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PRETORIA 0001

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

IVIARY GUNN

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BERNARD PRICE

THE

FLOWERING PLANTS OF AFRICA

A MAGAZINE CONTAINING COLOTJEED FIGURES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OP THE

FLOWERING PLANTS INDIGENOUS IN AFRICA.

EDITED BY

R. ALLEN DYER, M.Sc., D.Sc., F.R.S.(S. Afr.), F.C.S.S.,

Chief, Division of Botany and Plant Pathology, Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Pretoria ;

and Director of the Botanical Survey of the Union of South Africa.

VOL. XXVI.

SOUTH AFRICA

J. L. VAN SCHAIK LTD.

P.O. BOX 724, PRETORIA

ENGLAND

L. REEVE & CO., LTD.

LLOYDS BANK BUILDINGS, BANK ST., ASHFORD, KENT

1947

All rights reserved.

PEINTED Df GBEAT BETTAIN

IN APPRECIATION OF HIS GENEROUS

SUPPORT THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED

TO

BERNARD PRICE, o.b.e.. m.i.c.e.

F.C.G.I., M.I.E.E., D.Sc.

OF

SAVERNAKE, PARKTOWN,

JOHANNESBURG,

FOUNDER OP THE BERNARD PRICE

INSTITUTE OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WIT-

WATERSRAND, AND ONE WHO HAS

TAKEN A LIFELONG INTEREST IN THE

ADVANCE OF BOTANICAL SCIENCE AND

HAS MADE GARDENING WITH OUR INDI-

GENOUS FLORA A SPECIAL HOBBY

Division of Botany and Piant Pathology, Phetobia.

October, 1947.

i-'. ■

Huth lith,

FlBi’owx! del-

Huth i- '-rh •

Plates 1001 and 1002.

ENCEPHALARTOS VILLOSTJS.

Cape, Natal, Swaziland.

Cycadaceae.

Encephalartos villosus {Gaertn.) Lem. Illustr. Hort. 14, Miscell. 79

1867) ; El. Cap. 5, 2 : 30 (1933) ; Zamia villosa Gaertner, Fruct. 1 : t. 3 (1788).

For the first time a Gymnosperm is being figured in this

work. In the popular opinion this may not be considered a

“ fiowering plant,” but it is so in a wider sense. The term

is used for the class of plants which are seed-bearing as opposed

to the Cryptogams which produce spores. “ Flowering

plants, ” which could also be termed “ seed-bearing plants,”

are again divided into Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. The

former, to which the Cycadaceae belong, have naked ovules,

while in the latter the ovules are enclosed in an ovary.

The family Cycadaceae is represented in Africa by three

genera, Cycas, Stangeria and Encephalartos. The first men-

tioned is widely distributed in the eastern hemisphere and

only one species, Cycas Thouarsii, is found on the east coast

of Africa. There is a possibihty that it was introduced by

Arabs from the Comoro Islands or Madagascar, where it is

used as a source of sago. The other two genera are endemic

in Africa, Stangeria being monotypic and Encephalartos with

24 described species. Early in the present century con-

siderable interest was aroused in the genus Encephalartos by

H. H. W. Pearson, Professor of Botany at the Cape Town

University and Director of the National Botanic Gardens,

Kirstenbosch. He collected a number of plants and intro-

duced them into the gardens where most of them are still

growing. To-day these cycads, as they are commonly called,

have again come into special favour with plant lovers. These

most primitive of all living seed-bearing plants are very

decorative when grown in parks or large gardens and they are

fascinating subjects for botanical study. From a collector’s

point of view they are also very interesting because recent

discoveries have shown that there are still some undescribed

species.

Encephalartos villosus is one of the oldest known species

in the genus, having first been described as Zamia villosa by

Gaertner in 1788. It is found in shade along the south

eastern coastal belt as far south as the Keiskama River. The

northern Hmits have not yet been exactly determined. The

species is characterised by having the stem subterranean

wdth only a few leaves in a crown, and these suberect and

somewhat arcuate in the upper half with the leaflets reduced

to spines at the base. The cones are readily distinguished

from those of other South African species by having a wedge-

Hke overhanging lower edge to the scales. This edge is

sometimes irregularly toothed and the colour of the cone

varies in shades of bright cadmium yeUow to apricot.

The stems of cycads contain a great deal of starch which

can be used as sago or meal. In the Cape the common name

“ kaffir bread ” indicates that these properties were known

to the natives. The attractive looking seeds on the other

hand, are aU poisonous to a certain extent, especially the

kernels. It is a liver poison. Experiments carried out at

the Division of Veterinary Services, Onderstepoort, on seeds

from a cone of E. villosus sent in by Captain Keith of Stegi,

Swaziland, proved the fleshy part of the seed to be as poisonous

as the kernel. In this respect it differed from other species

of Encephalartos tested at the same institution, in which only

the kernels contained poison.

The two plates were prepared from a plant growing in

the National Herbarium gardens. It came originally from the

Ubombo Mountains, Swaziland, sent from there in 1934 by

the late Colonel B. Nicholson. This plant and other speci-

mens collected in Swaziland, including one by Captain Keith

at Stegi, differ from the typical form of the eastern Cape,

in the leaflets being broader on the whole and somewhat

differently shaped, most of them being ovate-lanceolate

instead of “ broadly hnear.”

Description : — Stemless, with about 9 leaves arising

from the ground in a circle more or less 20 cm. in diameter.

Leaves rather dark green (new leaves wooUy becoming

glabrous) up to 2 m. long, suberect with the upper half

gradually curving outwards ; leaflets in many pairs, Varley’s

Green (R.C.S.) above and Forest Green (R.C.S.) beneath,

(veins slightly raised beneath), opposite or alternate, mostly

somewhat ovate-lanceolate (in typical form broadly hnear),

up to about 20 cm. long and 2-4 cm. broad in upper two-thirds

of the leaf, gradually smaller in size towards the apex ; with

the apical ones about 9 cm. long and 1*4 cm. broad, also

gradually smaller towards the base until about 35 cm. from

the ground, when they reduce abruptly into spines ; apex

pungent pointed ; margins sparsely dentate with sharp

ascending teeth, usually with a tooth on either side and just

below the apex ; petiole (i.e. portion below basal spines) about

9 cm. long, below ground level, with base yellowish brown,

white woolly on the inner face and surrounded by ovate

scales ; scales about 10 cm. long and 5 cm. broad, densely

matted with ofi-white wool on the back. Female cone with

peduncle dark spinach green, 13 cm. long, 4 cm. diameter ;

seeding portion 40 cm. long, 11 cm. diameter; scales cadmium

yellow to orange yellow, the faces about 5 cm. in horizontal

width and 2-5 cm. in perpendicular width, imbricating in

about 16 spirals, each with the lower edge wedge hke, ob-

scurely and irregularly notched, and with an indication of

a rhomboid surface just above this edge; seed scarlet to

Brazil Red (R.C.S.) about 3*3 cm. long, 1*8 cm. diameter;

area of attachment whitish, perforated, about 7 mm. diameter.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria, Nos. 27261 and 11413.) — I. C.

Verdooen.

Plate 1001. — Fig. 1, cone, almost mature, x 1 ; 2, base of the leaf, x J.

Plate 1002. — ^Fig. 1, two leaflets upper surface, showing variation in

marginal spines, natural size ; 2, tip of leaf, under-surface, natural size ;

3, scale with seed, upper surface, natural size ; 4, ditto, lower surface : whole

plant much reduced.

F.P.A., January 1947.

r

i:

I

I-

'

i

1

70 03

P.R.O.Bailv^deL,

Huth Jith.

Plate 1003.

A. ECHIDNOPSIS

ANGUSTILOBA.

B. ECHIDNOPSIS

SHARPEI.

Kenya.

AsCLEPIAD ACE AE ,

A. Echidnopsis angustiloba Bruce and Bally in Cactus and Succ.

Joum. Amer. 13: 180 (1941).

This small, suberect species with many-angled stems is

reminiscent of some species of Trichocaulon, though the struc-

ture of the outer corona places it definitely in the genus Echid-

nopsis. E. angustiloba has an affinity with E. Scutellaria

Berger from southern Arabia ; the suberect growth and corona

are similar, but the latter lacks the slender corolla lobes of the

former. Two other closely allied plants, not yet described,

have been collected within recent years in tropical east Africa,

one at Diredawa in Abyssinia, the other at Sheik, in British

Somahland.

The plant figured, which is the only record so far, was

discovered by Mrs. Hugh Copley, December 1939, in the

Northern Frontier Province, Kenya. Here E. angustiloba

was growing in the shade of thorn bushes, characteristic of

the local bush country.

The original description of the species — ^pubfished it will

be noted subsequent to The Stapefieae by White and Sloane,

1937 — was illustrated by a photograph of the present plate.

Description : — A dwarf succulent perennial about 7-15 cm. high ;

stems 1-2 cm. thick, 11-angled, tesseUate, sparsely branched, greyish ohve-

green except for the greyish-brown leaf scars on the prominent tubercles.

Leaves ensiform, 2 mm. long, on the young growing portion of stem, soon

deciduous. Flowers 2-6 from a flowering eye, produced successively, mostly

developed towards the apex, sessile. Calyx lobes narrow, ovate-lanceolate,

acuminate. Corolla disc-shaped, glabrous, about 1-2 mm. in diameter, pale

dull maroon on the centre shading to pale lemon-yellow with a greenish

tinge on the lobes ; tube short, about 2 mm. diameter, campanulate ; lobes

3 mm. long, broadly triangular at base, hnear towards the acute apex.

Outer corona saucer-shaped with an imdulate and irregularly crenate-

dentate margin. Inner corona lobes hnear-subulate, incumbent on the

anthers and raising their tips above them. (BaUy, S. 26 in Coryndon

Museum Herbarium.) — P. R. O. Bally.

Plate 1003a. — Fig. 1, plant natural size ; 2, stem tubercle with rudi-

mentary leaf, X 8 ; 3, flowering bud ; 4, corona, x 12.

B. Echidnopsis Sharpei White and Shane in Cactus and Succ. Journ.

Amer. 11 : 67 (1939).

On Plate 993 is shown E. repens Dyer and Verdoom, a

very closely allied species to E. Sharpei. The former was the

first member of this genus to be figured in these pages and the

text accompanying it gives a few facts of general interest.

Both species mentioned above were described originally in the

Cactus and Succulent Journal of America in 1939. They are

distinguished by the presence in E. Sharpei of a disc on the

coroUa surrounding the outer corona, the corolla lobes be-

coming recurved and the outer corona being toothed or wavy

on the margin, all of which characters are absent in E. repens.

In their original description Wliite and Sloane point out the

afiinity of their species to the imperfectly known E. Bentii,

from which it appears to differ in several inconspicuous details.

The discovery of E. Sharpei — at the time it was the first

record of the genus in Kenya — is credited to Mr. H. B. Sharpe

and Lady Muriel Jex-Blake, who collected plants at Baragoi

in the Northern Frontier District in 1938. Since then it has

been recorded further south, on the Tana River, at Adable,

for which information we are grateful to IVIr. P. R. O. Bally,

who also painted the illustration.

Descbeption : — A perennial succulent with prostrate or sometimes some-

what ascending branches or stems. Stems up to about 14 cm. long, 1-1-75 cm.

thick, tesseUately 8-angled, with the angles formed of rows of tubercles ; the

tubercles bearing rudimentary leaves which soon wither and eventually fall

leaving a small brown scar. Flowers arising 1-2 together between the angles

towards the tips of the branches, subsessUe. Sepals 1-1-6 mm. long, ovate-

lanceolate, acute. Corolla about 1 cm. in diam. deep red on the basal

part of the outer surface becoming greyish-green towards the tips, velvety-

red on the inner surface, glabrous (White and Sloane), dark purplish maroon,

minutely papillose (Bally) ; the basal portion raised into a small disc sup-

porting the corona ; lobes about 3 mm. long, triangular, somewhat reflexed,

with or without a few ciha. Outer corona cup-shaped, 1 mm. high, with a

toothed or wavy margin, with a few hairs on the yellow inner surface. Inner

corona lobes pale yellow, incumbent on the bacl^ of the anthers, oblong to

lanceolate, about 0-5 mm. long. Follicles silvery-grey, subulate, very

slightly constricted at intervals of about 4 mm. (Bally, No. S. 7 in Coryndon

Museum Herbarium.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1003b. — Fig. 1, branch natural size ; 2, top view of corona ; 3,

view of poUinia.

F.P.A., January 1947.

J. Lewis del.

W04-

HutL lith.

Plate 1004.

GLADIOLUS STOKOEI.

Cape Province.

Ibid ACE AE.

Gladiolus Stokoei Q. J. Lewis, sp. nov., perianthio ooccineo, segmentis

late obovatis vel suborbicularibus, distinguitur.

Cormus globosus, 1-5 cm. diam., tunicis e fibris tenuibus parallelis

supeme per 3-5-4-5 cm. productis compositis. Caulis gracilis, simplex,

30-^ cm. longus. Folium basale unum, hysteranthum, bneare, spiraUter

tortum, parce pilosum, circa 25 cm. longum, 4 mm. latum ; folia caulina

3 vel 4, glabra, 2-5-13-5 cm. longa, 2 inferiora omniuo vaginantia, obtusa,

superiora lamina brevi acuminata aucta. Spica secunda, 1-3-flora. Bractea

subacuta, 2-5-3 cm. longa ; bracteolae bracteae similes fereque aequilongae.

Perianthii tubus 3 cm. longus, apicem versus curvatus, supeme infundibuli-

formis, segmentis obtusis vel emarginatis 3 superioribus suborbicularibus

2-8-3 cm. longis 2-2-2-S cm. latis, 3 inferioribus obovatis circa 2-5 cm.

longis 1-5 cm. latis. Stamina parum ultra dimidium segmentorum attin-

gentia, filamentis 2 cm. longis, antheris 1 cm. longis. Stylus 4 cm. longus,

ramis minute ciliatis 7 mm. longis antheras parum excedentibus.

Caledon Div. ; slopes of River Zondereinde Mts., 2000-4000 ft. alt.,

April 1930, Stokoe 2173 (Bolus Herbarium), March 1945, South African

Museum Herbarium, no. 56457 (type).

The large genus Gladiolus is very well represented in the

south-west districts of the Cape Province, where the majority

of the species flower during the spring and summer months.

There are, however, a few which flower during autumn and

winter, the plant figured here being one of the autumn-flower-

ing species. It is remarkable that so beautiful and striking a

species has not previously been described ; but this is perhaps

due to the late flowering season and to the fact that it appears

to be very local in its distribution. In April 1930 Mr. T. P.

Stokoe found a few plants on Mr. G. Neethhng’s farm. Bon

Esperance, on the slopes of the River Zondereinde Mountains

in the Caledon Division. At Mr. Stokoe’s request some hving

plants were sent to the South African Museum Herbarium at

the end of March 1945, and from these the accompanying

plate was prepared. This species is among the comparatively

few in the genus in which the basal leaves are produced at a

different season from the flowers. Corms planted at the

Museum produced leaves which were fully developed in August

of the same year. Only one leaf is produced from each corm

and it is possible that in its natural habitat it may be larger

than the one described here.

An outstanding feature of this species is the width of the

perianth-lobes which are rounded and incurved at the apex,

giving a more or less orbicular shape to the flower as seen from

the front. This, as well as the translucent scarlet of the

flowers, distinguishes it from the other species with hyster-

anthous leaves. The specific name is in honour of IVIr. T. P.

Stokoe, an enthusiastic and untiring collector of rare plants

in many remote localities on the mountains he has been ex-

ploring botanically in the Cape Province for many years, as

previous pages in this work do also bear witness.

Description : — Corm globose, 1-5 cm. in diameter, with

tunics of fine, wiry parallel fibres extending up in a neck 3-5-

4*5 cm. long. Stem slender, 30-45 cm. long. Basal leaf 1,

hysteranthous, linear, sparsely pilose, spirally twisted, about

25 cm. long, 4 mm. broad, with the margins and 2 veins

slightly thickened ; cauline leaves 3 or 4, glabrous, 2-5-13-5 cm.

long, the 2 lower entirely sheathing, obtuse, the upper with a

short acuminate blade. Spike secund, 1-3-flowered. Bract

2-5-3 cm. long, subacute ; hracteoles fused, similar to the bract

and nearly as long. Flowers scarlet ; perianth-tube 3 cm. long,

curved and funnel-shaped in the upper third ; lobes obtuse or

emarginate, the 3 upper suborbicular, 2-8-3 cm. long, 2-2-

2-8 cm. broad, the 3 lower obovate, about 2-5 cm. long, 1-5 cm.

broad. Stamens reaching beyond the middle of the segments ;

filaments 2 cm. long ; anthers 1 cm. long. Style 4 cm. long

with minutely ciliate branches 7 mm. long just overtopping

the anthers.

Plate 1004. — Pig. 1, plant, natural size ; 2, portion of basal leaf, x 3 ;

3, bract ; 4, bracteoles ; 6, front view of flower ; 6, side view of flower with

4 perianth-lobes removed ; 7, uppermost perianth-lobe ; 8, bottom perianth-

lobe ; 3-8, natural size.

F.P.A., January 1947.

7005

R. Brown del

Plate 1005.

BRACHYLAENA ROTUNDATA.

Transvaal, S. Rhodesia.

COMPOSITAB.

Brachylaena rotundata S. Moore in Joum. Bot. 41 : 131 (1903) ;

Phillips and Schweickerdt in Bothalia 3, 2 : 216 (1937).

The genus Brachylaena, represented in these pages for the

first time, is more interesting than beautiful. It is ^stributed

fairly generally along the southern and eastern sides of Africa,

and also in the Mascarene Islands. About 20 species have

been recognised. The South African species were revised by

Phillips and Schweickerdt in Bothalia 1937, when nine species

were recorded in the area covered.

The family Compositae, to which Brachylaena belongs, is

noted for its predominantly herbaceous habit ; woody forms

are comparatively rare, while trees are exceptional. For this

reason the arborescent habit of Brachylaena is noteworthy.

Trees are seldom of commercial size, but Fourcade in his

Report on Natal Forests, 1889, states that in some species the

timber is durable and has been used for axles, spokes and boat-

building.

Another feature of interest in Brachylaena is the dioecious

habit, where the male and female flower heads are born on

separate plants. The male flower heads of B. rotundata,

although lacking in so called petals (ligulate flowers), are not

without some beauty during the brief flowering period in

spring, when golden-yellow pollen is produced in abundance,

but the female bushes lack this and have little more than the

fresh white woolly appearance of the young leaves to attract

attention.

B. rotundata was first described by Moore from specimens

collected by Dr. R. F. Rand on the Witwatersrand near

Johannesburg, and the species is recorded at intervals from

there into Southern Rhodesia. It is a characteristic feature

on Meintjes Kop at Pretoria where the material drawn was

gathered in September 1945.

Description : — Shrub on small tree up to about 12 feet

tall. Branches grooved, shortly but densely albo-tomentose,

rarely tomentulose. Leaves petiolate, rarely subsessile, 2‘5-

10 cm. long, 1-5-5 cm. broad, mostly eUiptic, occasionally

eUiptic-lanceolate, usually rounded at the base, albo-tomentose

on both surfaces when young, glabrescent above with age ;

petiole about 5 mm. long. Inflorescence a dense terminal

panicle with the ultimate heads sometimes cymose. Male

heads : involucre 4-10-seriate ; bracts 1 -5-5-5 mm. long ; the

outer ovate, obtuse, with membranous margins, sometimes

shortly cdiate and glandular on the lower half ; the inner ovate

to linear, with membranous margins, sometimes acuminate,

glabrous or glandular on the lower half ; 12-30-flowered ;

pappus 4^5 mm. long ; corolla-tube 3-4 mm. long, cylindric,

glabrous, sometimes sparsely glandular ; lobes 0-5-3 mm.

long, linear or lanceolate, obtuse or acute, sparsely glandular

without ; filaments 1-3 mm. long, linear ; anthers linear,

tailed at the base ; style with shght sweUing at base. Female

heads : involucre 6-7-seriate ; bracts 2-5 mm. long, ovate,

ovate-lanceolate, linear-lanceolate to linear, obtuse, usually

with membranous margins and often glandular on the lower

half ; pappus 5-6-5 mm. long ; corolla-tube 4-5-5 mm. long,

cylindric, sometimes sparsely glandular ; lobes 0-5-0-75 mm.

long, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, obtuse ; ovary 2-4 mm.

long, linear, pubescent or shortly villous ; style 4-5-5-5 mm.

long, cylindric with shghtly swollen base, lobes 0-5-1 mm.

long, eUiptic to lanceolate, obtuse. (National Herbarium,

Pretoria No. 27572.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1005. — Fig. 1, male twig, natural size ; 2 and 3, male and female

capitula, x 4 ; 4, male flower, X 7 ; 5, anthers opened out, x 7 ; 6, sterile

style from male flower, x 9 ; 7 and 8 yoimg and mature female flowers, x 7 ;

9, corolla of female flower opened out, x 9 ; 10, female flower with pappus

and corolla removed, X 9 ; 11, habit.

F.P.A., January 1947.

J. Lewis del.

Huth litH.

Plate 1006.

SCILLA PLUMBEA.

Cape Province.

LnJACEAE.

Scilla plumbea Lindley in Edwards Bot. Reg. t. 1355 (1830).

No type specimen exists of this species which Lindley

described from a drawing made by S. Edwards in Kew

Gardens in 1813. In 1843 Kunth (Enum. PI. iv, p. 328) gave

a full description of a plant collected by Dr^ge, no. 1997,

which he placed under “ species anomala ” under the name

Scilla plumbea, stating that Drege’s plant was very close to

Lindley’ s, if not the same, but that the leaves were narrower.

Drege no. 1997 was collected in Du Toits Kloof, between 1000

and 2000 ft. altitude, flowering between October and January.

The plant figured here was collected by Mr. J. S. Linley in

Baviaans Kloof, off Bains Kloof, at an altitude of about

2000 ft., at the beginning of January 1945. There is no doubt

that it is the same as Drege 1997, as it agrees extremely well

with Kunth’ s description, and the locahties, both in the

Worcester Division, are less than 10 miles apart and very

similar in all respects. It was compared with the type figure

of S. plumbea and the following differences noted : — (i) In

Lindley’ s type the leaf is considerably broader and appears to

be flat, not convolute, (ii) Lindley’s plant has dull blue

flowers with shghtly shorter and broader perianth-segments

which, with the exception of one or two flowers only, are

shown spreading from the base, (iii) The style is very much

shorter in Lindley’s type. From the description of Drege’s

plant it is evident that these differences were noted by Kunth.

In the absence of type material, or of specimens which

exactly match the type figure, it is not possible to say with

certainty that the plants collected by Drege and J. S. Linley

are the same as S. plumbea Lindl., but there is definitely a

very close resemblance and, bearing in mind the fact that

Lindley’s type figure is based on a plant cultivated in England

under conditions very different from those normal to the

plant in its natural habitat, it is probable that this is the same

species. It seems advisable, therefore, to follow Kunth in

regarding this as Scilla plumbea. Baker, in FI. Cap. vi, p. 482,

states that “ the little known S. plumbea is probably a form of

S, natalensis and may be the same as var. sordida” In the

length of the peduncle and raceme and the colour of the

flowers the plant figured here somewhat resembles S. natalensis,

but it is quite distinct and belongs to the subgenus Ledebouria.

It is remarkable that this species, which is one of the most

beautiful in the genus, is not better known. Bulbs have been

collected for the National Botanic Gardens, Kirstenbosch, and

if it proves to be easy to cultivate, it should be a valuable

garden plant. In Baviaans Kloof it was found only in one

small, stony area and nowhere else in the vicinity. About

12 years ago Miss B. Lamb found a few plants in the Witte

River VaUey, adjoining Baviaans Kloof.

Description ; — Bulb globose, about 3-5 cm. in diameter,

with firm, dark brown outer tunics. Leaves about 6, 15-

22 cm. long, 0-8-3 cm. broad, thick and fleshy, linear or

lanceolate, acuminate, more or less convolute, glabrous,

shining. Peduncle 30-50 cm. long including the inflorescence,

about 4 mm. in diameter, firm, erect. Raceme 10-20 cm. long,

4-5 cm. diameter, many-flowered. Bract 2-3 mm. long, with

the apex membranous, recurved. Pedicels 0-9-1 -9 cm. long.

Flowers varying from pale mauve-blue to deep violet in colour.

Perianth-segments forming a narrow cup in the basal half,

patent or recurved above, 1-1*1 cm. long, 2-2-5 mm. broad,

obtuse. Filaments purple, 1 -2 cm. long ; anthers yellow,

dorsi-fixed. Style filiform, 8-9 mm. long, directed to one side.

Ovary 3 mm. long, 2 mm. in diameter. Capsule obtusely

3-lobed, obovate. (South African Museum Herbarium, No.

56004.) — G. J. Lewis.

Plate 1006. — Fig. 1, flowering plant, natural size ; 2, flower, front

view ; 3, side view of flower ; 4, outer perianth-segment and stamen ; 5.

inner perianth-segment and stamen ; 6, gynoecium ; 7, capsule, immature ;

8, capsule ; 9, cross section of capsule. 2i-9 twice natural size.

F.P.A., January 1947.

1007

R. Brown del

Hath lith

Plate 1007.

KALANCHOE PANICULATA.

Rhodesia, Transvaal, Orange Free State.

CRASStlXACEAE.

Kalauchoe paniculata Harv. in FI. Cap. 2 : 380 (1861-62) ; Hamet in

Bull. Herb. Boiss. Ser. 2, 8 : 40 (1908).

Some of the distinguishing characters of the genus Kalan-

choe were recorded under Plate 341 referring to K. thyrsiflora.

The genus has a wide distribution, for it is found practically

throughout Africa and is represented also in Asia, Arabia,

Madagascar and Brazil — ^Madagascar being particularly rich

in species.

Since the pubHcation of the monographs in Flora Capensis,

2 (1861-62), and in Flora of Tropical Africa, 2 (1871), a large

number of new records has been made. By 1908, when

Raymond Hamet completed his Monograph in BuU. Herb.

Boissier, ser. 2, vol. 8, over 60 species were recognised. More

have been added in the intervening years. Of the additions

since the pubHcation of the two Floras, Kalanchoe multiflora

Schinz., and K. pyramidalis Schonl., require closest scrutiny.

Leaf characters are mainly used for distinguishing them from

our older species, and there seems some reason to regard them

as regional variants and unworthy of specific separation.

Our plant, which was collected on the rocky north slope

of the Magahesberg near Pretoria, is true to type, agreeing as

it does with the specimens collected by Burke and Zeyher near

the Vet River in the Orange Free State north of Bloemfontein

while on their expedition to the Magahesberg, 1839-40.

Although the usual flowering period appears to be between

March and May, specimens are liable to be found in flower at

nearly any other time of the year. The large rather flat-

topped greenish-yellow panicles make a most attractive sight

in the veld. The plants are, for succulents, comparatively

rapid in growth, coming to maturity in two years, or perhaps

sometimes more. Whether they normally flower more than

once before dying is not certain, but it usually happens so in

cultivation, and plants are not readily transplanted unless

moved in their early growth.

Description Succulent herb, stiffly erect, usually un-

branched, up to about 1 m. tall including the inflorescence,

with crowded basal leaves and 2-4 pairs of decussately

arranged cauline leaves. Leaves at the base up to 20 cm. long,

including the short stout petiole ; blade with varying degrees

of pink shading, 15-16 cm. long, 7-8 cm. broad, folded upwards

and falcate in outline with the margin usually entire, occasion-

ally once or twice notched or crenate towards the base ;

petiole stout, sUghtly laterally compressed, about 1 cm. thick,

grooved down the upper surface ; cauline leaves with each

pair larger than the next pair above. Bracts resembling the

upper leaves but smaller, boatshaped. Inflorescence up to

10 times trichotomous and panicled, up to 40 cm. diam. flat-

topped or rounded. Calyx lobes deltoid, 1 mm. long. Corolla

greenish-yeUow, 1*4 cm. long; tube about Id cm. long,

4-angled, and 3 mm. broad towards the base, sKghtly con-

tracted upwards ; lobes normally 4, but occasionally an odd

flower 5-lobed, orange-yeUow on inner surface, ovate, apiculate,

3 mm. long. Carpels 8-9 mm. long, tapered into the small

capitate glandular stigmas ; the squamae at the base of the

carpels hnear-lanceolate, 2-5 mm. long. (Dyer 4416, in

National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27330.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1007. — Fig. 1, part of inflorescence, natural size ; 2, leaf from

near middle of stem showing colour variation, natural size ; 3, corolla opened

out, X 3 ; 4, gynoecium, x 3 ; 5, one of the squamae at base of carpel,

X 6 ; 6, habit.

F.P.A., January 1947.

7008

Plate 1008.

CARALLUMA SOMALICA.

Somaliland.

AsCLEPIAD ACE AE .

Garalluma somalica N. E. Brown, in Kew Bull. 1895 : 264 ; FI. Trop.

Afr. 4, 1 : 482 (1903) ; White and Sloane, The Stapelieae 1 : 235 (1937).

The discovery of this beautiful Garalluma dates back to

1887, when Sir John Kirk collected it near “ Mogadoxo ” in

the southern part of Itahan Somaliland. It was described by

N. E. Brown from Kirk’s specimens some fifty years ago, but

although the plant is locally common, httle more was heard

about it until recently. E. Chiovenda, in his Flora Somala,

Vol. 1, p. 233 (1929), gives Hafun in Northern Somaliland as

an additional locahty, while in Vol. 2, p. 298 (1932), he

mentions its occurrence in Bulo Burti in the Southern

Province of Cisciuba. Chiovenda does not, however, add to

Brown’s description, and as late as 1937, White and Sloane

in The Stapeheae, state that the colour of the flowers had not

been recorded.

The Coryndon Museum, Nairobi, was fortunate in obtain-

ing hving specimens of this Somahland Garalluma from

members of H.M. Forces during the war now happily

ended. Dr. Strangways Dixon sent specimens from the

coastal dunes 10 miles S. of Mogadiscio, the approximate

type locahty ; other plants were sent from Rocca Littoria

and Galkayu in Central Somahland by Col. T. H. E. Jackson

of the Ci\^ Affairs Branch. The latter plants flowered in

cultivation in Nairobi when the present iUustration was pre-

pared— probably the first from a hving specimen and the first

record of the colour of the flowers.

In contrast to most Carallumas the scent of the flowers of

C. somalica is not impleasant, but rather rerniniscent of fresh

apples. C. somalica is distinguished from all other members

of the umbellata-europaea Group by the velvety — not tubercu-

late — dinner surface of the corolla lobes, and by the absence of

fringing cilia. White and Sloane, in The Stapeheae, Vol. 1,

p. 235 (1937), draw attention to a variation in the lobing of

the outer corona. A study of material in Nairobi shows the

outer corona lobes to have two teeth only which is in agree-

ment with the original description. The third tooth shown in

the White and Sloane figure may be exceptional.

Description : — A tufted, sparsely branched succulent

plant, up to 40 cm. high with branches about 5 cm. thick.

Stems pale glaucous-green, 4-angled, glabrous ; older stems at

base of plant almost square in cross-section ; in younger

growths angles more sharply compressed. Angles toothed ;

teeth 2-3 cm. apart, often not much pronounced. Flowers in

terminal, many-flowered umbels 5-7 cm. in diameter. Pedicels

10-15 mm. long, glabrous. Sepals 4 mm. long, lanceolate,

with a few minute papillae scattered on outer surface. Corolla

15-17 mm. diam., uniform sulphur yellow within, greenish

yellow outside ; tube campanulate, 6 mm. deep, enclosing the

corona ; hmb rotate, 5-lobed ; lobes deltoid with the sides

7 mm. long, glabrous outside, velvety, or minutely papillose

within, margins not ciliate. Outer corona campanulate, 4 mm.

deep with the spreading outer corona horns rising 1-75 mm.

above it, with the upper half of outer corona and horns

minutely hairy. Inner corona lobes incumbent on the backs

of the anthers, deltoid, glabrous, about 1 mm. long. (Bally,

S. 98, in Coryndon Museum, Nairobi.) — P. R. 0. Bally.

Plate 1008. — Fig. 1, branch, natural size ; 2, flower with part of corolla

removed, x 3 ; 3, outer and inner coronas, x 10 ; 4, habit.

F.P.A., January 1947.

Huth lith.

R. Brown del.

Plate 1009.

ALBUCA TRANSVAALENSIS.

Transvaal.

LnJACEAE.

Albuca transvaalensis Mogg, sp. nov. affinis A. glaucae Bkr. sed

foliis latioribus ; affinis A. Bainesii Bkr. sed, inter alia, foliis hysteranthis

glabrisque.

Bulbus ampuUaeformis, albidus tunicis exterioribus nigro-fuscis mox

dismtegratis, 6-10 cm. longus, circiter 3-7 cm. diametro. Folia glauca,

hysterantha, primus circiter 4-12 cm. longa, 12-20 mm. lata, deinde 40 cm.

longa, 3 cm. lata, base dilatata ; apicula convoluta, 6 mm. longa ; margines

involuti. Inflorescentia 60 cm. longa, glauca. Racemus 23 cm. longus,

laxus, floribus 9-20. Bracteae albae, 1 cm. longae, acuminatae, base

amplexicaules, dilatatae, 1-5-rufo-nervatae. Pedicellus glaucus, 5-10 mm.

longus, cemuus. Perianthium subpendulum, segmentis virido-albidis late

viridis carinatis oblongis 2 cm. longis et 5-7 cm. latis apice cucuUatis.

Stamina 6, omnia fertiba ; filamenta alba, membranacea, perianthio sub-

equilonga panduriformia. Ovarium paUido- viride ; stylus cylindricus, 1 1 mm.

longus.

Transvaal : Johannesburg ; Moss in National Herbarium No. 27574

(type) ; Pretoria ; S. slopes of Meintjes Kop, Mogg 14855 ; Fountains

Valley, Verdoorn 475 ; Repton 294 ; F. van der Merwe 2174 ; Hillcrest,

Mogg 15190.

Although commonly known in Pretoria and Johannesburg

for some time, this species has not been described before. It

commences flowering early in September and is characterised

by having the leaves immature at that time. The long

flexible flowering stalks are conspicuous in the shade of acacias

both on the slopes of koppies and in flat thomveld. The

leaves at this stage have only the tops showing a few inches

above ground. Here and there a plant may be found with

the leaves further developed, five in number and up to 40 cm.

long, 3 cm. broad. The whole plant is thinly covered with a

bloom giving it a shghtly silvery appearance. The individual

flowers are reminiscent of snowdrops, but their arrangement

in a long raceme obscures the resemblance. Actually the

outer segments spread much more than shown in the figure,

with the inner remaining more or less connivent. In our

species the colour of the flower is not as clearly defined as in

some, for the petals are a greenish-white to greenish-yellow

with a broad spinach-green keel instead of pure white or

sulphur-yellow with the green keel. In the cyhndric style

and general habit this species has its affinities with the tropical

African species rather than the South African. Illustrations

of South African species with prismatic styles may be seen on

Plates 206 and 225 of Vol. 6 of this work, while a subtropical

species may be seen on Plate 773 of Vol. 20. The last men-

tioned, Albuca Bainesii, has a cylindric style and the general

habit of our species, but yet it differs quite consideraWy, for

example, in the mature leaves which are pubescent, in the

colour of the flower, the arrangement of the stamens and

the size of the plant. A. transvaalensis also differs from the

description of the Transvaal species A. glauca in having the

mature leaves up to 3 cm. wide.

The specimen figured here was sent in during September

by Mrs. M. Moss of the Botanical department of the Wit-

watersrand University, who reported that the species was

common on a koppie near her home in Johannesburg.

Description : — Bulb whitish, with a dark brown outer tunic which soon

disintegrates, flask-shaped, 6-10 cm. long, about 3-7 cm. diam., narrowing

into a neck at the apex where the tunics are membranous (not splitting into

fibres), and with a butt (old stem) persisting and lengthening at the base.

Leaves spinach green covered with a bloom, hysteranthus, at time of the

first inflorescence 3-4 tops showing, from about 4 to 12 cm. long, 12-20 mm.

broad (eventually about 40 cm. long and 3 cm. broad), sheathing at the base

then slightly spreading-erect with the margins infolded ; upper surface

canahculate, finely striate, lower surface rounded, apex firmly rolled for

about 6 mm. forming a hooded top to the leaf. Peduncle sofitary at first,

several developing later in succession, green, thinly covered with a bloom,

slender, flexible, erect, usually from 35-60 cm. long, including raceme.

Raceme laxly 9-20-flowered (sometimes more) 12-20 cm. long (sometimes

longer). Bracts white, membranous with 1 to 5 red-brown ribs, acuminate

from a broad clasping base about 1 cm. long. Pedicels green, terete, about

5-10 mm. long, elongating in fruit to about 14 mm. long, erect-spreading,

cemuous at the apex. Buds green with narrow strips of the whitish margins

of perianth-segments showing, erect and spreading, eventually sub-pendulous.

Perianth sub-pendulous, the 3 outer segments spreading, the 3 inner conni-

vent ; segmenis greenish-white to greenish-primrose, broadly keeled with

spinach green, oblong, obtuse, cucuUate at the apex, up to 2 cm. long and

5-7 mm. broad, 3 outer slightly narrower than the 3 inner and slightly less

cucullate. Stamens six, aU fertile, about as long as the perianth ; filaments

fiddleshaped, flattened, white at base where they envelop the ovary, sides

infolded just above the ovary, then flattening out again and narrowing

towards the apex ; anthers white, about 12 mm. long, after dehiscing 3 mm.

long. Ovary green, obscurely 3-lobed, each lobe with a protuberance in

lower half ; style cylindric obscurely 3-grooved, 11 mm. long. Capsule

green, turning reddish-apricot to brown on maturity, about 2 cm. long,

1-3 cm. diam., 3-lobed, with the withered perianth base and some stamens

persisting at the base ; seeds numerous, flat, black, shiny. — I. C. Verdooen.

Plate 1009. — Fig. 1, bulb, leaves and base of pedimcle ; 2, mid

portion of peduncle ; 3, raceme (1-3 natural size) ; 4, outer perianth seg-

ment, inner face ; 5, inner perianth segment ; 6, gynoecium and 3 stamens ;

7, stamen from bud ; 8, stamen from mature flower ; 9, stamen front view ;

10, immature capsule ; 11, capsule dehiscing (4-10, aU enlarged).

F.P.A., January 1947.

roTo

B. Brown del.

Hath lith.

Plate 1010.

SPHENOSTYLIS ANGUSTIFOLIA.

Transvaal, Natal.

Legtjmikosae.

Sphenostylis angustifolia Bond, in Flora 23 : 33 (1860) ; Burtt Davy,

FI. PI. and Ferns of Transvaal 2 : 418 (1932) ; Vigna angmtifoUa Benth. in

FI. Cap. 2 : 240 (1861-62).

The South African veld is remarkable for the large number

of perennial herbs, which flower early in spring irrespective of

rainfall. Even in the absence of rain for a period up to five

months over the winter season, these plants produce bright

patches of colour in spring since they possess either special

water storage organs or an extensive and deep root system.

Sphenostylis angustifolia belongs to the latter class. It comes

into flower generally early in September and carries on into

November and occasionally December.

The umbel-like clusters of reddish-mauve flowers with a

median red-margined greenish-yellow mark on the vexillum,

make a striking sight and are the more attractive for their

sweet scent. It is reported in the plant’s favour also, that it

is a good stock feed. The species is particularly abundant in

rocky outcrops on slopes around Pretoria, in which area it has

been gathered frequently since its first collection here on the

Magahesberg by Burke and Zeyher in 1842. 8. angustifolia

extends widely in the Transvaal and Natal, exhibiting rather

a bewildering range of variation in its vegetative characters.

First described by Sender in Flora 1850, the plant named

S. angustifolia was referred to the older genus Vigna by

Bentham, in Flora Capensis, 1861-62. Since then opinions

on its classification have been divided, and we here revert to

the first name, in conformity with Burtt Davy in his Flora of

the Transvaal, 1932. This author distinguished the two

genera by their styles ; that of Sphenostylis is “ flat and

broad, more or less spathulate, hairy aU round at the top ” ;

while the style of Vigna is “ not flattened, narrow, hairy on

one side only.” Baker in his Leguminosae of Tropical Africa,

2 (1929), refers to this difference as stigma “ terminal ” and

“ obhque ” respectively.

In general appearance S, angnstifolia is more compact

than species of Vigna in South Africa, which are for the most

part voluble, trailing or twining.

Description : — Perennial herb with strong rootstock,

from the apex of which arise annually several herbaceous

stems, generally between 25 and 45 cm. long. Stems tufted,

some spreading, some suberect, simple or branched, sparsely

adpressed pubescent, shghtly angled from the sides of the

petiole base, becoming somewhat woody with age. Leaves

petiolate, trifoliolate with small ovate-acuminate stipules ;

petiole about 8 cm. long, upper surface depressed ; leaflets of

each leaf more or less equal although the terminal one is

slightly larger than others, varying considerably in width on

different plants in the same community, oblong, elhptic or

linear-lanceolate, 0‘5-P5 cm. broad, mucronate, glabrous

or glabrescent ; stipellae similar to stipules but smaller ;

petiolule of terminal leaflet shghtly shorter than petiole and

shallowly channelled. Peduncles 4-8 cm. long, subumbel-

lately few-flowered. Calyx bibracteate at base, 8 mm. long ;

lobes about 4 mm. long, the upper two together broader than

long, the remainder as broad or shghtly narrower than long.

Vexillum reddish-mauve with green marking down back and

with a greenish-yeUow, red-margined blotch on the lower

portion of the inner face, obcordate, up to 2*5 cm. broad and

about 2 cm. from base to sinus ; alae up to about 2’4 cm. long,

somewhat ear-shaped ; carina falcate and shghtly twisted,

the one segment fitting into the concave tip of the other and

causing it to bulge more on the outer side. Style with flat-

tened cuneate fringed stigma, persisting in fruit. Legume up

to about 8 cm. long with prominent margins, strongly twisted

after dehiscence. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27578.)

— R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1010. — Fig. 1, branch, natural size ; 2, leaf, natural size ; 3, inner

view of one of alae, x 1-5 ; 4 and 6, views from opposite sides of carina,

X 1*5 ; 6, calyx, staminal tube and one free stamen, X 1’5; 7, ovary and

style, X 1-5 ; 8, legumes nearly matme, natural size ; 9, habit.

F.P.A., January 1947.

R. Brown del.

SI

Huth chr.

Plate 1011.

ERYTHRINA ZEYHERI.

Transvaal, Natal, O.F.S., Basutoland.

Leguminosae.

Erythrina Zeyheri Harv. in Flor. Cap. 2 : 236 (1861-62) ; Bnrtt Davy

El. Transvaal 1 : 415 (1932) ; CoUett in BothaUa 4 : 227 (1941).

The genus Erythrina covers a wide range of growth form,

from trees up to 60 ft. tall to dwarf perennial herbs or sub-

shrubs. Among the African species, E. Zeyheri is the extreme

in dwarfness. It has a large root and branched perennial

underground stem, which annually produces aerial flowering

branches up to 18 or 30 inches high, but these latter usually

die off during the winter months. More often than not the

old flowering branches are burnt in veld flres, for the distribu-

tion of the species is in grassveld, from the eastern Orange

Free State, Basutoland and midlands of Natal to central

Transvaal. Several species are notable for their large trifolio-

late leaves, but in this character few bear comparison with

E. Zeyheri, in which the terminal leaflet may measure over a

foot in length and not very much less in width.

The Burke and Zeyher Expedition to the Magaliesberg

has been referred to under a number of plates in recent

volumes, and E. Zeyheri is another species flrst described

from material collected then — over a century ago.

The specimen shown here was grown in Pretoria by Mr.

R. B. P. Wilson from seed collected by Mr. H. B. Ramsay on

the Witwatersrand near Palmietkuil mine. The seed took

about six weeks to germinate and the plant flowered for the

first time in its third summer. The flowering period extends

over several weeks as each stem produces a few inflorescences

in succession, making a most attractive display. As with

other species of the genus, the immature seed is subject to

insect attack, with the result that comparatively few seeds

reach maturity.

The distribution of the genus Erythrina is interesting in a

study of the relationship of the floras of different countries.

Species are found throughout Africa, in South America and in

India, which is evidence in favour of the theory of a former

land connection between the respective continents.

Description : — A perennial herb up to 0-5 m. high with

a branched corky subterranean stem and large rootstock.

Leaves petiolate, trifoholate, the petiole 8-20 cm. long,

furnished with recurved prickles, puberulous ; terminal

leaflet 10-26 cm. long, usually 8-21 cm. broad, but occasion-

ally somewhat larger, broadly ovate ; lateral leaflets 10-21 cm.

long, 5-12 cm. broad, generally unequal-sided. Stipules

coriaceous, 1-2 cm. long,

ovate or oblong. Inflor-

escences several, arising

in the axils of the upper

leaves. Peduncles 19-38

cm. long, sometimes

bearing small prickles.

Racemes dense, up to

about 35 - flowered ;

flowers arranged more or

less in whorls, becoming

pendulous on short pedi-

cels. Calyx tubular,

about 1*75 cm. long with

short, somewhat thick-

ened lobes, the lowest being slightly larger than others,

minutely puberulous. Corolla : vexillum red, veined, curved

shghtly outward, margins folded closely together, 4-5 cm. long,

2*5 cm. broad (when flattened) ; alae (wings) with margin

purple towards tip, 1*5 cm. long, 5 mm. broad, with a small

lobe on the lower margin towards apex and minutely 3-toothed

at apex ; carina (keel) segments, 1 cm. long, 6 mm. broad,

lobed on the upper margin towards base and shortly bilobed

at apex, each slightly folded on the lower margin into a corre-

sponding fold of the other segment. Ovary puberulous,

about 1-5 cm. long, developing into a constricted pod with

hard red seeds 1-1-5 cm. long. (National Herbarium,

Pretoria, No. 27754.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1011. — Fig. 1, inflorescence, natural size ; 2, tip of lateral leaflet,

natural size ; 3, leaf, X iV ! 4, calyx, x 2 ; 5, wing segment, x 3 ; 6, keel

segment, x 3 ; 7, androecium and gynoecium, X li.

F.P.A., April 1947.

Habit.

MARY GUNN LIBRARY

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL BiODIVfRSlTY INSTITUTT

PRIVATE BAG X 101

PRE rORIA 0CK)1

■■■■ REPUBLIC Or SOITTH AFRICA

1012

M.M.Page del Huth bth.

Plate 1012.

LAMPRANTHUS VANZIJLIAE.

Cape Province.

Aizoaceae.

Lampranthus Vanzijliae {L. Bolus) N. E. Broum in Gard. Chron. 87 :

212 (1930) ; Mesembryanthemum Vanzijliae L. Bolus in Ann. Bolus Herb. 3 :

126 (1922).

It is impossible to reproduce the glow of this brilliantly

coloured flower in full sunshine — the petals a burnished red-

dish copper, and the stamens with dark red filaments and

golden anthers. The species appears to be rare and very

local, but it well deserves more attention from horticulturists

than it has hitherto received. For, although the flowers are

not produced in masses, they are individually large enough to

compensate for this, and their rich colouring is seldom to be

seen in the vast group of Mesembrieae. As often happens in

this group a member of one genus may closely resemble the

habit which prevails in another, and this plant might easily

be mistaken for a Cephalophyllum when not in flower, or even

when it is if the stigmas are not examined. The concave top

of the ovary and the very short stigmas are characteristic of

Erepsia.

Miss Page’s drawing represents a portion of the type-plant

found by the late Mrs. Dorothy van Zijl near Worcester (the

only collection recorded) and grown in her garden, where it

flowered in the spring of 1920 and 1921. In 1930 plants from

the same stock flowered at Kirstenbosch during August.

Description : — Plant perennial, glabrous. Branches

elongate, creeping ; internodes 1*5-6 cm. long ; branchlets

abbreviated, densely leafy. Leaves erect or spreading, keeled

in the upper part, acuminate, green, inconspicuously pellucidly

punctate, up to 5*5 cm., usually 3-4 cm. long, 6 mm. broad

and in diameter in the middle. Flowers sohtary, up to 6 cm.

in diameter. Peduncle terete, 3-5 cm. long. Receptacle

turbinate, 9 mm. long, up to 1*1 cm. in diameter. Sepals 5,

nearly equal in length, lanceolate, acute, up to 1*1 cm. long.

Petals 4-seriate, acute or obtuse, all except the innermost

gradually narrowed downwards, reddish copper-coloured,

l-2’5 cm. long, 1-3 mm. broad. Stamens curved inwards,

later erect ; filaments glabrous, dark red. Disk very incon-

spicuous. Ovary concave above ; stigmas incurved, globosely

subulate, dark reddish-purple, 1*5-2 mm. long. Capsule

globosely turbinate, convex above, up to 2*1 cm. long and in

diameter. (Bolus Herbarium, No. 17141.) — L. Bolus.

Plate 1012. — Fig. 1, longitudinal section of flower, sepals removed,

X 2 ; 2, receptacle and sepals, natural size ; 3, gynoecium, x 2 ; 4, petals ;

6, stamens ; 6, stigma, aU x 3 ; 7, finiit, natural size ; 8, portion of expanded

fruit ; 9, seed, enlarged ; 10, transverse sections of leaf, natural size.

F.P.A., April 1947.

1013

.1

M.M.Page del.

3

Huth chr.

Plate 1013.

RUSCHIA MAXIMA.

Cape Province.

Aizoaceab.

Ruschia maxima {Haw.) L. Bolus — comb. nov. Mesembryanthemum

maximum Haw., Obs. 402 ; Astridia maxima Schwant., Zeitscbr. Sukk. 3 : 16.

As far as our records go, the distribution of this plant is

restricted to the Clanwilham Division, and especially to the

area about Graaf water and Van Putten’s Vlei, where it has

recently been freely collected. It was introduced into

England in 1787, and Haworth, having seen “ a few plants in

his Majesty’s Garden at Kew,” published a description in his

Observations on the Genus Mesembryanthemum in 1794,

remarking that in this book he had “ gradually advanced

from few to many, from httle to great things ; in a word,

passed from M. minimum (now Conophytum minimum) to

M. maximum.’’' Plants were cultivated in the Municipal

Gardens in Cape Town in 1913, and in 1914 Mrs. L. Pattison

sent hving plants to Kirstenbosch, where they flowered for

several years. Miss Page’s drawing being made in 1921 from

this collection. In 1927 the species was transferred to

Astridia Dint, et Schwant. by Dr. Schwantes. But in its

floral structure, and especially in having smooth seeds, it

agrees entirely with Ruschia Schwant., where it is now placed.

It is probable that Astridia vsdll not be maintained as a separate

genus by future monographers.

Description : — ^An erect glabrous shrub, 60-70 cm. high,

vegetative parts pale glaucous green. Branches rigid, often

7 mm. in diameter. Leaves, or at least one of a pair, more or

less falcate, strongly compressed, acutely keeled, flat above,

2*5-7 cm. long, 3-7 mm. broad in the middle, 1-2*5 cm. in

diameter. Cyme rather compact, often 6-9-fl., or ultimately

with repeated branching 15-18-fl., up to 5 cm. in diameter.

Receptacle shortly turbinate, up to 6 mm. in diameter. Sepals

5, acuminate, 5-6 mm. long, all more or less membranously

margined. Petals 2-seriate, gradually narrowed downwards,

acute, obtuse, or emarginate, rose-pink with a darker central

stripe, 4—6 mm. long. Staminodes and stamens collected into

a cone 4 mm. long, white below, purplish rose above ; inner

filaments papillate near the middle ; anthers and pollen

pallid. Disk crenulate, 4 mm. in diameter. Ovary elevated,

obtusely lobed. Stigmas 5, subulate, 2-5 mm. long. Capsule

elevated for 2 mm., the lobes slightly compressed, 6 mm.,

expanded 10 mm., in diameter ; expanding-keels reaching

half-way up the valve or a little beyond ; placental tubercle

pallid, rather large ; seeds smooth. (In Bolus Herbarium,

507

National Botanic Gardens, No. — L, Bolus.

Plate 1013. — Fig. 1, longitudinal section through portion of flower,

X 4 ; 2, calyx and gynoecium, x 2 ; 3, gynoecium ; 4, petals ; 6, staminode ;

6, stamens ; 7, stigma, all x 4 ; 8, capsule ; 9, do., expanded, both x 3 ;

10, seed X 10 ; 11, transverse sections of a leaf at the apex, middle and base

natural size.

F.P.A., April 1947.

70U

E.K.BuT’^es del.

Huth chr.

Plate 1014.

ALOE TRICHOSANTHA.

Abyssinia, Eritrea.

LmACEAE.

Aloe trichosantha Berger in Engl. Jahrb. 36: 62 (1905), and in Das

Pflanzenreich, Aloineae, 1908, p. 231.

This Aloe species belongs to. Berger’s Section Feme.

During the Abyssinian campaign in the recent war, when

opportunities arose, Major McLoughlin collected botanical

specimens and living plants for

the National Herbarium, Pretoria.

Among the latter were a number of

species of Aloe. These were grown

in the herbarium gardens and dupli-

cates of most of the plants were

sent to Ewanrigg, Arcturus, S. Rho-

desia, where Aloe species from tropi-

cal Africa have been grown and

studied for many years. In the

two gardens a number of these have

flowered and were photographed or

flgured. The majority have proved

to be undescribed species although

not in the case of the plant figured

here which with its pubescent inflor-

escence has been identified as A.

trichosantha Berger. It does not

agree exactly with Berger’s descrip-

tion, but from the collector’s account

of the plant in the wild and the

fact that Berger has described two

varieties, aU more or less from the

same area, it appears to be a species

with rather a wide range of variation in some of its characters,

but with certain specific characters remaining fairly constant.

The specimens seen by Berger were collected in Eritrea

from 3000 to 5000 ft. altitude. Major McLoughlin reports

that he came across this Aloe in several places in Abyssinia,

including Moggio ; on the Diredawa-Harrar Road, to near

Harrar ; along the Awash River ; and it is common in the

Danakil Desert, which appears to be its headquarters. Under

the varying conditions in these different locahties the plants

appeared so different that each time he thought it was another

species and collected more plants, but they are now indis-

tinguishable in cultivation. This makes it doubtful whether

the two varieties of Berger are justified. Pubescence on the

inflorescence is a rare character in the genus Aloe, and, in

addition to the species figured, it is recorded only on A.

puberula (Schweinf.) Berger, from Eritrea, and on A.

tomentosa Defiers, from Arabia. Berger suggested that the

first of these two with its yellow flowers, might be a

natural hybrid between A. trichosantha and A. vera, and if it

can be proved that this latter species occurs in those parts,

this may very well be the case. We should then be left with

only two species with pubescent inflorescences, A. trichosantha

and A. tomentosa, which latter, from description, is quite

distinct, with its short shrubby habit of growth and its long

villose indumentum.

In cultivation A. trichosantha flowers frequently throughout

the year. Unfortunately it is very subject to “ green fly ”

and to “ aloe rust ” {Uromyces aloes (Cooke) P. Magn). The

figure is of a plant which flowered in the gardens of the

National Herbarium in February 1943.

Description : — Acaulescent, suckeiing. Leaves about 20,

rosulate, erect-spreading, ovate acuminate, up to 50 cm. long,

and 9 cm. broad, fleshy, sap yellow, with a disagreeable odour

at certain seasons of the year, upper surface concave, green

with a thin bloom on exposed surfaces, striate, with a few

scattered whitish or pale greenish spots ; lower surface convex,

darker green with a thin bloom causing a bluish tinge, ob-

scurely striate, often with dark green interrupted longitudinal

lines, rather more spotted than on the face, with whitish spots

in longitudinal lines, sometimes keeled towards apex with a

few spines on keel, margins with a very narrow greenish

cartilaginous border, armed vith spreading whitish-brown-

tipped deltoid prochvent teeth 4 mm. long, up to 30 mm. apart

in the middle, closer low down, more distant above, inter-

spaces straight. Inflorescence erect, simple or with 1-2

lateral branches, 90 cm. high, gradually lengthening to

120 cm. Peduncle light green covered with a whitish pub-

escence, slightly laterally compressed low down and flattened

at the base where it is about 2 cm. broad, the edges acute

with cartilaginous borders, terete in upper half, 1 cm.* diam. ;

bract subtending the lateral branch, white, long-acuminate

from a broad base, 2-5 cm. long, 1-2 cm. broad, with about

10 conspicuous nerves ; sterile bracts ovate-lanceolate, thin,

papery, not at all pubescent, up to 15 mm. long and 8 mm.

broad, many-nerved, at length deflexed. Racemes elongated,

the terminal about 52 cm. long, the lateral 30 cm. long,

covered all over by the characteristic pubescence of short

rather thick white hairs, giving it a frosted appearance, the

buds erect, at flrst covered by the very thin papery imbricate

bracts giving the impression of being covered by a thin skin

or sheath ; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute, up to about

20 mm. long and 8-9 mm. broad, white, very thm, papery,

about 7 nerved, at flrst erect-spreading, later becoming de-

flexed. Pedicels about 8 mm. long, pubescent. Perianth

coral-pink covered with pubescence, cylindric, straight, slightly

laterally compressed, about 35 mm. long, 7 mm. diam. over

ovary, shghtly constricted towards midcfle on underside only

and then widened again to 7 mm., sHghtly contracted towards

throat ; outer segments free for 14-16 mm., white with ohve

green median line, the lowest segment longer than the others

forming a sort of tip supporting the stamens, the apices sub-

acute, slightly spreading, inner segments free on margins,

Hghtly dorsiflxed to tube, white with a 3-nerved median band

which is red low down, and changes to green above ; apices

sub-obtuse, spreading. Stamens with filaments flattened, at

length exserted ; anthers 4 mm. long. Style at length

exserted. Ovary brownish-green, 7 mm. long and 2*5 mm.

diam. (McLoughlin 833 in National Herbarium, Pretoria,

No. 27752.) — I. C. Verdoorn and H. B. Christian.

Plate 1014, — Fig. 1 and 1a, lower | of terminal raceme and leaf tip in

colour, natural size ; 2, top of raceme, slightly reduced ; 3, flower ; 4, longi-

tudinal section of flower ; 5, stamen aU enlarged.

F.P.A., April 1947.

Huth chr,

Plate 1015.

ALOE MAGNIDENTATA.

Abyssinia, Somaliland.

Liliaceae.

Aloe magnidentata Verdoorn et Christian, sp. nov. in Sectione

Aethiopicae Berg, habitus af&nis est A. eru Berg, sed in eo quod planta

majora est, foliis immaculatis, valde canaliculatis, et charaeteribus florum,

inter aba perianthus cybndricis (non clavatis) baud stipitatis differt.

Frutescens. Caulis 25 cm. (ad 120 cm.) longus, fobatus. Folia rosulata,

patentia, recurvata, ovato-lanceolata, paUide viridia, immaculata, 65-

100 cm. longa, 13 cm. lata, supra valde canabculata, subtus rotundata, ad

margines bnea cornea punicea cincta dentibus deltoideis obtusis 5 mm.

longis, usque 30 mm. inter se distantibus armata. Inflorescentia erecta,

paniculata. Pedunculus palbde viridis, pruinosus, compressus ; bracteae

ramos subtendentes e basi sensim acuminatae, usque 30 mm. longae ; rami

ca. 11, arcuato-erecti, inferiores subramosi. Racemi cybndrici ; bracteae

florigerae longe acuminatae, 7 mm. longae, 5-nervatae. Pedicelli 15 mm.

longi, arcuato-erecti, demum cemui. Perianthium flavum vel rubrum,

cylindricum, rectum, sub-trigonum, 28 mm. longum, circa ovarium 7 mm.

diam. medium versus sensim leviter constrietum, deinde ampbatum, faucem

versus pauUum contractum, segmenta exteriora per 15 mm. bbera, 3-nervata

segmenta interiora ad margines bbera, dorsifixa. Filamenta perianthio aequi-

longa, flava. Aniherae exsertae. Stylus perianthio aequilonga. Ovarium

flaviusculum, 6 mm. longum.

Abyssinia : Diredawa, McLoughbn 824, in National Herbarium, Pre-

toria, No. 27281 (type), and in Herbarium Christian No. 1167.

Among the plants collected by

Major A. G. McLoughlin in Abys-

sinia during the recent war and

grown at the National Herbarium,

Pretoria and Ewanrigg, Arcturus,

S. Rhodesia, was the species

figured here. In February 1945,

a plant with yellow flowers and

another with red flowers bloomed

in Pretoria and the figure was

then prepared for this magazine.

The red-flowered form bloomed at

Ewanrigg in November 1945. Our

new species has its affinities with

Aloe eru Berg., the likeness being

very striking when both were seen in flower in December,

Rowing near each other in the garden at Ewanrigg. The

similarity covered habit of growth, leaves and inflor-

escence, but A. magnidentata was larger in most respects.

A detailed study, however, showed that not only are the

Habit.

leaves of A. eru smaller and less deeply channelled, but the

size and character of the flowers differ appreciably, those of

typical A. eru (and most of its forms) being shorter, 15-19 mm.

long, as against 28 mm., and somewhat campanulate in the

upper portion, giving them a clavate form. The leaves of

A. eru are usually maculate, shiny and darker green in colour.

Another species, A. marsahitensis, shown on Plate 798, wiU be

seen to have leaves which resemble somewhat those of our

species. The inflorescence of A. marsahitensis, however,

differs considerably, having virgate branches with secund

flowers.

A characteristic feature of our species is the thick margin

of the leaf with the large thick bases to the small blunt teeth.

Major McLoughlin reports (in connection with the two distinct

colour forms) that near Diredawa the yellow form is dominant

and extends 20 miles or more west of Diredawa and the red

form is less frequent in that region. Later on Colonel Smuts,

S.A.M.C., sent this aloe to Major McLoughlin from Somahland,

having selected a yeUow- flowered form as a “ rarity ” from

the usual red-flowered form. This points to the red form

being dominant in Somaliland.

Desceiption : — Stem 25-120 cm. high, foliate. Leaves rosulate, the older

spreading, strongly recurved, the younger erect spreading, rather less re-

curved, long-acuminate from the base, 65-100 cm. long, 13 cm. broad at base,

11 mm. thick, fleshy, hght green, sometimes with a yellowish tinge, immacu-

late, the upper face deeply channelled, rounded on the back, margins thick

with a hght brown or pinky red homy border armed with blunt, pinkish

deltoid prochvent teeth, 5 mm. long, 30 mm. apart in the middle, closer

towards base and more distant above ; sap yellow, turning brownish, some-

times purple. Inflorescence erect, paniculate, about 65-80 cm. high, branched

from about, or just below, the middle. Peduncle pale green or brown,

primrose, laterally compressed to 2 cm. broad low down, with acute edges,

elhptical above ; bract subtending lowest branch 30 mm. long, 10-nerved,

dentate on margins ; branches 11, arcuate-erect, the lower 3-4 sub-branched,

from 10-30 cm. long. Racemes cyUndric, 6-8 cm. long and 5-5 cm. diam.,

sub-lax low down vith a few distant flowers below, more dense above, buds

erect-spreading, mature flowers pendulous ; floral bracts long-acuminate,

7-8 mm. long and 3 mm. broad, 5-nerved ; pedicels pale green, 15 mm. long,

arcuate-erect, cemuous. Perianth citron- to apricot-yellow, green to bronze

tipped (or coral-red and porcelain-green tipped), cylindric, straight, slightly

trigonous, 28 mm. long, 7 mm. diam. over ovary, slightly constricted towards

the middle on imder side only, slightly vddening again and shghtly con-

tracted at throat, outer segments free for 15 mm., margins pale yeUow,

3-nerved, apices shghtly spreading, inner segments free on margins, dorsi-

fixed to tube, pale citron, becoming darker towards tip with a broad dark

median line, apices obtuse, shghtly spreading. Stamens : filaments about

as long as perianth, citron-yehow, flattened below ; anthers brown, exserted.

Style citron-yehow, as long as perianth. Ovary pale green or citron-yehow.

Plate 1015. — Figs. 1 and 1a, portion of raceme, yehow and red forms,

natural size ; 2, portion of leaf showing margin ; 3, cross section in upper

half of leaf ; 4, longitudinal section of flower, enlarged.

F.P.A., April 1947.

/

t"

■ /

%

li

1016

E.A. Burges del.

Huth chr,

Plate 1016.

ALOE DEBRANA.

Abyssinia.

Liliaceae.

Aloe debrana Christian sp. nov. in sectione Aethiopicae affinis A.

aethiopicae (Schweiof.) Berg., sed ramis nudis, racemis laxioribus longiori-

busque, bracteis florum minoribus, pedicellis longioribus et forma florum

difEert.

Planta succulenta, acaulis. Folia ca. 28, dense rosulata, erecto-patentia,

superne decurvata, ca. '40-58 cm. longa, basi 10 cm. lata, sensim longe

acuminata, supra concava, subtus convexa, viridia, in tempore arido punicea,

margines linea cartilaginea rubra cincta, dentibus patentibus deltoideis

armata, 3 mm. longis, usque 22 mm. inter se distantibus, interstitiis rectis.

Inflorescentia usque 1-25 m. alta, superne ramosa ; rami ca. 12, arcuato-

erecti. Pedunculus basi compressus, brunneo-viridis ; racemi laxi, cylindrici,

acuminati ; gemmae erecto-patentes ; flores patentes ; bracteae florigerae

minutae, 3 mm. longae, uninervatae. Pedicelli fusco-rubri, patentes.

Perianthium rubrum, eylindricum, rectum, subtrigonum, basi leviter stipi-

tatum, 22 mm. longum, segmenta exteriora per 8 mm. libera, segmenta

interiora ad margines libera, tubo dorsifixa obscure trinervia. Stamina

exserta, demum retracta. Stylus Omnampallide viride, 6-5 nun.

longum, 3 mm. diam.

Abyssinia : Addis-Dessie Road and Debra Behran, McLoughlin 812a,

in National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27173 type, and in Herb. Christian,

No. 1165.

This is one of several

Aloe species collected by

Major A. G. McLoughlin

in Abyssinia during the

recent war. He writes :

“ This Aloe, as far as is

known, has the distinc-

tion of growing in the

highest altitudes reached

by any species of this

genus in Abyssinia,

being found at close on

10,000 ft. ; indeed it

probably goes even higher. It occurs near Addis Abeba at the

Cabana at 9000 ft. and from there onwards along the new

Addis-Dessie road it occurs regularly and is especially plentiful

just outside Debra Behran to the west of the main road. A

plant of this species was found on the road after emerging

from the tunnel above Debra Sina having apparently fallen

from the heights of the tunnel.”

The figure is of a plant which flowered in the gardens of

the National Herbarium in August 1943. Just a year

previously a plant of the same collecting flowered at Ewanrigg,

S. Rhodesia, where it was photographed and described. Its

habit of growth and leaves are very much akin to those of

A. aethiopica, but there is a marked difference in the in-

florescence in nearly all its characters, this latter species

having shorter, much denser (not acuminate) racemes, longer

floral bracts and pedicels and much shorter flowers of a

different shape. This makes it easy to distinguish between

the two species when in flower. A. aethiopica flowers in

November, about three months later than our new species.

A geographical form of A. debrana was collected by

Major McLoughlin at Omo Botego clinging to the steep

chff above the river near the bridge. The only features in

which this form differs from the type are the marginal teeth

on the leaves which are more closely set, the floral bracts being

3-nerved instead of 1-nerved and the flowers being 9 mm.

diameter over the ovary as against the 6-5 mm. of the type.

It is considered that these differences which may be due to

the effect of altitude and consequent change in chmatic

conditions, are insufficient to warrant varietal rank.

Description : — An acaulescent succulent plant. Leaves about 28,

densely rosulate, erect-spreading, slightly decurved above, about 40-58 cm.

long, 10 cm. broad at base, gradually narrowing to an attenuate apex, green

with a thin bloom, with a pink tinge in the dry season, immaculate, with

upper surface broadly concave becoming flat, or even slightly convex near

the apex, with lower surface convex, margins with a narrow red cartilaginous

border, armed wth reddish spreading deltoid teeth 3 cm. long and 17-22 mm.

apart in the middle and much smaller and closer towards the base with

interspaces straight or slightly curved. Inflorescence arising laterally, up

to 1-25 m. high ; peduncle ascending, sometimes arcuate-ascending, green

below, browTiish-green above, flattened at the base where it is 3 cm. wide

and 8 mm. thick, with acute edges armed with very small cartilaginous teeth,

sub-terete above ; branches about 10-12, the lower 3-4 sub-branched,

arcuate-erect, slender, naked, the lowest 25 cm. long, 4 mm. diam. ; brcLCt

subtending lowest branch deltoid-acute, 10 mm. long and 10 mm. wide,

scarious, 5-nerved. Racemes lax, cyhndric-acuminate, the terminal 11 cm.

long, the buds red, somewhat fuscous at tips, erect-spreading, the mature

flowers spreading ; floral bracts minute, 3 mm. long, 1-nerved. Pedicels

dark red, erect-spreading, from 5-13 mm. long. Perianth red, yellowish at

apex, cyhndric, straight, slightly trigonous, with the base slightly stipitate,

22 mm. long, 6-5 mm. diam. over ovary, slightly constricted towards middle

on lower side only, and widened again to 6-5 mm., thence contracted towards

throat, with three oblong indentations above the ovary ; outer segments

free for 8 mm., coral shading to yellow at margins and apex, 3-nerved, apices

sub-obtuse, slightly spreading ; inner segments free on margins, dorsifixed

to tube, yellowish-white with an obscurely 3-nerved red keel, apices yellow,

obtuse, slightly spreading. Stamens with filaments greenish-white below,

flattened, spreading, yellow above, exserted. Style canary yellow, exserted.

Ovary pale green, 6-5 mm. long, 3 mm. in diameter. — L. C. Veedooen and

H. B. Christian.

Plate 1016. — Fig. 1, portion of inflorescence ; 2, tip of leaf ; both

natural size ; 3, floral bract ; 4, bud ; 5, longitudinal section of flower ; 6,

free portion of outer perianth segment ; all enlarged.

F.P.A., April 1947.

7017

' V

Plate 1017.

GLADIOLUS EDULIS.

Union of South Africa {all 'provinces).

Ikidaceae.

Gladiolus edulis Burch, ex Ker. in Bot. Eeg. t. 169 (1816-1817) ;

Baker in FI. Cap. 6 : 161 (1896).

The plant figured was collected on the outskirts of Pretoria,

Transvaal, in March 1946. It is not quite typical of the

species O. edulis, in that the flowers differ somewhat in detail

from the type, which comes from near Kuruman in Bechuana-

land. The uppermost perianth segment is noticeably broader

in our specimen and the tails to the segments are shorter. In

effect our plant is altogether less spidery than the Bechuana-

land plant, which is illustrated to advantage in Botanical

Register t. 169. The differences, however, are not clear cut

in nature and intermediate forms occur in the intervening

country between Pretoria and Kuruman.

G. edulis has a very wide distribution, extending from the

type locality near Kuruman in the Cape Province, westwards

into S.W. Africa, and eastwards into Orange Free State,

Basutoland, Natal and Transvaal. It is the spidery appear-

ance of its flowers which renders it fairly readily distinguish-

able from several near allies, such as G. permeabilis Delaroche,

which it overlaps in distribution in the eastern Cape, and G.

pretoriensis O.Ktze., which it overlaps in the Pretoria district.

A further distinction between the latter species is to be found

in the seed, that of G. edulis being markedly winged as is

usual in the genus, whereas in G. 'pretoriensis the wing

development in the seed is insignificant. One of the interest-

ing records made by Burchell about G. edulis is the edibihty

of the corms of the plants he collected, hence the specific

epithet. In point of fact it is a common occurrence in South

Africa for small animals (particularly baboons) to dig up and

eat iridaceous corms.

Desceiption : — Perennial herb 2-3 ft. tall. Corm 1-

1*25 cm. diam. excluding the fibrous outer covering. Stem

2-3 mm. thick with 2 outer sheaths up to about 12 cm. long

and with 2-3 normal leaves from the base. Leaves sheathing

for 20-25 cm. and with free portion filiform, 45-60 cm. long

and 1-5 mm. broad, with a prominent midrib on upper and

lower surface and thickened margins ; cauline leaves 2-3,

more or less evenly spaced, partly sheathing and with free

tips shorter than leaves ; the uppermost one (bract) shorter

than the inflorescence. Inflorescence simple or with one

branch up to about 20 cm. long, 10-20-flowered. Bracts

broadly ovate acuminate, membranous, white with many

dehcate brownish veins. Perianth 2-5-3*25 cm. long with

cream tube and creamish within upper lobe, otherwise lobes

white with pinkish tinge and dark red veins ; tube 1-1*4 cm.

long, slender in basal part, curved and widened to the throat ;

uppermost lobe hooded, 1*75-2 cm. long, acuminate ; lateral

lobes clawed, spathulate, aristate, about 1*5 cm. long and

6 mm. broad ; lower three lobes kneed and reflexed at about

the middle, linear-spathulate, about 1*5 cm. long, 2 mm.

broad, with the margins upfolded in the lower half. Style

about 2 cm. long with the stigmas broadly expanded and

folded upwards, ciliate. Capsule up to about 1*25 cm. long

and 1 cm. broad ; seed winged. (National Herbarium, Pre-

toria, No. 27996.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1017. — Figs. 1 and 1a, base and top of plant, natural size ; 2,

cross-section of leaf, X 7 ; 3, longitudinal section of flower, x 2-5 ; 4,

stigmas, X 5 ; 5, seed, x 1*5 ; 6, habit.

F.P.A., April 1947.

1018

M.M.PaJe del.

Huth chr,

Plate 1018.

GETHYLLIS LINEARIS.

Cape Province

AmAR YLLID ACE AE .

Gethyllis linearis L. Bolus in Journ. Bot. 67 : 136 (1929).

The genus Gethyllis is endemic in South Africa and occurs

chiefly in the western and south-western districts, with one or

two species in the central region. It is closely related to

Apodolirion, a species of which was flgured on Plate 533 of

this work, where the chief difference between the genera was

stated, namely that in Apodolirion the stamens are in two

whorls, situated at different levels in the perianth tube.

There are frequent references to Gethyllis in the older books

of travel since the fruits, known as Kukumakrankas (Koekoe-

makrankas), were much prized by the colonists. Most of

them have a dehcious fruity aroma. An alcohohc infusion of

the fruits was used as a remedy for digestive troubles.

Gethyllis is poorly represented in most herbaria seeing that

the leaves, flowers and fruits all appear at different seasons.

The leaves are produced after the winter rains begin, and have

disappeared, or persist only in a very withered state, when the

flowers appear during the summer, and even in October, the

flowering-period of each species in any case being of the

briefest. The fruits are produced above the ground in autumn

or early winter. Fortunately all three stages of Gethyllis

linearis were obtained from the bulbs collected by Advocate

H. S. van Zyl (afterwards Judge-President) and grown by

Dr. L. Bolus in her garden. These bulbs which provided the

type-material of the species were collected in the Van Rhyns-

dorp District in flower in October 1918, when they were drawn

by the late Miss M. M. Page. A white-flowered form of this

species has since been found in the same district.

DESCRiPTioisr : — Bulb globose or ovoid, about 1*5 cm.

diam., outer sheath produced into a neck 4-6 cm. long.

Leaves 8-16 to a bulb, hnear, glabrous, subglaucous, spirally

twisted, 6-10 cm. long, 2-3’5 mm. broad. Perianth pink or

white, tube 6-8 cm. long above the ground and extending below

the ground to the bulb, segments oblong-ovate, abruptly

acute at the apex, 2-3-5 cm. long, 1-1-4 cm. broad. Stamens

6 ; anthers 6, 6-8 mm. long ; filaments 3-5 mm. long, joined

to the throat of the perianth tube. Style unilateral, exserted

for 1-5-2 cm. from the tube. Stigma trilobed, about 1-5 mm.

diam. Berry long, cylindrical, transparent, with yellow or

reddish seeds. (Bolus Herbarium, No. 15187.) — F. M.

Leighton.

Plate 1018. — Fig. 1, plant ; 2, leaves and sheath ; 3, flower with tube

slit to show the arrangement of the stamens ; 4, berry ; all natural size.

F.P.A., April 1947.

Plate 1019.

BULBINE TORTIFOLIA.

Transvaal.

Liliaceae.

Bulbine tortifolia Verdoorn, sp. nov., affinis B. asphodeloidei et B.

altissimae sed ab his et omnibus speciebus foliis camosis subteretibusque,

foliis tortis, capsuhs majoribus (1 cm. diameter) subvacuis, seminibus alatis

facile distinguenda.

Acaulis, eaespitosa. Rhizoma circa 2-5 cm. longa, 2 cm. diam. fibris

radicalibus subincrassatis. Folia 20, erecta, teretia, carnosa, stricta sed

tortilia, 35 cm. longa, 6 mm. diam., acuta, basibus compressis 3-5 cm. longis

1 cm. latis persistentibus marginibus late albidis seariosis alatis. Scaptts

simplex, erectus, in toto 60-83 cm. longus, teres, 6 mm. diam. Racemm

subdensus, 15 cm. longus deinde 30 cm. vel plus longus, 3-5 cm. diametro ;

bracteae setosae, 1-2-1 -5 cm. longae, tortiles, patentes, basi latae hyalinae ;

pedicelli 5-10 mm. longi, erecto-patentes deinde arcuato-erecti. Perianthium

flavum, persistens ; segmenta patentia deinde reflexa, viridi-nervata,

concava 6 mm. longa, 4 mm. lata ; 3 exteriora apice leviter cucullata ; 3

interiora apice obtusa minute dentata. Stamina 6, filamenta supra medium

pUis longis flavis barbata, 3 exterioribus 2 mm. longis, 3 interioribus,

2-5 mm. longis ; antherae 2 mm. longae. Ovarium 2-5 mm. longum, 2 mm.

diam.; stylus teres, 2-5 mm. longus stigmate parvo terminale. Capsula

paUide viridis deinde brunnea, subglobosa, 3-lobata, 1 cm. diam., 3-locularis,

subvacua ; semina triquetra, minute punctata, deinde transverse rugosa,

angulis anguste alatis.

Transvaal : Pretoria ; Koedoespoort ; Mogg in National Herbarium

No. 27753 (t3rpe) ; Baviaanspoort, Smith 1059 ; Rietvlei Dam, Mogg 17619 :

Potgietersrust ; Watt and Brandwyk 2039.

Many of the species of Bulbine are quite attractive, with

their bright yellow flowers and shiny green sub-succulent

leaves and peduncles. The brightness of the flower is accentu-

ated by the filaments having a beard of long hairs, which are

the same colour as the perianth. This beard on the filaments

is a generic character, which separates Bulbine from the closely

related genus Bulbinella. On Plate 930, Vol. 24, an example

of the last-mentioned genus may be found, while on Plates 217,

377 and 489 are species of Bulbine.

From the last three plates mentioned it will be seen how

much the species in this genus vary in general habit. In

B. mesembryanthemoides the leaf is thick, hke a httle barrel

and usually underground with only the translucent top show-

ing above the surface, hke some Mesembryeae. B. latifolia

has a rosette of flat, rather fleshy, ovate-lanceolate leaves,

while those figured on Plate 217 are terete and somewhat like

a penholder.

Our plant is nearest the last mentioned which, although

under the name of B. asphodeloides, should rather be named

B. altissima (MiU.) Fourc. {=B. longiscapa Willd.). As at

present viewed in the National Herbarium B. asphodeloides

is distinguished by having the racemes proportionately broader

and shorter than those of B. altissima and the inflorescence

stiffer and usually not so tall.

Ah three species, B. tortifolia, B. asphodeloides and B.

altissima, together with some other species, come in the section

with sub-terete rather fleshy leaves. B. tortifolia is readily

distinguished among them by the definite twist in the erect

leaves (this twist also appears in the flowering bracts) ; by

the rather large, 1 cm. (ham., somewhat inflated capsule and

the winged seeds. In Figure 6 on the accompanying plate it

can be seen that the walls of the ovary are thin and the cells

are not completely fiUed by the ovules. Figure 7 shows the

narrow wing to the triquetrous seed, which is minutely

punctate, but not with raised white dots as in the other

species. As the seed matures there appear a few transverse

ridges on the surfaces. The hairs on the stamens are re-

stricted to a whorl above the middle of the filament. These

differences will be noted if the respective plates (this one and

217) are compared. Besides these features our plant is

distinguished by having the ripe capsule borne on an ascending

erect pedicel and the capsule not opening very widely after

dehiscence.

The specimen figured here was flowering m November

1946 near Koedoespoort, about six miles east of Pretoria.

It occurred in small clumps fairly sparsely scattered in a sandy

depression on the hill among white quartzite stones.

Description : — Rootstock small, somewhat thickened,

about 2 '5 cm. long and 2 cm. in diameter, bearing a fringe of

fleshy roots near the base, shghtly pinkish when cut. Leaves

about 20, basal bice green, shuiy, glabrous, erect, fleshy,

terete, twisted throughout, up to 35 cm. long and 5 mm.

diam., sap yellowish ; basal portion flattened, 3-5 cm. long

and 1 cm. broad, becoming scarious with white membranous

marginal wings, varying in width up to 1 cm. broad, persistent.

Flowering stalk unbranched, erect, 60-83 cm. tall (including

raceme), peduncle apple-green, terete, 6 mm. diam. Raceme

moderately dense, about 15 cm. long, 3-5 cm. diam., in fruit

elongating to 30 cm. or more ; bracts bristle-Hke from a broad

hyaluie base, 1-2-1 *5 cm. long, twisted like the leaves, patent,

overtopping the buds ; pedicels from about 5-10 mm. long,

erect-spreading, slightly cemuous at apex and Anally in fruit

arcuate-erect. Perianth lemon-yellow turning brown, open

in strong dayhght ; segments spreading, later reflexed, faintly

keeled with green, 6 mm. long, 4 mm. broad, concave ; 3 outer

with shghtly hooded apices ; 3 inner with a few irregular

minute teeth around the obtuse apices. Stamens all bearded

with a rim of long lemon-yellow hairs in the upper half of the

filament ; filaments of outer stamens 2 mm. long, of inner

2-5 mm. long ; anthers cream coloured, just under 2 mm. long.

Ovary 2-5 mm. long, 2 mm. diam., style terete, 2-5 mm. long

with a small terminal stigma. Capsule green becoming

brownish, sub-globose, 3 lobed, about 1 cm. diam., 3-locular ;

septa thin ; locuh sub- vacuous, the withered perianth per-

sisting at the base of the capsule ; seed 3-sided, finely and

obscurely punctate, eventually with a few transverse ridges

on the faces and with angles usually distinctly narrowly

winged. — I. C. Vekdooen.

Plate 1019. — Figs. 1 and 1a, raceme and leaf, natural size ; 2, flower,

pedicel and bract, x 3-5 ; 3, capsule before dehiscing, with pedicel and per-

sistent perianth, x 2 ; 4, transverse section of same, x 4-5 ; 5, seed from

same, x 10 ; 6, capsule after dehiscing, x 2 (added later in season) ; 7,

habit.

F.P.A., April 1947.

70Z0

R.Brown del.

Huth chr.

Plate 1020.

EULOPHIA MACKENII.

Natal, Lourenco Marques.

Orchid ACEAE.

Eulophia Mackenii Rolfe in Gard. Chron. 1892, 2 : 583 ; FI. Cap. 5,

3: 22 (1912).

In Eulophia Mackenii RoKe we have an exceptional

growth-form for the genus Eulophia. It is distinguished

from all other species described from southern Africa, in that

the leaves are variegated and more or less flat except for the

depressed midrib, whereas all other species have concolorous

leaves with two or more longitudinal folds. It is unusual too

in the toughness of the leaves and the aerial pseudobulbs.

When Rolfe first described E. Mackenii in 1892, he com-

pared it with E. maculata Reichb. f. from Brazil, but pointed

out several important distinguishing features. Although

RoKe named the plant after Mark McKen, one time Curator

of the Botanic Gardens, Durban, and one of the first collectors

of the species, he had additional material for examination,

including a living plant in flower at Kew in 1891, forwarded

in the previous year by Mr. Staden from Natal.

Our plate — the first on record of the species — was made

from one of several plants collected in February 1944 by Mr.

A. C. Daintree, in shade on the Lebombo Mts., Louren9o

Marques District. It flowered at the National Herbarium,

Pretoria, in February-March when it was figured, and again

in the following year. There is a fairly wide range in leaf

size, depending, no doubt, largely on the conditions of growth

and of the development of the pseudobulbs. Records show

that plants are found occasionally wedged between rocks.

While Mr. Datutree’s plants agree closely with specimens

of E. Mackenii from the type locahty of Natal, he has also

collected closely alhed forms on the Lebombo Mts. which may

not be covered by any published description. Flowers from

specimens in cultivation are awaited with interest.

Description : — Pseudobulbs aerial, more or less ovoid,

covered with broad, acute imbricating sheaths, which dis-

integrate into fibrous remains, about 2 cm. long and 2 cm.

broad towards the base, 1-leaved. Leaf petioled, coriaceous,

eUiptic-oblong, subacute, irregularly transversely banded

with dark and fight green when young, becoming irregularly

blotched and sometimes indistinctly mottled with age, up to

about 14 cm. long and 4 cm. broad (shrinking to 3*25 cm.

broad when dry), impressed along the upper surface on the

midrib, with the margins slightly undulate and slightly folded

together and contracted into a petiole-like base 2 cm. long.

Scape lateral from new growth, erect, 10-30 cm. long with a

few lanceolate acuminate bracts. Raceme 25-flowered or

more, with up to 12 open flowers at the same time, sometimes

with 1-2 short branches from its base. Sepals pale yellowish-

green ; upper one obovate-oblong, 9-10 mm. long and 3 mm.

broad above the middle ; lateral sepals falcate-oblong. Petals

pale yellowish-green, slightly shorter and broader than the

upper sepal. Lip white, about as long as the petals, 4-lobed ;

two basal side lobes with red margins and red-striped, incurved

ascending, broadly rounded when flattened out giving the lip

a total width of about 1 *2 cm. ; two front lobes white suffused

with red at the junction with the basal lobes, nearly quadrate,

diverging, truncate or crenulate with a recurved margin.

Disk smooth with a 2-lobed callus at the base ; spur clavate-

oblong, 4-5 mm. long, about half as long as lip. Column

stout, 4 mm. long; polfinia attached by stipes to crescent-

shaped gland. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27283.) —

R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1020, — Figs. 1 and 1a, plant natural size ; 2, flower, x 2-5 ; 3,

lateral sepal, x 3 ; 4, petal, x 3 ; 5, Up, x 3 ; 6, Up opened out with spiu"

attached, x 2 ; 7, column, X 4 ; 8, polUnia, stipes and gland, x 3.

F.P.A., April 1947.

Plate 1021.

HYPOXIS RIGIDULA.

Transvaal, O.F.S., Natal, Cape Province.

Hypoxidaceae.

Hypoxis rigidula Bah. in Joum. Linn. Soc, 17 : 116 (1878) ; FI. Cap.

6: 186 (1896).

In the Bentham and Hooker system of classification the

genus Hypoxis was included in the family Amaryllidaceae

under the tribe Hypoxideae. At about the same time J. G.

Baker, in his Synopsis of Hypoxidaceae in Joum. Linn. Soc.

Bot., 1878, pointed out that these plants form a separate

well defined group, but added that he did not intend entering

into the question whether the group should be classified as a

family, or as a tribe of the family Amaryllidaceae as Bentham

was about to do. Dr. J. Hutchinson in his Famihes of

Flowering Plants, 1934, delimits the Bentham and Hooker

conception of Amaryllidaceae and recognises, together with a

few others, the family Hypoxidaceae.

Hypoxis rigidula is widely spread in the grasslands of the

Transvaal, Natal, O.F.S. and eastern Cape Province. Its

strong fibrous leaves are used by natives as string or rope and

long cords can be made by plaiting several together. In the

early summer the bright chrome flowers of this and related

species, with which it grows, are conspicuous in the grass.

The species is distinguished from its near relatives by a

combination of characters ; it has only about five produced

leaves which are more or less rigid and erect at the time of

flowering but continue to grow and eventually curve back-

wards and bend down ; they are about 60 cm. long and up

to 1*5 cm. broad and are pubescent on both surfaces ; these

leaves are folded tightly together at the base and sheathed by

the two outer leaves which are usually short with short, free

points ; the neck thus formed is from about 10 to 15 cm. long ;

lastly the flowers are arranged racemosely and are about eight

in number.

Interesting features which this species shares with others

in the genus are the thick single tuberous rootstock which is

bright yellow and juicy inside, the circumscissile dehiscence of

the capsule, the consohdated stigmas and the characteristic

pubescence.

In H. rigidula the pubescence covers the peduncle

from where it emerges from the “ neck,” the entire exposed

surface of the closed flower and, as mentioned above, both

surfaces of the leaves. The hairs are greyish-white and give

a silvery appearance to the plant. This feature is difiicult

to depict and is not obvious in the accompanying painting.

In some individuals the pubescence is fairly sparse on the

leaves while in others it is very dense, the extreme form being

classified as H. rigidula var. pilosissima Bak. The flowers,

which are sessile or only shortly pedicelled, open about three

at a time from the base of the raceme. When closing, the

margins of the three inner segments roll inwards as the six

perianth segments come together. The closed perianth per-

sists until the seed is ripe and then falls by a clean circular

division from the top of the capsule, leaving the black seeds

exposed in the three cells of the fruit.

On Plate 172, Volume 5, of this work a related species,

H. Rooperi is figured. It is easily distinguished by its more

numerous, broad, recurved leaves, arranged trifariously.

The specimen figured was collected in Brooklyn, Pretoria,

in November 1945, by Miss R. Robertson who found it in

large numbers widely scattered in the grassveld. Scattered

in the same area are two or three other species of Hypoxis —

including H. Rooperi mentioned above.

Description ; — Tvber about 8 cm. long and 6 cm. diam. more or less

obovoid or obconical, upper half beset with long rigid spreading bristles

(the remains of old leaf-bases), when freshly cut chrome-coloured like the

flowers and juicy within. Leaves : basal, about 7, tbe 2 outer closely

enveloping the others at the base forming a neck up to 15 cm. long, the 6

inner eventually about 60 cm. and 1-6 cm. broad, at first erect, rather rigid,

linear, somewhat acuminate, prominently about 15-ribbed, pilose on both

surfaces. Inflorescences 5, produced successively, racemose, basal. Peduncle

exserted from the neck for 12 to 35 cm., slender, thickening sUghtly towards

the top where it is also more densely grey-pilose. Raceme 4- to 9-flowered

but usually 8-flowered. Bracts lanceolate, acuminate, up to 2 cm. long,

pilose with grey hairs. Flowers about 3 cm. diam. when open, sessile

or shortly pedicelled ; buds and closed flowers densely pilose on outer

exposed surface ; ovary green, inferior, obconic, densely grey-pilose exter-

nally ; perianth lobes spreading, lemon chrome on inner face ; 3 outer

14 mm. long, 6 mm. broad, warbler-green and densely grey-pUose dorsally

with only very narrow chrome borders ; 3 inner similar but somewhat

broader and chrome-lemon with only a narrow green keel dorsally. Stamens

erect ; filaments short, 2 mm. long ; anthers 5 mm. long, light cadmium.

Stigmas 3, concrete. Capsule dehiscing by a circumscissile hd which falls

off with the cone-hke apex of the closed flower exposing the black shining

seeds superimposed in the 3 cells. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

27577.) — I. C. Vebdoobn.

Plate 1021. — Fig. 1, whole plant much reduced ; 2, one raceme with

leaves, natural size ; 3, dorsal view of open flower, natural size ; 4, stamens

dorsal and ventral view, enlarged ; 5, stigmas enlarged ; 6, raceme with

dehiscing capsules, aU the caps having fallen, natural size ; 7, cap crowned

with closed perianth ; 8, cross section of capsule, enlarged.

F.P.A., July 1947.

1022

Euth r 'rrr

S. Gower del.

Plate 1022.

ALBUCA PATERSONIAE.

Cape Province.

LUilACEAE.

Albuca Patersoniae Schonl. in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. 1 : 442 (1910).

In 1926, when Phillips described Albuca convoluta (on

Plate 225) in this work, he passed the remark that “ On the

whole the species are httle known and all the South African

representatives require careful revision.” These remarks are

just as apphcable to-day, for our knowledge of the genus has

not been advanced much in the intervening 20 years.

One reason for the neglect is that the genus has no apparent

economic value, except in a minor degree in native medicine.

No species has been proved toxic and no species has come into

favour as a cut flower, such as has been the case in the aUied

genus Ornithogalum.

Albuca forms a natural and fairly distinctive genus and

would certainly repay the interest of a taxonomist in bringing

greater order into its classification. For a thorough revision,

it will be necessary to gather together a representative living

collection for study, because, as in many alhed genera, her-

barium material is inadequate and diflicult to reconstruct to

its living shape. Further, living material must be examined

fresh, for as flowers age they become soft and sometimes

filled with mucilage.

The painting of A. Patersoniae reproduced here was made

in 1922 from material collected near Port Elizabeth by

F. Cruden, while the species was founded on plants collected

in 1910 at Redhouse, also near Port Elizabeth, by Mrs.

J. V. Paterson, who, for a number of years, contributed to the

building up of the herbarium of the Albany Museum at

Grahamstown.

Although Schonland allied his species nearest to A. altis-

sima Dryand (presumably with the aid of the key by Baker

in Flora Capensis 6, 1897), it would seem, by reason of its

habit, to be more akin to A. Cooperi Baker and A. fibrosa

Baker, the tunics of whose bulbs also become fibrous, but

whose flowers have yellow as a basic colour and not white

as with A. Patersoniae.

The figured material is recorded as having no anthers to

the outer three stamens, whereas in the type they are described

as sterile. This is not regarded as of much significance.

Description : — Bulb globose or somewhat depressed-

globose, 4-5 cm. diam. with the outer timics very smooth,

white and becoming fibrous at the apex. Leaves ^5, linear

canahculate with the margins infolding and making them

appear subterete, up to 25 cm. long. Peduncle terete

ebracteate, 8-12 cm. long. Raceme subcorymbose, few-

flowered, with bracts lanceolate, cuspidate, about 10 mm.

long, with pedicels incurved, the lower ones up to about

15 mm. long while the upper ones are gradually shorter.

Flowers erect ; the outer perianth segments about 2*3 cm.

long, white with a reddish keel ; the inner perianth segments

about 1’9 cm. long, white with median green keels. Stamens

with the outer 3 anthers sterile or absent. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria No. 28204.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1022. — Fig. 1, whole plant natural size ; 2, longitudinal section

of flower, enlarged ; 3 and 3a, face and side views of outer perianth segments;

4 and 4a, face and side views of inner perianth segments ; 5, gynoecium.

F.P.A., July 1947.

lOVi

M M. P;;ga tie].

Huth cJxr.

Plate 1023.

DELOSPERMA ASHTONII.

Basutoland, Orange Free State.

Aizoaceae.

Delosperma Ashtonii L. Bolus in Mesemb. 2 : 317 (1932).

The nearest affinities of D. Ashtonii are D. Sutherlandii

(Hook, f.) N.E. Br., D. hirtum (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br., and D. caro-

linense N.E.Br., all having tuberous roots, flattened leaves,

flowers large for the genus, and pink petals. All have been re-

corded from the Transvaal except D. Ashtonii which, so far, has

been collected only in Basutoland, Butha Butha being one

of the stations, and at Clarens and Gum Tree in the Orange

Free State. In having the top of the ovary concave tins

species resembles D. carolinense ; but it differs in several

other respects, notably in being pubescent.

The drawing was made from plants which flowered in the

National Botanic Gardens at Kirstenbosch in November 1922,

the year in which it was received from Mr. H. Ashton after

whom the species is named.

Description : — Root tuberous. Branches erect, short,

tufted, or the flowering ones finally up to 8 cm. long ; her-

baceous parts green, papillate and pubescent, the papillae

ending in a soft hair. Leaves ovate-oblong, oblong, or

linear, slightly narrowed towards the base, obtuse, up to

4*5 cm. long, 1*2 cm. broad, and 4 mm. in diameter, the sheath

2 mm. long. Peduncle 2-4 cm. long, with the bracts placed near

the middle. Bracts obtusely keeled, up to 3 cm. long, 5 mm.

broad. Flowers 1-3-nate, up to 4*5 cm. in diameter. Receptacle

turbinate or subclavate, gradually passing off into the

peduncle, 7-10 mm. long, up to 9 mm. in diameter. Sepals

5, usually 6-9 mm. long. Petals laxly 4-seriate, narrowed

towards the base, obtuse, emarginate, or acute, bright rose-

pink, white near the base, up to 2-4 cm. long, up to 2 mm.

broad. Staminodes as long as, or longer than, the nearly

erect, collected stamens. Filaments up to 5 mm. long, the

innermost papillate in the middle ; anthers and pollen yellow.

Glands conspicuous, distant. Ovary concave, the lobes

scarcely visible. Stigmas 5, subulate, caudate, 3-4 mm.

long. (National Botanic Gardens, No. 1148/22.) — L. Bolus.

Plate 1023. — Fig. 1, part of a plant cut off from the tuberous root ;

2, transverse sections of leaf at the base, middle and apex, natural size ;

3, longitudinal section of part of flower, x 2 ; 4, receptacle and sepals,

natural size ; 6, petals ; 6, staminode ; 7, stamens, x 2 ; 8, gynoecium,

X 3 ; 9, stigma, x 2.

F.P.A., July 1947.

702^

6

S.O- Carter del.

io

Huth clir.

Plate 1024.

DELOSPERMA JANSEI.

Transvaal^ Natal,

Aizoaoeae.

Delosperma Jemsei N. E. Brown in Burtt Davy Flora Transvaal 1 :

158 (1926) ; D. denticulatum L, Bolus, Notes Mesemb. 2: 383 (1933).

Among the Aizoaceae of the Transvaal the genus Delo-

sperma easily holds the first place, both for the number of

species (which far exceeds that of any of the other genera)

and for their diversity of form and habit. Apart from the

group containing D. Mahoni N.E. Br. and its affinities, the

species appear to be well defined, and are not difficult to

distniguish. But their number has not yet by any means

been told, and much more intensive coUecting and study of

the living plant are necessary before this can be given with any

accuracy, and many intermediate forms may be discovered.

D. Jansei was described from dried material collected

by Mr. A. J. T. Janse in January 1911 on the Saddleback

Mountain, Barberton. Mr. G. Thorncroft got it at the same

time, “ hanging from rocks, the branches up to 2 feet long,

in mist, on the top of the Saddleback, Rimer’s Creek, Barber-

ton, at an altitude of 4500 ft.” In 1931 Mr. C. N. Knox-

Davies sent living plants from the “ Barberton District ” to

Kirstenbosch, where they flowered during the summer of

1932. These provided material for Miss Carter’s drawing and

for the type of D. denticulatum L. Bolus, a form which cannot

be upheld as a distinct species, as a recent comparison with

the type of D. Jansei clearly proves.

A second locality for this species was discovered in Natal —

“ side of Dumbe Mountains, Paulpietersburg, on rocks ” —

in December 1943, by Dr. F, Z. van der Merwe, who sent

living material which flowered freely in my garden during

the following summer, and was identified with the type.

Description : — Rootstock woody or tuberous, up to 1 cm.

diam. ; herbaceous parts pubescent with short, spread-

ing or recurved hairs. Branches elongated, decumbent,

1-3 mm. in diameter. Leaves lanceolate or narrowly obovate,

widest in the middle or a httle above, acute, narrowed towards

the base, shghtly concave above, obscurely keeled, up to

2 cm. long, 9 mm. broad, 3 mm. in diameter ; sheath 1 -5 mm.

long. Receptacle shortly turbinate, 3 mm. long, up to 6 mm.

in diameter. Sepals 5, acute or acuminate ; the exterior

keeled, recurved at the apex, up to 1*2 cm. ; the 3 interior

5-9 mm. long. Petals 4-seriate ; exterior almost truncate,

irregularly 3-5-denticulate at the apex, gradually narrowed

downwards, white, 1-1*3 cm. long, up to 1*5 mm. broad ;

the interior acuminate, gradually passing off into the stami-

nodes. Staminodes recurved at the apex ; the inner yellow

upwards, up to 7 mm. long. Stamens collected into a cone,

up to 5 mm. long ; filaments yellow towards the apex, the

innermost papillate near the middle ; anthers yellow. Glands

rather inconspicuous, sometimes fairly distant, sometimes

approximating and nearly united. Ovary fiat above around

the margin ; the lobes finally approximate, obtuse, elevated

for 1*5 mm. Stigmas 5, subulate, caudate, up to 2*75 mm.

long, the cauda 1 mm. long. {Janse ; O. Thorncroft 783 ;

National Botanic Gardens, No. 2207/31 ; F. van der Merwe

2782.) — L. Bolus.

Plate 1024. — Fig. 1, branch, nat. size ; 2, leaf, upper and under surface ;

3, transverse sections of leaf from the tip, middle and base, x 2 ; 4, flower,

side view, nat. size ; 6, longitudinal section of flower, sepals removed,

X 5 ; 6, sepals, X 2 ; 7, petals and staminodes ; 8, stamens ; 9, stigma ;

10, gynoecium and glands, X 5.

F.P.A., July 1947.

10ZS

R.Broxvn del.

4

Huth chr.

Plate 1025.

EUPHORBIA COERULESCENS.

Cape

EuPHOBBIACE AE .

Euphorbia coerulescens Haw. in Phil. Mag., 276 (1827) ; N. E.

Brown in FI. Cap. 5, 2 : 365 (1916) ; White, Dyer and Sloane, Succulent

Euphorbieae 2 : 839 (1941).

Probably the first close study in the field of Euphorbia

coerulescens Haw. and some of its near allies was made by the

two Hollanders, Professor J. P. Lotsy and Dr. W. A. Goddyn.

These botanists explored parts of the Union with the main

object of discovering and studying hybrid populations. They

travelled in the eastern Cape Province, 1926-27, with the

present writer as assistant. Their conclusions, biassed on

occasions by wishful thinking on the part of the senior author,

were pubhshed in Genetica 1928. Dr. R. Marloth had given

members of the group some thought during his several con-

tacts with them. A paper by him entitled A Revision of the

group Virosae of the Genus Euphorbia as far as represented

in South Africa, was published in S.A. Journal of Science 1930,

but in this he concentrated on the affinity of E, coerulescens

with E. virosa from Namaqualand and omitted reference to

the related species E. Ledienii Berger and E. Franchiana

Berger.

The subject of the relationship of E. coerulescens to its

alhes was reviewed again in the Succulent Euphorbieae, 1941,

since when no evidence of importance has been added. The

epithet coerulescens refers to the bluish (glaucous) green

colour of the healthy young growth, which makes it an

attractive succulent for those who build rockeries. In the

preparation of his monograph of the genus for Flora Capensis,

1915, N. E. Brown had at his disposal the type specimen of

E. coerulescens first introduced into the Royal Botanic

Gardens, Kew, by James Bowie in 1823. Approximately

coinciding with Bowie’s time at the Cape were Boos and

Scholl, who introduced plants into the Royal Gardens of

Schoenbrunn, on the outskirts of Vienna, Austria. Both of

these introductions may still survive.

The figured specimen, grown at the National Herbarium,

Pretoria, was collected in 1939 by J. Erens, 35 miles south of

Graaff Reinet, which is towards the northern limit of distribu-

tion of the species, and where it is not associated with any near

relative.

Description: — A succulent shrub up to about T5 m.

high, branching from the base and multiplying by means of

rhizomes which spread underground and give rise at intervals

to stiffly erect young plants ; basal branches either branched

or unbranched, 3-5 cm. thick, constricted into rounded,

oblong or elongated segments 3-7-10 cm. long, 4-6-angled,

dark glaucous green in general appearance ; angles sinuate-

tubercled, with a continuous or rarely interrupted homy

margin, bearing stout spines 6-12 mm. long in pairs.

Inflorescence of cymes produced on the terminal segments of

branches, 1-3 together from each flowering eye, pedimcled ;

the cymes consisting of 3 cyathia disposed parallel to the

plane of the main axis, the central cyathium male and the

2 lateral ones bisexual ; pedimcles 5-6 mm. long, with the

2 branches about 3 mm. long ; bracts broad, with few cilia.

Involucre somewhat cupshaped, 5-6 mm. diam., including

glands, glabrous, with 5 glands and 5 subquadrate, fimbriate

lobes ; glands canary yeflow, about 2-5 mm. in their greater

diam., transversely oblong. Ovary stalked ; styles 3 mm.

long, united for half their length with bifid tips. Capsule

exserted, 3-angled. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No.

27269.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1025. — Fig. 1, terminal portion of branch, natural size ; 2, cyme

in fruit, x 2 ; 3, half-mature capsule, x 2 ; 4, habit.

F.P.A., July 1947.

;

1026

Plate 1026.

CLEMATOPSIS KIRKII.

Belgian Congo, Tanganyika, Portuguese East Africa,

Nyasaland, N. and S. Rhodesia.

R ANUNCTILACE AE .

Clematopsis Kirkii (Oliv.) Hutchinson in Kew Bull. 1920 ; 17 ;

Clematis Kirkii Oliv. in El. Trop. Afr. 1 : 5 (1868).

In Volume 3 on Plate 81 another member of this genus is

figured. There it is explained that Dr. J. Hutchinson estab-

hshed the genus Clemato'psis in 1920, distinguishing it from

Clematis by the aestivation, which is generally imbricate or

partly imbricate in the former instead of valvate.

As far as the two genera are known to-day, it appears that

this distinction (at any rate in the African species) is sup-

ported by another character, the species of Clematopsis being

bushy plants, while those of Clematis are twiners. This would

also support the conjecture that Clematis has probably arisen

through Clematopsis ; that is, the latter is slightly more

primitive than the former.

The figure was prepared from plants growing in the

National Herbarium garden. These were raised from seed

collected on the Dedza plateau in Nyasaland during the Pole-

Evans Central and East African Expedition in 1938.

The collector, Mr. J. Erens, reports that these plants make

a fine show in the wild. The flowers, which appear in April

and May, are sweetly scented and are pendulous with the

sepals spreading. It was found that the majority of flowers

examined had imbricate aestivation, with two segments wholly

without and two wholly within ; while in a few cases one

segment was wholly without, one wholly within and two half

in and half out. In all cases the overlapping edges were

induphcate while the overlapped edges were straight.

T^ue to the family characteristic, the fruit in this species

is quite decorative, having the bunch of carpels in each head

terminating in persistent plumose styles, which curve down-

wards and then curl in different directions. The hairs are

somewhat silky and when still appressed to the style give the

whole a sUky silvery-grey appearance. Towards the apex the

styles are dark purplish-red.

Desceiption : — Bushy plant about 1 m. high. Branches

mostly erect with some decumbent, pubescent, sulcate and

narrowly fistular. Leaves opposite, up to 22 cm. long, pinnate

with usually 5 leaflets (sometimes 3 or 7) ; leaflets varying in

size from 3 cm. long and 2 cm. broad, to 10 cm. long and 8 cm.

broad or the terminal often 7 by 7 cm., deeply crenate and

3-lobate, entire and somewhat cuneate towards the base (the

lateral obhque), veins prominent beneath, hirsute. Flowers

creamy white, 1 to 3 on terminal shoots, or shoots in the axils

of the upper leaves. Pedicels up to 6 cm. long, cemuous,

creamy white, tomentose. Sepals imbricate in aestivation,

creamy white, softly tomentose on both surfaces with the

tomentum slightly fawny on the dorsal face, spreading,

oblong, 3 cm. long and 2-2*5 cm. broad, margins somewhat

crenate at the broad apex, apiculate. Stamens yellow,

numerous, 1*5 cm. long, fllaments linear, pilose except at the

base and apex ; anthers linear, basiflxed, deeper yellow than

the fllaments but otherwise not easily distinguished from them.

Carpels numerous in a globose head, green, 4 mm. long, 3 mm.

broad, pilose, ending in a persistent pilose style which is up

to 5 cm. long and dark reddish purple at the apex. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27991.) — I. C. Verdoorn.

Plate 1026. — Fig. 1, flowering branch, natural size; 2, stamen, x 3;

3, ditto, side view ; 4, fruiting head ; 6, carpel with style, x 1*5 ; 6, habit.

F.P.A., July 1947.

E.K.BurtJes del-

Huth chr.

Plate 1027.

URGINEA EPIGEA.

Transvaal.

Liliaceae.

Urginia epigea R. A. Dyer, sp. nov., aflfinis U. altissimae (L.f.) Baker

bulbo plus minusve epigeo, scapo minus congesto differt.

Bulbus 10-15 cm. alt. et diam. plus minusve epigeus, solitarius vel

divisus, compactus, squamis 5-7 cm. latis 1-1’25 cm. crassis apice disinte-

gratis. Folia hysterantha, lineari-lanceolata, 15-30 cm. longa, 2-3 cm.

lata, glabra. Scapus teres, erectus, usque 1 m. altus et basin versus 1-25 cm.

crassus. Bracteae basi inflorescentiae circiter 8 cm. longae, lineari-lanceo-

latac, calcare 3-3-5 cm. longo ; superiores calcare 5 mm. longo vel obsolete.

Pedicelli 7*5-2'5 cm. longi, patentes. Perianthium 9 mm. longum, lobis

basis versus 1*5 mm. connatis albidis oblongis recurvis exterioribus 2-5 mm.

latis, interioribus 3 mm. latis. Ovarium trigonum, 4 mm. longum ; stylus

cylindricus 3 mm. longus. Capsula plus minusve 1 cm. alta et lata.

Transvaal : Middelburg Distr. ; van der Merwe 2203, grown at National

Herbarium, Pretoria, 27194 (type) ; Lydenburg Distr. ; Sekukuniland,

4000 ft., Nov., Barnard 71.

There is a large group of plants classified under the name

Urginea altissima. The distribution records cover the greater

part of southern Africa into tropical Africa and there seems

no doubt that if it were possible to study livuag plants of all

the forms, the evidence would be in favour of recognising

three, if not more, distinct species.

The Transvaal plant dealt with here is a case in point. It

has for several years been named U. altissima owing to the

similarity of its inflorescence to the typical form from the Cape

Province. Its inflorescence is, however, less dense, and there

is a striking difference in the bulb formation, which is the

main reason for segregating it now. It will be noted from the

illustration that the bulbs, which are composed of large

fleshy scales, stand largely exposed above ground and do not

have the neck usually associated with bulbs. In addition the

parent bulbs frequently divide, giving rise to tufts of two to

several united bulbs.

Factors contributing largely to the misunderstanding of

this group of plants are the absence of leaves at flowering time,

and the large size of the bulbs, whose characters are not easily

preserved for herbarium records. The majority of the pre-

served specimens consist of inflorescences only, which do not

show very distinctive features. It is partly because of this

that it is not possible to delimit the full range of U. epigea.

Although the figured specimen collected by Dr. F. Z. van

der Merwe in September 1943, has been selected as the type

specimen, it was not the first record in the herbarium.

W. G. Barnard collected specimens in 1934 in the Lydenburg

district where they are frequent, but even before this date,

possibly more than 12 years before, bulbs were in cultivation

at the National Herbarium, Pretoria. Besides the specimens

cited above, bulbs have been collected in the same area by

Messrs. Holloway, Gerstner and Southam.

The inflorescence, which sometimes stands up to about

4 ft. tall, has several of its white, green striped flowers open

each day, but each flower lasts only one day. Barnard reports

that the natives in Sekukuniland (Lydenburg district) inhale

the smoke from smouldering bulbs as a treatment for colds and

headaches, and also that its flowering period signifies the

correct time for planting grain crops.

Description : — Bulb mainly above ground, 10-15 cm. diam. and about

the same in height, often branched into groups of 2-4 (0-5), formed of

tightly packed fleshy scales ; scales 5-7 cm. broad, 1-1-25 cm. thick, wither-

ing gradually from the apex. Leaves produced after the inflorescence,

linear-lanceolate, 15-30 cm. long, 2-3 cm. hroad, tough, glabrous, shining.

Scape terete, erect, about 1 m. taU, 1-25 cm. thick towards the base, nude for

about 26 cm. with few sterile bracts below the fairly dense raceme of about

60 cm. in length. Bracts at base of raceme linear-lanceolate, 8 mm. long,

with an oblong spur 3-3-5 mm. long from near its base ; upper bracts about

6 mm. long, kneed 1 mm. above the base and with a small basal spur about

0-5 long, and with an aristate bracteole laterally placed at the base of the

pedicel. Pedicels very variable in length on the same raceme, 7-5-2-25 cm.

long. Perianth, 9 mm. long, united for 1-5 mm. at the base, the lobes white

with a narrow green keel, oblong ; the outer whorl 2-5 mm. broad, with a

small tuft of minute hairs at the apex ; inner whorl 3 mm. broad with a

slight keel and thickened behind the apex. Stamens with filaments attached

to the base of the perianth ; filaments 5 mm. long, comparatively thick

below, tapering to the anthers. Ovary 4 mm. long, oblong, 3-angled with the

carpels slightly grooved down their back ; ovules numerous ; style 3 mm.

long with minutely 3-lobed stigma as seen from above. Capsule about 1 cm.

broad and high, 3-angled, with black, winged seeds. — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1027. — Fig. 1, part of inflorescence, natural size ; 2, leaf added

few weeks later ; 3, bract from lowermost flower, x 2 ; 4, bract and upper

flower, X 2 ; 5 and 5a, habit sketch of bulbs in flower and leaf.

F.P.A., July 1947.

I02H

Huth cifT

Plate 1028.

DOLICHOS PEGLERAE.

Cape Province^ Natal.

Papilionaceae.

Dolichos Peglerae L. Bolus in Ann. Bolus Herbarium 3 ; 71 (1921).

This handsome plant, too attractive to escape notice easily,

would seem to be rare. The only records available are Miss

Pegler’s collection from the Transkei, “ twining among trees

along streams, near Kentani,” in February 1905 {Pegler 1178) ;

Mr. F. J. Stayner’s from the Enkazini Forest in Natal in

1915 ; and Dr. E. E. Galpui’s from Byrne in the Richmond

District, Natal, in April 1932. Mr. Stayner’s collection was

sent to the National Botanic Gardens at Kirstenbosch, where

it flowered freely for several years, and Miss Page’s drawing

was made from this plant in March 1921, as was the original

description, so that it is to be regarded as the type of the

species. Miss Pegler describes it as being frequent and pro-

ducing masses of handsome purple flowers. It is certainly

the finest of the South African species of Dolichos. The petals

on first opening are a reddish-purple, the vexillum having

an M-shaped clear-yellow blotch at the base of the blade,

bordered by a narrow band of deep purple. Later in the day

the colour changes to a beautiful mauve, and the yellow

grows fainter, finally becoming a bluish white. The grada-

tion of shades, therefore, that is to be found in a flower-

cluster is very varied and gives a most charming effect to the

whole.

Description : — Older parts woody. Branches twining,

hispid with reflexed hairs. Leaflets rhomboid-ovate or ovate,

acute or acuminate, hispid, especially on the principal veins

and margins, or the older ones nearly glabrous, 3-7 cm. long

and 2-4*5 cm. broad. Peduncle robust, 7-20 cm. long ;

flowering-axis 4-14 cm. long, with abbreviated nodule-Hke

branchlets bearing fascicles of 5-7 flowers, the internodes

between the nodules 0*3-3 cm. long. Pedicels decurved

towards the apex, 2-9 mm. long. Calyx slightly intruse at

the base, hispidulous, up to 5 mm. long ; the upper lip

emarginate or almost entire, the lower shortly 3-dentate.

Corolla : vexillum ovate, galeate, auriculate at base, the

auricles thick, blade up to 2-3 cm. long and the claw scarcely

2 mm. long ; calli oblong, rounded at the apex, up to 3 mm.

long ; alae obliquely ovate, blade up to 1 cm., claw up to

4 mm. long ; keel obtuse, about 2 cm. long. Anthers all

similar, 1 mm. long. Ovary stipitate, linear, hispidulous,

usually 5-ovuled ; style glabrous at the dilated bend, terete

and densely bearded upwards ; stigma capitate. (National

Botanic Gardens, No. 2159/15.) — L. Bolus.

Plate 1028. — Fig. 1, calyx ; 2, petals, natural size ; 3, lower portion

of vexillum, x 3 ; 4, androecium, x 2 ; 6, anthers, dorsal view, x 10 ;

6, gynoecium, x 2.

F.P.A., July 1947.

1029

R. Brown del.

Hnth chr.

Plate 1029.

PSORALEA PINNATA var. LATIFOLIA.

Ca'pe Province^ Nataly Transvaal.

Papilionacbae.

Psoralea pinnata var. latifolia Harv. FI. Cap. 2 : 145 (1861-1862) ;

Burtt Davy, Flora Transvaal 2 : 375 (1932).

In Curtis’s Botanical Magazine it is reported that as early

as 1690 Psoralea 'pinnata was in cultivation in England. It

had been grown from seed obtained from the Cape together

with such other favourites of those days as Erica and Protea

species. At present in South Africa this shrub is occasionally

found in the wild flower gardens that have come into vogue, but

it is not very generally

cultivated as an orna-

mental shrub. In nature

it is widely spread, occur-

ring in one or other of

its forms from the Cape

Peninsula through the

eastern Cape into the

eastern and northern

Transvaal. It is usually

found in vleis or along

mountain streams. The

broader-leafed form fig-

ured here is found quite

commonly in the eastern

Cape and the Transvaal.

The black pubescence

on the pedicels, bracts

and calyx is not always persistent and this is not, therefore,

recognised as a characteristic but it is nevertheless found to

a greater or less degree on a number of specimens quoted

under the varietal name, ranging from the Katberg in the

Cape to Barberton in the Transvaal.

The gland dots characteristic of the genus are not as

evident or as black in the living material as in the dried, but

they are present in large numbers if examined under a lens.

Another character of the genus is the one-seeded pod. In

contrasting P. pinnata var. latifolia with the species P.

affiniSf the proximity of the cup-like bracts to the calyx has

HABIT.

been used in the past. In the plant figured here the tops of

the bracts reach almost to the base of the calyx in young

flowers, but as they mature the part of the pedicel above the

bracts elongates considerably and the bracts are then far from

the base of the calyx (see Fig. 3).

The plate was prepared from a plant growing in the wild

garden at the Union Buildings, Pretoria. In cultivation it

bears flowers almost all the year round, so it was possible to

figure it at the end of August before the summer rains had

come.

Description : — Woody shrub about 3*5 metres high,

branchlets hirsute. Leaves pinnate, usually with 7 leaflets ;

stipules separate, somewhat callosed, acuminate from a broad

base, about 2-5 mm. long and 2 mm. broad at the base ;

leaflets sessile about 30 mm. long and 3 mm. broad, densely

dotted with glands, apiculate, sparsely pubescent on lower

surface and glabrescent or very sparsely pubescent on upper.

Flowers axillary in upper leaves and terminal, 1-3-6-nate ;

pedicels about 15 mm. long, pubescent with black hairs, bi-

bracteate near the apex ; bracts united to form a cup round

the pedicel, split on one side, about 3 mm. long, reaching

almost to the base of the calyx tube, pubescent within and

without with black bristle-like hairs. Calyx up to 9 mm.

long with 5 subequal, subacute lobes, the lowest the largest,

pubescent on the outer surface and on the lobes within, and

densely ciliate with the characteristic black pubescence.

Corolla : vexillum about 13 mm. long and 12 mm. broad,

claw white, dark violet along the keel fading to violet towards

the margins ; alae about 12-5 mm. long, 4 mm. broad, white

below, pale violet in upper half on both sides ; keel 11*5 cm.

long, about 4 mm. broad, white suffused with dark purple-

violet in the slightly gibbose apical portion. Stamens with

9 filaments united for 10 mm. and free for 2 mm. ; the tenth

shortly united with the rest at the base. Ovary whitish green,

1-ovuled, about 3 mm. long with a 1 mm. long stipe, gradually

narrowed into the style above ; style whitish, straight for

about 7 mm., then curved upwards, 4 mm. long, somewhat

dilated at the bend ; stigma apical, small. (National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 28155.) — I. C. Verdoorn.

Plate 1029. — Fig. 1, flowering branch ; 2, whole flower, x 2 ; 3, old

flowers showing how pedicel elongates between bracts and calyx ; 4, calyx

from within, spht down one side and spread open ; 5, standard, X 2 ;

6, wing, X 2 ; 7, keel, X 2 ; 8, stamens, x 2 ; 9, gynoecium ; 10, habit.

F.P.A., July 1947.

Plate 1030.

ORNITHOGALUM SUAVEOLENS.

Cape Province.

Liliacbae.

Ornithogalum suaveolens Jacq. Coll. 2 : 316 (1788) ; Ic. PI. Rar.

2 : t. 431 (1786-93) ; Baker in El. Cap. 6 : 507 (1897) ; Leighton in Joum,

S. Afr. Bot. 10 : 112 (1944).

This small bulbous plant was introduced into cultivation

in Europe over 150 years ago — ^that is, it was introduced into

a botanical garden for scientific study, as happened with very

many South African plants in the early days of exploration

at the Cape. But few species of the genus Ornithogalum ever

came into general cultivation, although several are far more

attractive than O. suaveolens. Presumably the bulbs are not

readily acchmatised to foreign conditions.

The plant portrayed here was collected in October 1945,

by Miss E. Wasserfall in sandy soil near Mamre, about 33

miles north from Cape Town. It was then in flower, after

the withering of the leaves, and it was not possible to add

the leaves to the plate until they developed again on the bulb

at the National Herbarium in the following August.

In botanical hterature 0. suaveolens has had a chequered

history. This can best be appreciated by reference to the

S5monymy cited by Frances Leighton in her monograph of

the South African species of the genus in the Journal of South

African Botany in 1944. To us, the most important reference

in the synonymy is O. Roodeae PhilL, which was figured in this

work on Plate 75 (1922). At first sight one would not be

inclined to associate it specifically with our present illustra-

tion, which, except for the somewhat broader perianth seg-

ments, compares favourably with Jacqutn’s illustration cited

above. To quote Frances Leighton on the status of O. Roodeae

“ The colouring of 0. Roodeae is, as far as the author can

ascertain, the only character which separates it from O.

suaveolens, and, since this reddish or purplish colour is observed

in other plants growing in the Van Rhynsdorp area (especially

the Knechtsvlakte), it is probably due to soil and chmatic

conditions.” At the same time the same author states that

the species is apparently very variable in size of plant, leaves

and inflorescence, but that stable characters may be dis-

closed in the future as a basis for distinguishing varieties or

even separate species.

Thus for the time being we accept 0. suaveolens as dehmi-

nated in the Journal of South African Botany 1944, and again

draw attention to the importance of field work to the

taxonomist.

Description : — Bulb 2-3 cm. in diameter and about the

same in height, including the short neck, covered for the most

part by a brown membranous tunic, otherwise white. Leaves

up to 6 or 7 to a bulb, spreading, up to about 18 cm. long and

5 cm. broad, linear, rounded on the mider surface and concave

on the upper surface. Peduncle 25-35 cm. tall (including

inflorescence), about 3 mm. diameter, terete, mauve below

the inflorescence, becoming creamish near bulb. Bracts ari-

state from a lanceolate base, 3 cm. long decreasing to less than

1 cm. long in the upper portion of the raceme, brown with

white margin. Pedicels 3 cm. long decreasing to 1 cm.,

erect or suberect, becoming curved in fruit. Perianth-segments

spreading, light yeUow, with central strip reddish brown on

outer surface, dull green within ; outer 3 T2-T5 cm. long,

4‘5-5*5 mm. broad, concave, especially along the central rib

and towards apex ; inner 3 1-1*2 cm. long, 7-8 mm. broad,

concave, with dense tuft of short hairs within apex. Stamens

with filaments about 7 mm. long ; filaments opposite outer

perianth segments 2*5 mm. broad, and slightly undulate near

base ; inner filaments about 2*7-3 mm. broad, shghtly un-

dulate near base and slightly kneed about 1*5 mm. above

base ; anthers versatile, 2-2*5 mm. long, yellow. Ovary

about 4 mm. long, obtusely triangular in cross-section.

Style 4*5-5 mm. long, deflexed, shghtly grooved, with a dense

head of short hairs. Capsule about 1*5 cm. long, shghtly

beaked, each ceU with 2 dense rows of flattened ovules.

(WasserfaU 998, in National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27576.)

— R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1030. — Fig. 1, bulb in flower, Oct. 1945 ; 2, leaves added August

1946 ; 3 and 4, transverse-sections near middle of old and yoimg leaves

respectively ; aU natural size ; 5, outer perianth segment, X 2 ; 6, inner

perianth segment, X 2 ; 7, flower with perianth segments and one stamen

removed, x 2 ; 8, stamen ; 9, nearly mature capsule, natural size.

F.P.A., July 1947.

1031

p-R.O.BaUy del.

Huth chr.

Plate 1031.

CARALLUMA SPRENGERI.

Eritrea, Abyssinia, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.

AsCLEPIAD ACEAE .

Caralluma Sprengeri (Schweinf.) N.E. Br. in Kew Bull. 1895 : 263 ;

FI. Trop. Afr. 4, 1 : 484 (1903) ; White and Sloane, The StapeUeae 1 : 263

(1937). Huernia Sprengeri Schweinf. ex Damman, Cat. 46 (1893).

The illustration on the opposite page was made from a

plant cultivated in Nairobi and originally collected at Erkawit,

in the Red Sea Hills of the Sudan. Mr. R. J. Darvall

found the plant growing under low thorn bushes on very

stony soil. He sent a cutting of it to Mr. J. Robbie, Super-

intendent of the Government Gardens, Khartoum, who culti-

vated it there, and also sent a further cutting to Mr. Bally

at Nairobi. C. Sprengeri was originally discovered by Petit,

in Abyssinia, over a hundred years ago, and was also in

cultivation in Eritrea. The most conspicuous feature of the

species is the shining, raised, fleshy rim of the outer corona,

which exudes a sticky substance.

C. Sprengeri belongs to the imperfectly known Ango

Group of the genus Caralluma, which is restricted to the

northern tropics of Africa. The species within this group

are very closely allied and difficult to separate. They all

possess stout, strongly toothed stems and dark-brown or

liver-coloured flowers. The main distinguishing features are

in the coronal structure and the length of the corolla-tube.

Our species is most closely allied to G. commutata Berg, and

C. Ango (A. Rich.) N.E.Br., which are both imperfectly l^own.

C. Ango, the species from which the Group derives its name,

must be regarded as a “ mystery species.” The type of this

was collected by Quartin Dillon in Shire, Abyssinia, and

appears to be lost. * Specimens named C. Ango in the Paris

and Berlin Herbaria agree very well with the type of G.

* Schimper 1289 ; Herb. Orchid R. Schlechter s.n.

Sprengeri at Kew, so it is suggested that until the type of

C. Ango is found, these specimens should all be included in

Caralluma Sprengeri (Schweinf.) N.E.Br.

C. commutata differs from our plant in the smaller flowers,

narrower, more acute corolla-lobes, longer corolla-tube and

rather different coronal structure.

Description : — Stout fleshy erect plant, about 14 cm.

high. Branches 4-angled, glabrous, pale green mottled with

darker green or purple-brown, 2-2*5 cm. diam., excluding

the teeth ; teeth stout, conical, about 1*5 cm. long, ascending-

spreading, tapering to a fine point. Flowers in clusters of

2-7 from each flowering eye in the upper part of the stem,

developed successively. Pedicels short, stout, glabrous, about

5 mm. long. Calyx-lohes about 5 mm. long, triangular,

acuminate, glabrous. Corolla rotate, about 3 cm. diam.,

liver-coloured to deep black-purple on the upper surface,

pale green with purple markings on the back ; tube very

shallow, about 8 mm. diam. ; lobes ovate-triangular, flat,

spreading, acuminate, about 1*3 cm. long and 1 cm. broad at

the base, the upper-surface rugose, covered with a short, dense

felt giving the appearance of velvet. Outer corona 7 mm.

diam., annular, subpentagonal, protruding from the very

shallow corolla-tube as a red, shining, fleshy rim, which is

minutely glandulose. Inner corona lobes attached to the inner

edge of the “ fleshy rim,” oblong, 3*5 mm. long, toothed at

the apex, meeting and interlocking with their teeth in the

centre and horizontally incumbent over the anthers. (Bally

5107 in Coryndon Museum, Herbarium.) — E. A. Bruce and

P. R. O. Bally.

Plate 1031. — Fig. 1, plant, natural size ; 2, corona, from above, X 3 ;

3, calyx and corona, from the side, X 3.

F.P.A., October 1947.

1032

Huth clir.

Plate 1032.

CARALLUMA DICAPUAE.

Eritrea^ British Somaliland, Kenya.

AsCLEPIAD ACE AE .

Garalluma Dicapuae (Ckiov.) Chiov. in White and Sloane,The Stapelieae

1 : 137 (1937) ; Hook. leones Plant, t. 3340 (1937). C. quadrangula N.E.Br.

sec. Di Capua in Ann. 1st. Bot. Rom. 8, 2 : 218 (1904), non N.E.Br. Spathulo-

petalum Di Capuae Chiov. in Ann. di Bot. 10 : 392 (1912).

C. Dicapuae belongs to the Eucaralluma Section of the

genus Garalluma, which is characterised by tapering stems

bearing slender, terminal flowering peduncles.

The species was originally discovered in Eritrea by the

Italian botanical explorers Terracciano and Pappi, and was

at flrst considered to be a new genus, and described as such

by Prof. Chiovenda under the name Spathulopetalum Dicapuae

Chiov. Chiovenda later decided that Spathulopetalum was

not distinct from Garalluma, and transferred his plant, making

the combination Garalluma Dicapuae (Chiov.) Chiov. The

specific epithet Di Capuae was in honour of the botanist

Di Capua, who first identified the plant (erroneously) as

Garalluma quadrangula N.E. Br.

In September 1932, Mr. J. B. Gillett, Botanist to the

Ethiopia-Somaliland Boundary Commission, re-collected the

plant on the stony, sandstone slopes north of Hargesia, in

British Somaliland, at an altitude of 4300 ft. In April 1940,

Capt. A. T. A. Ritchie, who has collected a large number of

interesting Stapelieae, foimd C. Dicapuae near the borders

of Lake Baringo, in Kenya Colony, about 1000 miles south of

the type locality ; later he collected it near Bura in Tanaland.

This distribution is very similar to that of G. Baldratii White

and Sloane, figured on Plate 1033.

The Tropical African species in the Section Eucaralluma

are very puzzling and difficult to determine with certainty.

Mr. Bally has collected about 20 plants of the group and has

made colour sketches of a considerable number, wffich are a

valuable aid in their identification.

The characteristic features of G. Dicapuae are the long-

pedicellate flowers, hinged spathulate coroUa-lobes, short

outer corona-lobes, and blunt, horizontal stem teeth. The

nearest ally is C. Turneri E. A. Bruce, which also has hinged

petals, but differs in the shortly pedicellate smaller flowers,

long-homed outer corona-lobes and sharp, ascending stem

teeth. C. gracilipes K. Schum. differs in the rigid corolla-

lobes and long gynostegium, which raises the corona on a

stalk, so that it projects far beyond the corolla- tube. C.

mogadoxensis Chiov. is also a near relation, though imperfectly

known. It differs from our plant in the larger star-hke

flowers with rigid, not pendulous, corolla-lobes, and the sharp,

ascending stem teeth. Between these distinct types there

appear to be a number of intermediate forms (possibly new

species or varieties), which show variation particularly in the

size, shape, pubescence and colour of the corolla-lobes and

the form of the outer corona.

It is hoped that collectors will increase our knowledge of

this interesting section, so that it may be possible to work

out some of the problems, which appear to be present in the

determination of the species.

Description : — A succulent plant, simple or branched just above the

base, about 1 ft. high. Stems obtusely 4-angled, pale green, thinly streaked

with maroon near the apex, about 1 cm. in diameter at the base, gradually

narrowed to 4 mm. at the apex ; the lower part toothed, about 17 cm. long,

the upper part drawn out into the inflorescence, about 14 cm. long ; stem-

teeth opposite and decussate, blunt, spreading at right angles to the stem,

6-7 mm. long and about 3 cm. apart, bearing small triangular scale-hke

leaves, up to 4 mm. long, soon deciduous. Flowers pendulous, 1-2 fascicu-

late, in the axils of the bracts up the flowering peduncle, about 3 cm. apart.

Pedicels slender, glabrous, spreading, 1-5-2 cm. long. Calyx-lobes linear-

lanceolate, acuminate, about 4 mm. long, glabrous. Corolla in bud club-

shaped, about 15 mm. long, longitudinally 5-channelled, constricted just

above the base and gradually widened to the rounded apiculate apex :

corolla open 5-lobed almost to the base ; tube very short, cup-like,

about 2 mm. high ; lobes 2-2-5 cm. long, 2 mm. broad at the apex, hinged,

drooping, pale green, speckled finely and evenly with maroon, more densely

so towards the tip, elongate-spathulate, constricted just above the base,

roimded and abruptly apiculate at the apex, margins reflexed ; upper

surface covered with short rose-pink tomentum wdth longer, stiff, purple

hairs towards the base. Corona double, stipitate, gynostegium, 1-1-5 mm.

long. Outer corona cup-shaped with 5 short bifid lobes about 0-5 mm. long.

Inner corona lobes tinged with maroon, erect, connivent, narrowly oblong,

3 mm. long, slightly constricted in the middle, forming a cage above the

anthers. (Bally S 27 in Coryndon Museum, Herbarium.) — E. A. Bruce and

P. R. 0. Bally.

Plate 1032. — Fig. 1, flowering branch, natural size ; 2, tip of stem,

natural size ; 3, flower, X 3^ ; 4, corona, from the side, x 10 ; 5, corona,

from above, x 10.

F.P.A., October 1947.

7033

P R.O. Bally del.

Ruth chr.

Plate 1033.

CARALLUMA BALDRATH.

Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya.

AsCLEPIAD ACE AE .

Caralluma Baldratii White and Shane, The Stapelieae, 1 : 268 (1937) ;

Journ. East Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. 16 : 156 and PI. 49, fig. 14 (1942).

This little Caralluma of the Ango Group was discovered

by Dr. Isaia Baldrati, of the University of Pisa, who first

collected it on the high ground near Asmara, in Eritrea.

The species grows on Dr. Baldrati’ s estate and is also common

throughout the high plateau at an altitude of about 7000 ft.

The natives call the plant “ Ango,” a name they use in-

discriminately for several Stapehads. This name is applied

to the Group, to which our species belongs.

Independently, in 1934, Mr. Corkhill collected a similar

plant at Erkawit, in the Red Sea Hills of the Sudan, about

270 miles north of the type locahty. Specimens of this were

sent to Mr. Robbie, the Superintendent of the Government

Gardens, Khartoum, who cultivated it there and later sent

it to Kew, where it was identified as Caralluma Baldratii

White and Sloane.

In April 1940, Capt. A. T. A. Ritchie found one plant of

this species on rocky ground at the Fishing Camp near Lake

Baringo, in Kenya Colony, at an altitude of about 3000 ft.,

very near the equator and nearly 1000 miles south of the

original locahty.

So far as is known, C. Baldratii has not been further

collected, though it is very probable that it occurs in the

Highlands of Abyssinia, as this would link up the distribution

of the species in a normal way.

The three plants, above mentioned, have all been placed

in C. Baldratii, although there are variations between them,

which the authors of this note do not consider sufficient to

warrant varietal distinction. The Kenya plant differs from

the type in the pedicellate flowers, the almost indistinguish-

able pubescence on the coroUa-lobes, which in hving material

gives the appearance of fine velvet (not visible at aU in spirit

material), and the yeUow corona, which forms a vivid contrast

to the mahogany and carmine-red lobes. The type has

sessile flowers, a microscopic felt of stiff white hairs on the

corolla-lobes and a purple and red corona. The plant from the

Red Sea Hills has very shortly pedicellate flowers, a close felt

of short, minute bristle-hairs on the corolla, and shghtly

different floral colouring. The varying degrees of pubescence

are characteristic of another species of this genus Caralluma

Dummeri (N.E.Br.) White and Sloane, whilst the variation

in colour occurs in several Stapeliads, notably in Stapelia

variegata L.

The plant illustrated in the accompanying plate was culti-

vated in Nairobi, and originally collected near Lake Baringo

in Kenya Colony.

Description : — A small perennial succulent plant about

12 cm. high, branched near the base. Stems grooved,

4-angled, 8-10 mm. in diameter, excluding the teeth, pale

green, mottled with darker green, turning to purple, mottlings

more conspicuous on the side exposed to strong sunlight ;

teeth well developed, spreading nearly horizontally, 8-9 mm.

long, tapering to a slender point. Flowers generally produced

near the apex of the stem, but sometimes borne further down

or near the base, 3-4 being produced successively from each

flowering eye, in the angles of the teeth. (On one plant as

many as 50 buds and 14 open flowers were seen.) Pedicel

up to 6 mm. long, glabrous. Calyx-lobes 2 mm. long, 1 mm.

broad at the base, lanceolate, acute, glabrous. Corolla like a

starfish, 2-8 cm. in diameter, lobed almost to the base ; disc

5 mm. in diameter ; lobes ascending-spreading, rephcate, very

narrowly triangular, 1 cm. long, 3 mm. broad at the base,

gradually tapering to the apex, carmine-red in the upper half,

mahogany with a slight greenish tinge towards the base,

upper surface covered with a microscopic felt of minute white

bristles (invisible in spirit material). Outer corona cup-shaped,

bright yellow, 4 mm. in diameter, forming 5 broad undulate

pockets. Inner corona-lobes pale yellow, “ two-homed ” ;

“ inner horns ” quadrangular, about 1 mm. long and broad,

irregularly 4^5-toothed at the apex, incumbent on the anthers,

just touching in the centre ; “ outer horns ” curved-ascending,

about 1 mm. long and 1-3- toothed at the blunt apex, exceeding

the outer corona. (Bally S 51 in Coryndon Museum, Nairobi.)

— E. A. Bruce and P. R. O. Bally.

Plate 1033. — ^Fig. 1, flowering branch, natural size ; 2, corona, from

above, x 6-5 ; 3, gynostegium and corona, from the side, x 6-5.

F.P.A., October 1947.

1

703

3

E-KBur^es del.

Huth chr.

Plate 1034.

CAKALLUMA MONTANA.

Abyssinia.

AsCLEPIAD ACE AB .

Caralluma montana R. A. Dyer et E. A. Bruce sp. nov., caulibus

6- angularibus, corolla flava profunde lobata C. Framesii PiUans affinis, sed

corolla glabra structura coronae differt.

Caules camosi, suberecti vel patentes, glabri, usque ad 15 cm. longi,

7- 12 mm. crassi, plerumque 6-angulati, basi ramosi ; anguU tuberculati.

Flores caulis apicem versus 2-6 aggregati. Sepala ovata vel lanceolata,

1-2 mm. longa. Corolla viridi-flava, 2-S-2-5 cm. diametro, profunde lobata ;

tubus parvus, circiter 2 mm. altus ; lobi Uneares, 9-10 mm. longi, basi

2 mm. lati, glabri, replicati. Corona exterior cupuliformis, breviter 5-lobata,

lobis triangularibus 0-6 mm. longis, pUis 2-3 instructis ; coronae interioris

lobi deltoidei super antheras incumbentes.

Abyssinia : Adoma Hill, 60 miles south of Addis Ababa, 6000 ft.,

McLoughlin in National Herbarium, Pretoria, 27155 (type).

The specimen figured here was received from Major

A. G. McLoughlin, who originally collected it in the mountains

of Abyssinia. It has been successfully grown in cultivation

both in Nairobi and Pretoria, where it flowered in April 1942.

C. montana differs from the other species of Caralluma

found north of the equator in its 6-angled stems. This type

of stem is found in the Mammillaris Group of the genus,

which is only represented in South Africa ; it is also character-

istic of the genus Echidnopsis, though here the stem-angles

are tesseUate and not tuberculate. The nearest tropical

African ally to our plant is C. Baldratii White and Sloane,

which occurs in Eritrea, the Sudan and Kenya, and is figured

on Plate 1033. Both species have the deeply lobed corolla

with narrow rephcate lobes, though C. montana differs in

having glabrous, yellow flowers, which are aggregated at or

near the apex of the stems.

Description : — A succulent plant branched from ground

level or just above the base forming dense clumps. Branches

suberect, spreading, or prostrate and rooting when in contact

with the soil, up to about 15 cm. long, occasionally longer,

7-12 mm. in diameter, including the teeth, usually 6-angled ;

angles tuberculate ; tubercles prominent, about 2 mm. long,

tipped by small, ovate-deltoid scale-leaves up to 1*5 mm.

long, which wither and form sharp points. Flowers several,

clustered near the tips of the branches, axillary or shghtly

lateral, usually a little deflexed, 2 from a flowering eye,

developing successively. Pedicels about 2 mm. long. Sepals

ovate to lanceolate, 1-2 mm. long. Corolla greenish-yellow

or the basal half purplish-brown and the tips greenish-yellow ;

tube short, about 2 mm. deep, enclosing the corona ; lobes

9-10 mm. long, 2 mm. broad at the base, glabrous, linear,

rephcate nearly to the base. Outer corona more or less cup-

shaped at the base, shortly 5-lobed above, spotted with purple,

the largest spots on the backs of the lobes ; lobes triangular,

0*5 mm. long, entire or shghtly notched, with 2-3 long hairs on

the inner face, directed inwards, V-shaped or with a rim or

point between the main lobes. Inner corona lobes arising from

the margin or shghtly below the rim of the outer corona be-

tween their lobes, shortly triangular or with an elongate tip

incumbent on the backs of the anthers, but not exceeding

them in length. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27155.)

— R. A. Dyer and E. A. Bruce.

Plate 1034. — Fig. 1, habit specimen, natural size ; 2 and 3, staminal

column with coronas, from above, X 16.

F.P.A., October 1947.

P'

i

I

7 035

Plate 1035.

ALOINOPSIS MALHERBEI.

Ca'pe Province.

Aizoaceae.

Aloinopsis Malherbei L. Bolus comb, nov., Nananthus Malherbei

L. Bolus Mesemb. 3 : 131 (1938).

No fruit was available when this species was described,

and consequently the genus was uncertain. Although

in general appearance it resembled Titanopsis, the 9-10

stigmas indicated an affinity with Nananthus, into which

genus it was placed. Subsequently a fruit ripened and

revealed a structure answering to the description given by

Dr. Schwantes of the fruit of Aloinopsis rosulata (Kensit)

Schwant., the lectotype of Aloinopsis Schwant. This revela-

tion led to our making a more careful examination of a

number of fruits of A. rosulata, and it was proved that they,

too, agreed with the description of the one fruit described

by Dr. Schwantes when the genus Aloinopsis was constituted ;

and that in a drawing pubhshed by us we erred in overlooking

and omitting the placental tubercle. This error most

unfortunately led to other errors. For it seemed to indicate

that Dr. Schwantes had been dealing with a detached capsule,

wrongly named, and that there was no adequate reason for

the selection of M. rosulatum Kensit as the lectotype of

Aloinopsis. The genus Acaulon N.E.Br., incorporating our

erroneous representation of the fruit, was then published

with A. rosulatum as the only species ; and when Acaulon

N.E.Br. was found to be a later homonym of Acaulon C. Miill.,

Aistocaulon Poelln. was created. One other point requires

clarification, namely, the present author’s failure to appreciate

the fact that Nananthus (in the restricted sense) has the

locuh of the fruit without, or with very narrow, covering

membranes, whereas in Aloinopsis the locuh are completely

roofed. This difference is considered sufficiently important

for generic distinction, and if it had been kept in mind

Aloinopsis would not have been reduced to Nananthus, as it

was in Notes on Mesembryanthemum and Alhed Genera, III,

133.

Miss Carter’s drawings were made in July 1937 and

February 1938, from plants collected by Dr. A. C. T. Villet

at Loeriesfontein in the Calvinia Division, from which plants

also the original description was largely made. An earlier

collection was made in the same locahty by IVIr. M. Malherbe

after whom the species is named. Both collections flowered

in the National Botanic Gardens and the latter fruited there.

Description : — Leaves remaining nearly erect for some

time and shghtly incurved towards the apex, glaucous green

in cultivation, broadly spathulate or flabellate, sometimes

nearly truncate at the apex, oblong or quadrate in the lower

part and there usually up to 6 mm., the upper part up to 4 mm.,

in diameter, flat above and inconspicuously tuberculate,

shghtly convex below, tuberculate in the upper half, the

tubercles prominent, white, those on the margin larger, rather

distant, 1 •8-2*5 cm. long, 1 *2-2-2 cm. broad at the apex.

Flowers open in the afternoon. Peduncle finally up to 2*5 cm.

long, 2 mm. in diameter at the apex. Receptacle shortly

turbinate or obconic, 4-5 mm. long, up to 1 cm. in diameter.

Sepals 6, tuberculate from a httle above the base, 8-9 mm.

long, up to 7 mm. broad at the base. Petals 3— 4-seriate,

obtuse or emarginate, shghtly narrowed downwards, flesh-

pink tinged with very pale brown, 5-11 mm. long, almost up

to 2 mm. broad. Filaments cohected in a cone shghtly con-

stricted in the middle, cihately papihate below, yellow above,

anthers and pohen whitish. Disk crenulate. Ovary convex

above, gradually elevated from the disk to 2 mm., the lobes

shghtly convex, the placentation below the level of the disk

and the ovary therefore, inferior ; stigmas 8-11, slender, not

attenuated upwards, obtuse, papihate to the apex, deep

yellow above, finally exceeding the stamens, up to 4*25 mm.

long. Immature capsule bright red, mature brovra, 1*4 cm.,

expanded 2*2 cm. in diameter ; expanding keels diverging

upwards, reaching to about the middle of the valve, marginal

wings ample ; roofing membranes completely covering the

loculi, raised to 2 mm. in the middle ; tubercle large ; seed

broadly obovate, rough, 1*5 mm. long. (National Botanic

Gardens No. 3208/35, 1068/37.) — L. Bolus.

Plate 1035. — Fig. 1, branchlet from wild plant ; 2, ditto, after brief

cultivation, with closed flower ; 3, ditto, with expanded flower ; 4, ditto,

with immature capsule ; 5, transverse sections of leaf ; 6, flower on first

opening ; 7, ditto, back view ; 8, ditto, mature, natural size ; 9, longitudinal

section through portion of flower, x 3 ; 10, sepals, natural size ; 11, petals ;

12, stamens ; 13, gynoecium and disk ; 14, stigma, x 3 ; 15, capsule,

natural size ; 16, portion of ditto, expanded, x 3 ; 17, seed, x 8.

F.P.A., October 1947.

1036

B O. Carter del.

Plate 1036.

NANANTHUS WILMANIAE.

Cape Province

Aizoaceae.

Nananthus Wilmaniae L. Bolus, Notes Mesemb. Part III 134,

(March 1938). Ahinopsis Wilmaniae L. Bolus, Notes Mesemb, Part II 397

(October 1933).

This species is distinguished from all the other close allies

of Nananthus aloides (Haw.) N.E.Br., hitherto found in

Griqualand West, by the shorter and proportionately broader

leaves, and from some by the mature stigmas well over-

topping the stamens. In both these respects N. Wilmaniae

differs from the typical N. aloides (Haw.) Schwantes.

The plant figured was one of several collected by Miss

E. Esterhuysen in April 1939, at Silverstreams in the Barkly

West Division, growing in hmestone. It flowered in June

of the same year, when the drawing was made. The top of

the ovary is more elevated than was observed in the type,

and the petals have an inconspicuous mid-vein instead of the

distinct red stripe found in the typical form.

Description. — Rootstock tuberous. Branchlets 4-6-leaved.

Leaves ascending or spreading, square or nearly oblong in the

lower part, ovate or broadly ovate and keeled in the upper

part, viewed laterally rounded or truncate at the apex, margins

densely punctate with white dots, 2-2*5 cm. long, up to

1*1 cm. broad. Flowers sohtary, sessile, expanding soon after

noon. Bracts reaching half-way up the sepals, 2-2*3 cm. long.

Receptacle obconic, 9 mm. long, up to 9 mm. in diameter.

Sepals 5, acute, the 2 outer up to 8 mm., the 3 inner with

membranous margins, 5-7 mm. long. Petals 2-seriate, nearly

equal in length, gradually narrowed downwards, usually

obtuse, yellow with an inconspicuous darker mid- vein, up to

1*1 cm. long and 1*5 mm. broad. Stamens incurved below,

ascending or erect from above the middle, up to 6 mm. long.

Disk crenulate. Ovary gradually elevated from the disk to

the centre to about 1 mm. Stigmas 10, slender, finally up

to 6*5 mm. long and well exserted beyond the stamens.

(E. Esterhuysen 1220 in Bolus Herbarium.) — L. Bolus.

Plate 1036. — Fig. 1, plant with bud and old flower ; 2, smaller plant,

showing back and side views of the leaves ; 3, leaf, upper surface ; 4, bracts,

side view; 5, bract, upper surface ; 6, flower on first day of opening ; 7, ditto,

side view ; 8, sepals, natural size ; 9, petals ; 10, stamens ; 11, stigma ;

12, gynoecium and disk ; 13, longitudinal section of ditto, with stamens

and petal- bases, x 3.

F.P.A., October 1947.

7037

B.O. Carter del.

Huth chr.

Plate 1037.

NANANTHUS ALOIDES.

Bechuanaland.

Aizoaceae.

Nananthus aloides {Haw.) Schwantes, Gartenfl. 77, 68 (1928).

Mesembryanthemum aloides Haw. Suppl. p. 88 (1819) ; Rev. p. 87 ; Burch.

Trav. 2 : 332. D.C. Prodr. 3 : 419.

The first mention of this species is Burchell’s entry under

the date July 8, 1812, at the Makklwaarin, also known as

Mallowing, River : “I here met with, for the first time, a

remarkable kind of Mesembryanthemum which may be

reckoned in the number of those wild plants the roots of

which are eaten by the natives as a substitute for better

food.” (Burchell’s Travels, Vol. 2, p. 332.) The seeds

collected then later on produced plants in England, and

material was sent to Haworth, who in 1819 pubfished the

species as Mesembryanthemum aloides. As far as we know, no

herbarium-specimens were preserved ; but fortunately the

coloured drawing of one plant which was made is now in the

Herbarium at Kew, bearing the legend — “ M. aloides Haw.

Received from Mr. Haworth in the year 1822 who obtained

it from Mr. Burchell.” The collector’s number, 2197, is not

recorded by Haworth. It was added in 1824 by Burchell

himself in a foot-note to the entry given above, where he also

goes on to say — “ This plant, together with ten other new

species raised in England from seed collected on the journey,

has already been made known to botanists by an author

whose extensive knowledge of this numerous genus, and whose

experience in the cultivation of vegetables of this tribe, have

enabled him to present to the public the most correct

arrangement of it which has hitherto appeared.”

Plants collected by Burchell some weeks later at Jabiru

Eontein near Takun, which we have not seen, have also been

identified with this species, as have other collections of more

recent date. Illustrations of two of these have been pub-

lished, namely, here as Plate 54, and in Salm Dyck’s Mono-

graph § 4, fig. 3. The former represents a plant from

Postmasberg in Griqualand West, and the locahty of the latter

is not stated. Both figures differ from the type-figure in

having the stigmas well exserted beyond the stamens. Salm

Dyck’s figure was renamed M. cibdelum (“ false ” or

“ spurious ”) by N. E. Brown, and was placed by him

eventually in JRabica. But there seems to be no sufficient

ground for separating the species from Nananthus, as now

understood, where it was placed by Schwantes in 1928. For

the top of the ovary and the stigmas are unlike those found in

Rahica ; and the stamen-mass, if the plate be looked at care-

fully, ^vill be seen to be constricted near the apex, and to

have become diffuse with the ageing of the flower, thus appear-

ing to be nearly erect, as I have observed often in Nananthus

when the stigmas are fully developed. The tuberous roots

are also typical of Nananthus.

The plant figured now was gathered by j\Ir. A. J. Joubert in

February 1932, at Olifants Hoek in Bechuanaland, a station

probably nearer to the type locality than that of any other

collection of Nananthus we know. When it flowered at

Kirstenbosch in July 1933, it was also fomid to agree more

accurately with the type-drawing, namely, in having obtuse

petals without a stripe (a faint mid-vein only being visible),

and the stigmas not reaching to the level of the longest

stamens.

Description : — Root tuberous. Stem and branches abbreviated ; branch-

lets 4-6-leaved. Leaves ascending or spreading, viewed from above broadest

in the middle or a little above it, narrowed sbghtly downwards and towards

the apex, shghtly concave above, obtusely keeled, keel compressed above

the middle, viewed laterally truncate or nearly truncate at the apex, margins

densely punctate, the dots often whitish, 2-0-3-5 cm. long, usually up to

1 cm. broad, up to 6 mm. in diameter. Flowers sohtary, very shortly peduncu-

late, expanding soon after midday. Bracts reaching to the base of the

calyx, up to 1-2 cm. long. Receptacle obconic, 7 mm. long, up to 1 cm.

diam. Sepals 5, acute, 3 with broad membranous margins 1-1 -2 cm. long.

Petals 3-seriate, usually slightly and gradually narrowed downwards, obtuse,

the innermost acute, yellow with an inconspicuous darker mid- vein, 7-11 mm.

long, up to 2 mm. broad. Staminodes as long as the outer stamens. Stamens

incurved below, erect from above the middle in mature flower ; filaments

white, papillate below the middle, up to 6 mm. long. Disk conspicuous

crenulate. Ovary almost flat above or shghtly elevated in the middle.

Stigmas 9, slender, papillate almost to the apex, the papillae inconspicuous,

up to 5 mm. long, not exserted beyond the stamens. Capsule not seen.

(A. J. Joubert, National Botanic Gardens, No. 3188/32 in Bolus Herbarium.)

— L. Bolus.

Plate 1037. — Fig. 1, wild plant ; 2, same plant after 17 months’ culti-

vation ; 3, leaf, front view ; 4, ditto, back view ; 5, ditto, transverse sections

at base, middle, and apex, nat. size ; 6, apex of leaf, side view, enlarged ;

7, bracts, front and side view ; 8, flower on flrst opening ; 9, ditto, fully

expanded, nat. size ; 10, petals ; 11, staminode and stamens ; 12, stigma ;

13, gynoecium and disk ; 14, ditto, longitudinal section, with stamens and

petals, X 3.

F.P.A., October 1947.

1036

A

Plate 1038.

ORNITHOGALUM LEPTOPHYLLUM.

Natal, Basutoland, Cape Province.

Liliaceae.

Ornithogalum leptophyllum Bak., Flor. Cap. 6 : 502 (1896-97) ;

Leighton Rev. S. African Species of Ornithogalum in Joum. S.A. Bot.

11 : 159 (1945).

The accompanying plate illustrates one of the less con-

spicuous but fairly widely distributed members of the genus

Ornithogalum. The specimens from which the figures were

drawn were collected by Professor F. L. Warren about a mile

from Fox Hill on the Maritzburg-Richmond road, Natal.

The type locality of 0. leptophyllum is near Botha’s railway

station in the same province, where it was found by the late

Dr. Medley Wood. The range of the species extends into

Basutoland and southwards into the eastern Cape Province.

The plants of 0. leptophyllum usually produce their leaves

just after the flowers begin to appear, and by the time the

fruits are ripe the leaves are well developed.

Description : — Bulb subglobose with a broad, somewhat

flattened base, 2-3 cm. diameter, outer tunics leathery, crowned

with fibrous bases of previous leaves. Leaves 2-many, linear,

fairly rigid, 20-30 cm. long and 0*5-3 mm. broad when fully

developed. Inflorescence many-flowered, somewhat lax, often

as many as 3 to a bulb. Bracts broad at the base with a long

cusp, about as long as the pedicel. Pedicels 2-3 mm. long,

lengthening in fruiting stage. Perianth white "with a faint

medium green stripe on the under surface ; segments 1 cm.

long, 3 mm. broad, apex obtuse, obscurely cucullate. Stamens

almost as long as the perianth segments, filaments white,

lanceolate, the 3 inner slightly broader than the 3 outer.

Ovary green, ovoid or obovoid, tapering to the base and often

almost stipitate. Style and capitate stigma together as long

as the ovary. (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 28217.) —

I. C. Verdoorn and F. Leighton.

Plate 1038. — Fig. 1, whole plant ; 2, bract, x 4 ; 3, section of perianth

showing stamens, x 4 ; 4, ovary style and stigma, x 4.

F.P.A., October 1947.

7039

R. Brown del.

Huth chr.

Plate 1039.

MYSTACIDIUM CAPENSE.

Cape Province^ Natal.

Orchid ACE AB.

Mystacidium capense (L.f.) Schlechter, Orchideen 597 (1914); M.

filicorne Lindl. in Hook. Comp. Bot. Mag. 2. 206 (1836) ; Bolus in Icon.

Orch. Austr. Afr. 1, t. 55 (1896) ; Rolfe in FI. Cap. 5, 3 : 79 (1912).

The history of Mystacidium capense dates back to the

travels of Carl Peter Thunberg in Southern Africa. This

eminent Swedish botanist arrived at the Cape in 1772, and in

company with Francis Masson, a Kew gardener, made an

extensive botanical tour to the eastern Cape Province.

Thunberg collected his material of Mystacidium capense during

December 1773, on trees in the woods near Swartkops River.

It was described briefly by Linnaeus, the younger, under the

name Epidendron capense in 1781, and has been referred to in

botanical hterature under several other names during the

interim, including Mystacidium filicorne Lindl. in Flora

Capensis 5, 3: 79 (1912). But according to International

Rules of Botanical Nomenclature M. capense (L.f.) Schlechter

has priority.

The dry scrub bush of the eastern Cape Province is hardly

the type of habitat one would expect to favour the growth

of epiphytic orchids, yet in some parts of this vegetation

M. capense is to be found in great profusion, growing several

plants together with tangled roots, and often with but a

precarious hold on its host, nor does it seem particular as to

its host. It is not surprising that it was collected by all the

notable early travellers such as Burchell, Ecklon, Zeyher and

Drege, and by most other botanists who have spent any

length of time in its area of distribution from George district

to Natal.

Even though the flowers of M. capense are small and white,

they are most attractive with their long dehcate spurs. It

does not appear difficult to propagate, for the present figure

was made from a plant which flowered well at the National

Herbarium, Pretoria, in November 1946, only a year after it

had been collected by the writer in flower near Kaffir Drift,

Peddie, in Fish River valley scrub.

This aU-epiphytic genus Mystacidium includes about eleven

species, of which eight are South African. The others occur

in East Africa as far north as Kihmanjaro. The genus has

not previously been represented in these pages.

Description : — Epiphytic herb. Stem short, often several

together with a dense entangled mass of roots. Leaves 3-5,

distichous, oblong or obovate-oblong, obtusely and unequally

2-lobed at apex, coriaceous, 5-12 cm. long, up to about

2- 5 cm. broad. Racemes 2-several, spreading or pendulous,

8-15 cm. long, 7-15-flowered ; bracts peduncle-clasping, about

4 mm. long ; pedicels slender, up to about 1 *5 cm. long ;

flowers white, secund, delicate. Sepals spreading-recurved,

linear-lanceolate, acute, 1-1-25 cm. long -with the lateral

ones 3-5 mm. broad and sHghtly contracted towards the base ;

the dorsal one being slightly broader than the others and not

so obviously contracted. Petals similar but somewhat smaller

than the lateral sepals and not contracted towards the base.

Lip lanceolate, acuminate, slightly longer than petals, with

a pair of small lobes spreading from its sides at the base ;

spur slender cylindric, curved, 4-4-5 cm. long, narrowly

funnel-shaped at the mouth. Column short and stout,

shaped like a hood, rostellum beaked, projecting forward,

3- partite with the lateral lobes papillose and the middle lobe

lanceolate and smooth ; polhnia subglobose, slightly flattened,

attached by slender stipites to separate lanceolate-oblong

glands, which cohere to but he below the lobes of the rostellum

and are separated by the central lobe. (Dyer 4551 in National

Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 28222.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1039. — Fig. 1, plant, natural size ; 2, flower, x 3 ; 3, column,

with cap over poUinia removed, x 8 ; 4, habit to show distichous arrange-

ment of leaves.

F.P.A., October 1947.

70<-0

R-Brovm del.

Huth cBr

Plate 1040.

ERICA VESTITA.

Cape Province.

Ericaceae.

Erica vestita Thunb. Diss. Eric. 22 (1785) ; Guthrie and Bolus in FI.

Cap. 4, 1 : 63 (1905) ; L. Bolus, Second Book of South African Flowers,

26 (1936).

It is not unusual for Erica vestita to be figured in

botanical literature. In fact there are few species which

appear more frequently in colour. To a great extent this is

due to the fact that it was early introduced into cultivation in

Europe and the fiowers which are comparatively large vary

quite appreciably in colour, from white, yellow, rosy to

crimson. Most of the colour forms have been given distinct-

ive varietal names in the past, but in view of the gradation

from one colour to another, Guthrie and Bolus, in Flora

Capensis, 1905, discarded all except var. fulgida^ which is

distinctive for its entirely silky or puberulous ovary and

exserted anthers. There are, however, specimens with sub-

exserted anthers linking the variety with the typical form

with included anthers.

In spite of its inherent variability, Guthrie and Bolus say

that E. vestita is a well marked species and should not be

confused with its allies, although some workers may not

regard E. nematophylla and E. filamentosa as specifically

distinct. They share with E. vestita the remarkable character

of tremulous leaves, which is demonstrated by their movement

in the shghtest breeze. In this they are distinguished from

E. longifolia, which otherwise bears a strong superficial

resemblance.

The specimen figured here was grown by Mr. G. W.

Reynolds at Northchff, Johannesburg, together with a rose

pink form and several other species of Erica. It began

flowering with him the second year from seed, and had

flowered continuously for a year up to the time of figuring,

with the greatest abundance of flowers from October to March.

The average height of the plants is approximately 3 ft.

and the species is said to be abundant up to altitudes of about

5000 ft. from Tulbagh, Caledon, Bredasdorp, etc., to Rivers-

dale Division.

Description : — Shrub of virgate habit 30-100 cm. tall

with puberulous branches. Leaves 6-nate, crowded, erect to

spreading, tremulous, slender, linear-subtrigonous, acute,

glabrous or minutely pubescent on the under surface, 1 *25 cm.

long, and about 0*5 mm. broad, contracted into a dehcate

petiole less than half its width and 3-4 mm. long. Flowers

borne singly in the axils of leaves, crowded below the tips

of the branches, appearing in successive whorl-like clusters

up the elongating branches. Bracts fohaceous, up to about

8 mm. long, arising from the central portion of the slender

7-9 mm. long pedicel. Sepals hnear from an ovate base,

acuminate, fohaceous in the upper half, about 1 cm. long.

Corolla crimson (grading to white on some forms), clavate-

tubular, curved, with mouth shghtly expanding, puberulous,

2-2’3 cm. long ; lobes straight or shghtly spreading, 2 mm.

long. Filamejits curved ; anthers included (occasionally

somewhat exserted), dorsifixed shortly above the base, nearly

2 mm. long, muticous or shghtly decurrent-denticulate on the

filaments ; pore about half the length of the ceh. Ovary

grooved, glabrous on the lower half wdth a viUous crown.

(National Herbarium, Pretoria No. 27282.) — R. A. Dyer.

Plate 1040. — Fig. 1, flowering branch, natural size ; 2, leaf, x 2 ;

3, cross-section of leaf, x 20 ; 4, pedicel, bracts and flower, natural size ;

6, anther and apex of filament, x 10 ; 6, gynoecium, x 4 ; 7, habit.

F.P.A., October 1947.

INDEX TO VOLUME XXVI

ALBUCA PATERSONIAE .

ALBUCA TRANSVAALENSIS .

ALOE DEBRANA ....

ALOE MAGNIDENTATA .

ALOE TRICHOSANTHA .

ALOINOPSIS MALHERBEI

BRACHYLAENA ROTUNDATA.

BULBINE TORTIFOLIA .

CARALLTOIA BALDRATII

CARALLUMA DICAPUAE .

CARALLUMA MONTANA .

CARALLUMA SOMALICA .

CARALLUMA SPRENGERI

CLEMATOPSIS KIRKII .

DELOSPERMA ASHTONII

DELOSPERMA JANSEI .

DOLICHOS PEGLERAE .

ECHIDNOPSIS ANGUSTILOBA.

ECHIDNOPSIS SHARPEI .

ENCEPHALARTOS VILLOSUS .

ENCEPHALARTOS VILLOSUS .

ERICA VESTITA ....

ERYTHRINA ZEYHERI .

EULOPHIA MACKENII .

EUPHORBIA COERULESCENS

GETHYLLIS LINEARIS .

GLADIOLUS EDULIS

GLADIOLUS STOKOEI .

HYPOXIS RIGIDULA

KALANCHOE PANICULATA .

LAMPRANTHUS VANZIJLIAE .

MYSTACIDIUM CAPENSE.

NANANTHUS ALOIDES .

NANANTHUS WILMANIAE

ORNITHOGALUM LEPTOPHYLLUM

ORNITHOGALUM SUAVEOLENS

PSORALEA PINNATA var. LATIFOLIA

RUSCHIA MAXIMA ....

SCILLA PLUMBEA ....

SPHENOSTYLIS ANGUSTIFOLIA .

URGINEA EPIGEA ....

PLATE

. 1022

. 1009

. 1016

. 1015

. 1014

. 1035

. 1005

. 1019

. 1033

. 1032

. 1034

. 1008

. 1031

. 1026

. 1023

. 1024

. 1028

. 1003

. 1003

. 1001

. 1002

. 1040

. 1011

. 1020

. 1025

. 1018

. 1017

. 1004

. 1021

. 1007

. 1012

. 1039

. 1037

. 1036

. 1038

. 1030

. 1029

. 1013

. 1006

. 1010

. 1027

PRINTED IN ENGLAND BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LTD., LONDON AND BECCLBB.

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