube reddish -purple,

about 8 mm. long, strongly bent in the middle and narrowest at the bend,

2-5 mm. in diameter in the basal part, 1-5 mm. at the middle, 3 mm. in

diameter at the mouth, pubescent with short patent gland-tipped hairs;

lobes 2-lipped, pale lilac on both sides; upper lip 2-lobed, closely reflexed

against the tube, with each lobe 2 mm. long and 2-5 mm. broad and with a

few diaphanous hairs at the base on the rim of the tube and dorsally pubes-

cent with short patent gland-tipped hairs; lower lip straight, 11 mm.

long, 3-lobed with the lobes more or less orbicular; lateral lobes 3 mm.

long; central lobes 4 mm. long, with 2 raised keels running into the dark

reddish-purple corolla-throat. Stamens 2 perfect and 2 rudimentary,

inserted in the middle of the corolla-tube ; filaments of the perfect stamens

2-5 mm. long, slightly widened in the middle and curving upwards and

backwards, glabrous except for a few short, patent gland-tipped hairs near

the apex ; anthers white, introrse, 1-25 mm. in diameter, facing each other,

with the thecae confluent and dehiscing explosively; connective rather

large, flattened against the side of the throat. Disc whitish, circular,

prominent. Ovary dark purple or greenish, pubescent with diaphanous

hairs ; style somewhat flattened and curved, pubescent on the lower half ;

stigma capitate. — I. C. Verdoorn.

Plate 678. — Fig. 1, plant much reduced;

of flower.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

2, median longitudinal section

6 79

\

C.Letty del.

Plate 679.

NERINE GRACILIS.

Transvaal.

Amaryllidaceae. Tribe Amarylleae.

Nerine Herb. ; Benth. et Hook. fil. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 728.

Nerine glacilis R. A. Dyer, sp. nov., affinis N. Frithii L. Bolus floribus

minoribus perianthii segmentibus brevioribus margine minus undulato

differt.

Planta glabra vel interdum pilis paucissimis induta, vivo minutissime

papillosa. Bulbus 1-5-2 cm. diam., elliptico-globosus, in collum 3-5-5 cm.

longum productus. Folia 3-5, synantha, ad 30 cm. longa, 1-5-2 mm. crassa,

filiformia, subteretia, supra plus minusve concava. Pedunculus teres, usque

20 cm. longus, 2-2-5 mm. crassus, gracilis, foliis brevior. Spathae valvae

anguste lanceolato-acuminatae. Flores plerumque 8-10. Pedicelli 4-7

cm. longi, 1 mm. crassi. Perianthii segmenta regulariter disposita, circiter

1 cm. longa, exteriora plus minusve 4-5 mm. lata, interiora eis leviter latiora,

elliptico-oblonga, margine leviter undulato, apice cuspidata, dilute rosea,

dorso medio longitudinaliter viridi-lineata. Filamenta primum erecta,

demum decurvata, basi dorso appendiculata, appendicibus oblongis pro-

funde 2-3-lobatis vel rariter fimbriatis ; antherae ante dehiscentes plus

minusve 2-5 mm. longae. Stylus primum decurvatus, demum suberectus ;

stigma minute trilobatum ; Ovarium triangulatum ; capsula subglobosa vel

obtuse trilobata; semina subglobosa.

Transvaal : between Bethal and Ermelo, in grassveld, common in a

limited area, February, Pole Evans in National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

22809.

It may be remembered that the first part of Vol. XV was

devoted entirely to species of Nerine. The ten Plates com-

prising this part and others mentioned in the text should be

consulted to appreciate fully the beauty of this typically

South African genus.

Nerine gracilis, so called because of its slender habit, is

one of a small group of species characterised by the presence

of appendages at the base of the anthers. A well-known and

more handsome species in the group is N. appendiculata

Baker, which occurs in Natal. To this group also belongs

N. Frithii L. Bolus, a species more closely related to the

one under review than is N. appendiculata. It is represented

on Plate 132 by a plant of unknown origin. N. gracilis

differs from N. Frithii in the smaller, more regularly shaped

flowers, and in the short but comparatively broad perianth

segments. It is generally glabrous, but may have a few

scattered, transparent hairs, and when fresh is very minutely

papillose on both leaves and peduncles : the papillae, however,

disappear on drying.

At first sight N. gracilis gives the impression of a species

of Hessea, rather than a Ferine, even more so than N.

Rehmannii L. Bolus, which was originally described by

J. G. Baker and later figured on Plate 120 of this work, under

the former generic name. The dorsifixed, versatile anthers dis-

tinguish it from species of Hessea, which have basifixed anthers.

The new species under discussion was first collected by

Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., during February 1936 in

grassveld between Bethal and Ermelo, but it was not figured

until bulbs flowered at Irene in the same month of the following

year. The changed environment apparently had little effect

on the character of the plants, which appear amenable to

cultivation.

Description : — Bulb 1-5-2 cm. thick, elliptic-globose, contracted into

a neck 3-5-5 cm. long, covered by membranous remains of leaf -bases. Leaves

3-5, contemporary with the flowers, up to 30 cm. long, 1-5-2 mm. thick,

filiform, subterete, concave or shallowly canaliculate above, very minutely

papillate. Peduncle terete, slender, shorter than the leaves, up to 20 cm.

long, 2-2-5 mm. thick, very minutely papillate and occasionally with a few

scattered, transparent hairs. Spathe-valves more or less 2 cm. long, narrowly

lanceolate-acuminate. Flowers 8-10 in a centripetal umbel, markedly

protandrous. Pedicels 4- 7 cm. long, 1 mm. thick, terete. Perianth-segments

about 1 cm. long, the outer ones about 4-5 mm. broad and the inner ones

slightly broader, elliptic-oblong, rose pink (Ridgway XII) green-keeled on the

back above the middle, with the margin undulate, minutely cuspidate

at the apex. Filaments appendiculate behind the base with an oblong deeply

2-3-lobed rarely fimbriate process, at first suberect, later decurved after

dehiscing of anthers; anthers 2-5 mm. long, oblong, the three opposite the

inner perianth-segments maturing before the others. Ovary triangular;

style at first decurved, later erect ; stigma minutely trilobed. Capsule

obtusely trilobed or subglobose, with 1-2 subglobose seeds in each cell. —

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 679. — Fig. 1, section of flower showing stamens with appendages;

2, top of style and stigma ; 3, portion of leaf showing upper surface ; 4,

portion of leaf showing under surface, greatly enlarged.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

680

C. Lett y del.

Plate 680.

CYRTANTHUS Ttjckii var. transvaalensis.

Transvaal.

Amaryllidaceae. Tribe Amarylleae.

Cyrtanthus Ait. ; Benth. et Hook. fil. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 729.

Cyrtanthus Tuckii Bkr. var. transvaalensis Verdoorn, var. nov., a

typo perianthio in toto sanguineo et lobis atrosanguiniis differt.

Transvaal : Belfast distr., between Belfast and Dullstroom, Reynolds

2157 and in National Herb. 22810 (typus) ; Wakkerstroom distr., Wakker-

stroom, Burtt Davy 4124; Carolina distr., Mitchell in Govt. Herb. 5662;

Eremelo distr., near Ermelo, Walker 32; Bester in Herb. Burtt Davy 2160;

Burtt Davy 9059 ; Piet Retief distr., near Piet Retief, Galpin 9635 ; Pretoria

distr., Baviaanskloof near Heatherly, Leendertz 1391.

The elegant red-flowered species of Cyrtanthus figured

on the accompanying Plate was collected during November

by Mr. G. W. Reynolds in flat grassveld between Belfast and

Dullstroom. It occurs quite abundantly on the high veld of

the Transvaal and has in the past been confused with C.

angustifolius. From that species it differs in the connivent

perianth-segments, and in this respect also differs from

C. contractus figured on Plate 4 of this work. From C. con-

tractus it is easily distinguished, too, by the non-contracted

perianth -t hroat .

The species C. Tuckii is characterised by connivent

perianth-segments. It was described from plants collected

on the Boschberg in the Somerset East district, and which

were sent to Kew by Prof. P. MacOwan. Their presence on

the Boschberg was evidently first recorded by Mr. William

Tuck, as Prof. MacOwan requested that the species be named

after Mr. Tuck. In the herbarium of the Albany Museum,

Grahamstown, there is a specimen named C. Tuckii Bkr.

collected by Tuck in 1895 from the type locality, but this is

not the type of the species, as the original description appeared

in 1876. We compared that specimen with those from the

Transvaal, and found it to be a good match, except that it

has a detached full-grown leaf. In the original description

of the species the leaves are stated to be contemporary with

the flowers, while in the Transvaal specimens they are hyster-

anthous. Whether this is a significant difference remains to

be investigated. The other point in which the description

does not tit the specimen we figure — namely, the colour of

the corolla — cannot be seen from herbarium specimens.

C. Tuckii is described as having the perianth “ yellowish at

the base passing gradually upwards into deep blood red,” while

in our plant the perianth is red throughout, the colour be-

coming darker towards the tips. Those differences, besides

the different localities, do not in our opinion warrant more than

varietal rank.

In Natal, and extending to the Katberg in the Stocken-

stroom district of the Cape Province, another variety occurs

quite frequently and differs from typical C. Tuckii in having

the tube of the perianth red and the lobes distinctly green.

For this form I propose the name C. Tuckii var. viridilobu-s*

Description : — Bulb about 2-3 cm. in diameter, produced into a neck

about 7-5 cm. long; tunics membranous. Leaves hysteranthous, rarely

appearing when the flowers are mature, one 7-8 cm. long, 8 mm. broad,

linear, smooth, with a second leaf just appearing. Peduncle reddish, about

30 cm. long, 1 cm. in diam. near the base, tapering to the apex, hollow,

smooth. Spathe-valves2, red, 4 cm. long, 1-5 cm. broad at the base, lanceolate ;

one valve more or less erect and slightly broader than the other which is

reflexed. Inflorescence a 9-12-flowered umbel, with each flower subtended by

a filiform bract. Pedicels reddish, 2-3-5 cm. long, erect with a cernuous

apex. Flowers pendulous over the reflexed bracts; perianth-tube red,

5-5 cm. long, tubular, gradually widening towards the apex; lobes of a

darker red than the tube, not spreading, about 1 cm. long, linear-oblong;

three outer slightly narrowed and thickened at the apex and slightly papillose

on the inside at the apex ; three inner rounded at the apex and very faintly

papillose. Stamens yellow, inserted in the throat of the perianth, exserted

from the tube but enclosed by the straight (not spreading) lobes; those

opposite the outer lobes slightly lower than those opposite the inner lobes;

free portion of filament 3 mm. long. Style whitish exserted beyond the tips

of the perianth-lobes, shortly 3-branched, with the branches grooved and

papillose at the apex on the grooved edge. — I. C. Verdoorn.

Plate 680. — Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower.

F.P.S.A., 1937.

* C. Tuckii Bkr. var. viridilobus Verdoorn var. nov. a typo et a var.

transvaalensi perianthii lobis viridibus differt.

Natal: Impendhle, Levett in Natal Herb. 17514; near Nottingham

Road, Galpin 10258, Carter in Natal Herb. 23147 ; Maritzburg, Burnup in

Natal Herb. 8895; in Bot. Garden Natal Herb., Medley Wood 9019.

Cape Province : Stockenstroom distr., Katberg, Smith in Herb.

Galpin 1893 (typus).

INDEX TO VOLUME XVII

PLATE