Berg, Calvinia District, and described by him in 1909, and in September
1921 the plant was again collected by Dr. R. Marloth in the same
locality. It belongs to the same group in the genus as _G. spathaceus_
(the Caledon Bluebell), and _G. involutus_ (the George Bluebell), having
the same bell-shaped flowers. In the original description the plant is
said to be one-flowered, but in the specimens received from Dr. Marloth
the spikes were 2-4-flowered.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No.
1459).
DESCRIPTION:--_Corm_ globose, 2 cm. long, 2·2 cm. in diameter, with
fibrous tunics produced into a short neck. _Leaves_ two to each plant;
the lower about 5 cm. long, spathaceous, clasping the stem, minutely
pubescent and with hyaline margins; the upper 26-43 cm. long, free for
14-24 cm. above, linear, acute, with two prominent ribs above and
beneath. _Spikes_ 2-4-flowered. _Outer spathe valve_ membranous, 3 cm.
long, 8 mm. broad, lanceolate, many-veined, with membranous margins,
glabrous; inner valve 2 cm. long, hyaline-membranous. _Perianth-tube_ 7
mm. long, curved, cylindric below, becoming campanulate above.
_Posterior-lobes_ 1·5 cm. long, 1 cm. broad, obovate, subacuminate,
obtuse; anterior lobe 2·3 cm. long, 1·3 cm. broad, obovate, rounded
above, hooded; side lobes 1·5 cm. long, 1·3 cm. broad, obovate, shortly
and bluntly acuminate. _Anthers_ projecting beyond the junction with
the filament. _Ovary_ 3 mm. long, ellipsoid; style terete; stigmas
spathulate, 2-lobed.
* * * * *
PLATE 68.--Fig. 1, front view of flower; Fig. 2, perianth laid
open; Fig. 3, upper part of style, showing stigmas; Fig. 4,
anthers.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _69._
S Gower del.]
PLATE 69.
GAZANIA PAVONIA.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
COMPOSITAE. Tribe ARCTOTIDEAE.
GAZANIA, _Gaertn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. ii. p. 459.
* * * * *
=Gazania Pavonia=, _R. Br. in Ait. Hort. Kew._ 2, vol. v. p. 140; _Fl.
Cap._ vol. iii. p. 476.
* * * * *
This extremely handsome species of _Gazania_ was cultivated by Mr. C. N.
Knox-Davies in Johannesburg from plants collected at Worcester in the
Cape Province. The plants form a dense mass, and are suitable either for
growing in a border or in large pots. The ray florets are a beautiful
nopal red, with a warm sepia-brown eye-spot at the base, and when the
plants are in full bloom they present a very striking appearance. It is
surprising that species of this genus, which are amongst the most
handsome of the South African Compositae, have received so little
attention from horticulturists, and though hundreds of our native plants
have been figured in the _Botanical Magazine_ only two species of
Gazania have been illustrated.
Mr. N. E. Brown, who contributed an account of the genus to _The
Garden_, wrote that “it is one of the most perplexing that a botanist
has to deal with,” and even to-day the species are very imperfectly
known. Our plant was submitted to Kew for verification of the name, and
the Director reports, “The _Gazania_ has not been exactly matched, but
might be regarded as a form of _G. Pavonia, R. Br._”
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No.
1473).
DESCRIPTION:--_Plant_ compact, decumbent, forming a clump about 30 cm.
in diameter. _Leaves_ crowded near the apex of short shoots, 6-10 cm.
long, pinnatisect, slightly broadened and clasping at the base; lobes
1-2·5 cm. long, 2·5-4 mm. broad, linear, subacute, woolly-tomentose
beneath except on the mid-rib, sparsely woolly above, at length
becoming glabrous. _Peduncle_ 9 mm. long, terete, sparsely woolly, at
length becoming glabrous. _Tube of involucre_ 9 mm. long, 8 mm. in
diameter, sparsely woolly, intruse at the base; lobes in three rows; the
outer 4 mm. long, less than 1 mm. broad, linear, subacute; the innermost
ovate, subacuminate, subobtuse, with reddish-brown margins.
_Ray-florets_ neuter, corolla tube 7 mm. long, cylindric; limb red with
a dark-coloured mark at the base, 1·9 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, obovate,
rounded and minutely 3-fid at the apex, with two prominent veins
beneath. _Disc-florets_ hermaphrodite. _Corolla-tube_ 7 mm. long, more
or less angled, glabrous; lobes ·5 mm. long, ovate, subacute. _Anthers_
3 mm. long. _Pappus_ of long delicate linear scales connate in the lower
half and encasing the base of the corolla tube, free in the upper half.
_Ovary_ densely clothed with long silky hairs; style elongating up to
1·3 cm. long, filiform; stigmas about 0·75 mm. long.
* * * * *
PLATE 69.--Fig. 1, limb of ray flower; Fig. 2, longitudinal section
of involucre; Fig. 3, ray flower; Fig. 4, segment of leaf enlarged.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _70._
K A Lansdell del.]
PLATE 70.
OCHNA PRETORIENSIS.
_Transvaal._
* * * * *
OCHNACEAE. Tribe OCHNACEAE.
OCHNA, _Schreb._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. i. p. 317.
* * * * *
=Ochna pretoriensis=, _Phillips_, sp. nov. _Rami_ glabri. _Folia_
1·5-3·8 cm. longa, 0·5-1·7 cm. lata, lanceolata, obovata, elliptica
vel oblanceolata, apice obtusa, basi cuneata, marginibus serratis.
_Flores_ solitarii vel 2-nati. _Pedicelli_ 1-1·5 cm. longi, basi
articulati. _Sepala_ 7-8 mm. longa, 4·5 mm. lata, ovata vel
elliptica, apice rotundata, aliquando 2-3-lobata. _Petala_ 1·5 cm.
longa, 9·5 mm. lata, obovata, apice rotundata, basi unguiculata.
_Filamenta_ 4·5 mm. longa, apice articulata. _Ovarium_
4-5-loculare; stylus 5 mm. longus, apice 4-5-lobatus.
* * * * *
This _Ochna_, which is found in the Transvaal around Pretoria and at
Messina, has hitherto been confused with _O. atropurpurea_, but is
easily distinguished from that species by the larger more expanded
flowers and the non-pustulate branches. The latter character
distinguishes _O. atropurpurea_ from all the other South African species
of the genus.
Our plate was prepared from specimens collected on Meintjes Kop,
Pretoria, by Mr. D. J. Fouche in September, 1921. It is a low spreading
bush, and at this time of the year is one mass of sweet-smelling yellow
flowers. The leaves do not appear until December or January, and it is
then that the green sepals enlarge and turn a blood-red colour and
surround the black fruit. The plant, therefore, either in flower or
fruit makes a very ornamental shrub and well worth the attention of
cultivators.
The genus _Ochna_ contains several species producing valuable timber.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. Nos.
1422, 1491).
DESCRIPTION:--_Branches_ with light to dark brown bark, peeling off in
membranous strips, not pustulate. _Leaves_ 1·5-3·8 cm. long, ·5-1·7 cm.
broad, lanceolate, obovate, elliptic, or oblanceolate (mostly
oblanceolate), obtuse at the apex, cuneate or more rarely rounded at the
base, with serrated margins and with the mid-rib distinct and the
lateral veins evident. _Flowers_ solitary, very rarely paired, arising
at the apex of abbreviated shoots. _Pedicels_ 1-1·5 cm. long,
articulated at or 1-2 mm. above the base. _Sepals_ 7-8 mm. long, 4-5 mm.
broad, ovate or elliptic, rounded at and sometimes 2-8-lobed at the
apex, enlarging in the fruit. _Petals_ 1·5 cm. long, 9·5 mm. broad,
obovate, rounded at the apex, narrowed at the base into a claw.
_Filaments_ 4·5 mm. long, articulated at the apex; anthers 2 mm. long,
oblong. _Ovary_ of 4-6 carpels; style 5 mm. long; stigmas as many as the
carpels. _Fruit_ 7-8 mm. long, 5-6 mm. broad, more or less ellipsoid.
* * * * *
PLATE 70.--Fig. 1, fruiting branch; Fig. 2, flower with petals
removed; Fig. 3, sepal; Fig. 4, petal; Figs. 5 and 6, stamens; Fig.
7, gynaecium.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _71._
S Gower del.]
PLATE 71.
DAUBENYA AUREA, _var._ COCCINEA.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
LILIACEAE. Tribe ALLIEAE.
DAUBENYA, _Lindl._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 807.
* * * * *
=Daubenya aurea=, Lindl., _var._ =coccinea=, _Marloth_ comb. nov.
_Daubenya coccinea, Harv. Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 417.
* * * * *
This rare and interesting plant was found by Dr. R. Marloth in the
Calvinia District. An examination of fresh specimens has enabled us to
reduce the three species described in the “Flora Capensis” to a single
species, and the genus _Daubenya_ therefore becomes one of South
Africa’s monotypic genera. Our conclusions have been confirmed by
independent observations made by Dr. Marloth, and we give below the
notes he forwarded to the Division of Botany.
“The colour of the flower is the most brilliant scarlet known in the
Flora of South Africa, and especially dazzling when seen in full
sunlight. This effect is due to the combination of two pigments in the
subepidermal tissues of the flower, viz. a granular yellow pigment
distributed through all the cells, and a bright red solution present in
most of the cells of the subepidermal layer, but absent in others. This
peculiarity of structure also explains the occurrence of plants with
yellow flowers, for if through some cause or other (as a sport), the red
pigment is not produced, the flower is plain yellow, just as in such a
case the flower of the red _Watsonia_ (_W. rosa_) becomes pure white
(Arderne’s Watsonia). It so happened that the yellow form was first
introduced into England and described by Lindley as _Daubenya aurea_
(1835), hence this name has to be retained for the species, although the
flower is generally scarlet, and the yellow form has only arisen as a
sport. There is, however, no structural difference between _D. aurea_
Lindl., _D. coccinea_ Harv., and _D. fulva_ Lindl.”
The length of the floral segments and of the peduncle, given as
distinguishing characters by Lindley, is very variable in the specimens
seen by us (over one hundred); some of them are scarlet, others yellow,
and some dull orange. The scent of the flowers is unpleasant, somewhat
recalling that of the flowers of _Rhus_.
The home of this remarkable plant was unknown to botanists until
re-discovered in 1920. It grows in heavy red clay soil on the farm
Fransplaas, about 40 miles north of Sutherland, and flowers in
September.
The genus was named by Dr. Lindley in honour of Dr. Charles Daubeny,
Professor of Botany at Oxford, “whose interesting researches in
vegetable Chemistry have materially conduced to improve our knowledge of
the physiology of plants.”
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No.
1458).
DESCRIPTION:--An acaulescent herbaceous plant. _Bulb_ 1·6 cm. long, 1·9
cm. in diameter, covered with brown membranous tunics with numerous
fibrous roots from the base. _Leaves_ 2, flat, 5-8 cm. long, 4-5 cm.
broad, ovate, subacuminate, obtuse, narrowed and clasping at the base,
many-nerved, with margins narrowly membranous. _Capitulum_ about
10-flowered, with a peduncle 3 cm. long, clasped by the leaf base and
beneath the soil. _Outer bracts_ white, membranous, 2·7 cm. long, 1·6
cm. broad, oblong; inner bracts 2·5 cm. long, 9 mm. broad,
obovate-spathulate, entire, clasping the perianth-tube. _Pedicels_ 5 mm.
long, 3 mm. broad, compressed, fleshy. _The outer flowers_ 2-lipped and
differently shaped from the inner. _Perianth-tube_ of outer flowers 2
cm. long, 4 mm. in diameter, somewhat compressed; lobes of lower lip 2·6
cm. long; the middle lobe 1·4 cm. broad; the 2 side lobes 1 cm. broad;
all obovate-oblong, obtuse; lobes of upper lip 3 mm. long, 1 mm. broad,
linear. _Perianth-lobes_ of inner flowers 3-6 mm. long, all linear or
lanceolate. _Stamens_ inserted at different levels; filaments 3-6 mm.
long, terete, fleshy, tapering upwards; anthers 2 mm. long, oblong.
_Ovary_ 7 mm. long, 2·5 mm. in diameter, narrowly ellipsoid, glabrous;
style 2·5 cm. long, terete, with 3 minute stigmas at the apex.
* * * * *
PLATE 71.--Fig. 1, plant viewed from above; Fig. 2, plant, side
view; Fig. 3, a single flower; Fig. 4, side view of flower of outer
whorl; Fig. 5, flower from middle of inflorescence; Fig. 6, the
same flower viewed from above, showing the stamens and style; Fig.
7, bract.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _72._
K A Lansdell del.]
PLATE 72.
STAPELIA PILLANSII, _var._ ATTENUATA.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
ASCLEPIADACEAE. Tribe STAPELIEAE.
STAPELIA, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. ii. p. 784.
* * * * *
=Stapelia Pillansii=, _N. E. Br._, _var._ =attenuata=, _N. E. Br._ in _Fl.
Cap._ vol. iv. sect. i. p. 958.
* * * * *
This interesting _Stapelia_ was first discovered by Mr. N. S. Pillans,
of Cape Town, at Witte Poort in the Laingsburg Division, and described
by Mr. N. E. Brown, to whom Mr. Pillans sent most of his collections of
this group. Our plant is one of the larger-flowered species of the
genus, resembling in this respect _S. gigantea_ and _S. nobilis_, but
differing in colour from both these species. The flowers have a distinct
carrion-like odour, although this is not so strong as in many other
species of the genus. When in bud the petals form an acuminate beak
recurved at the apex. Under cultivation in the greenhouse the stems turn
a dark reddish-brown colour.
Our specimen was collected by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans at Laingsburg, and
flowered at the Division of Botany, Pretoria, in October, 1921.
(National Herbarium, Pretoria, Herb. No. 1492.)
DESCRIPTION:--_Stems_ 9-15 cm. high, 1·4-2·2 cm. in diameter, 4-angled
and with concave sides, pubescent, usually green. _Teeth_ with erect
whitish rudimentary leaves about 2 mm. long. _Flowers_ 2 (4 or 5
according to Brown) from near the base of the stems. _Pedicels_ 3-4 cm.
long, terete, pubescent. _Sepals_ 1·7 cm. long, 2 mm. broad at the base,
linear-lanceolate, acuminate, acute, pubescent. _Corolla_ when expanded
22·5 cm. in diameter, diamine-brown above, smooth and without markings,
glabrous; lobes 10·5 cm. long, 2·2 cm. broad at the base, ovate,
tapering to a long point, strongly revolute, ciliate with short hairs
and with longer vibratile hairs. _Corona_ dark coloured; outer corona
lobes 4 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, oblong, bluntly 3-lobed at the apex; the
middle lobe the largest; inner corona-lobes 7 mm. long, 3 mm. broad,
obovate, flattened and appearing to stand at right angles to the outer
lobes, on either edge produced into a beak; the inner beak longer than
the outer and recurved over the flattened portion of the corona; the
outer beak entire or irregularly 2-3-lobed.
* * * * *
PLATE 72.--Fig. 1, corona; Fig. 2, lobe of inner corona; Fig. 3,
lobe of _outer corona_.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _73._
M. M. Page del.]
PLATE 73.
MESEMBRYANTHEMUM CRASSIPES.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
FICOIDEAE. Tribe MESEMBRYEAE.
MESEMBRYANTHEMUM, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. i. p.
853.
* * * * *
=Mesembryanthemum crassipes=, _Marloth_, sp. nov. habitu _M.
rosulati_ (Kensit in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. i. p. 155, pi. xxib)
et _M. calcarei_, Marl. (Flora of S. A. vol. i. pl. 52) sed foliis
cuneatis aspero-marginatis et floribus roseis 5-meris distincta.
_Planta_ subacaulis, ramis paucis brevissimis e radice crasso
carnoso ramoso. _Folia_ in rosulam aggregata, plana, cuneata,
crassa, suberecta, apice retusa vel rotundata, apicem versus
margineque tuberculis minutis griseis numerosis munita. _Flores_
apice ramulorum solitarii. _Calyx_ 5-fidus, lobis subaequalibus
triangularibus, colore griseo foliorum. _Petala_ lanceolata,
uniseriata, saturate rosea. _Stamina_ incarnata basin versus
barbata. _Stigmata_ 8-10, filiformia, staminibus aequilonga.
* * * * *
This is a beautiful plant when in flower, owing to the contrast between
the deep pink petals and the rugose grey leaves. It was collected on a
stony plain of grey shale near Sutherland, at an altitude of 4600 feet,
by Dr. R. Marloth, and flowered in his garden at Cape Town in September,
1921.
DESCRIPTION:--_Root_ thick, fleshy, simple or branched up to 30 mm. in
diam. and 20 cm. long. _Stem_ none, but one or more short branches
arising from the crown of the caudex. _Leaves_ crowded, 6-10 on a
branch, mostly erect and exposing the margin to the midday sun, cuneate,
gradually narrowed to the base, the apex straight or slightly rounded,
occasionally with a blunt mucro; the apical portion, and especially the
apical margin, closely covered with fine tubercles; on the wild plant
the entire leaf greyish-green, the margin reddish. _Flowers_ solitary on
each branch, sessile or subsessile, supported by 2 connate leaf-like
bracts. _Calyx_ turbiniform, 10-12 mm. long, the tube 11-13 mm. in diam.
at the mouth; sepals 5, of which 3 nearly equal, the 2 others narrower,
all triangular, 10 mm. long and wide, with a very narrow hyaline margin
and a thick umbo below the apex, finely tuberculate like the leaves,
grey, the margin red. _Petals_ uniseriate, narrow-lanceolate or
spathulate, 13-14 mm. long and 2-2·5 mm. wide in the middle, deep pink
on the inner side, paler on the outer side. _Stamens_ white, bending
inwards near the base and then erect, bearded at the bend. _Styles_
8-10, filiform, 6 mm. long, arising from the apex of the conical ovary.
Total diam. of open flower 20-25 mm., opening in the sun and closing
towards evening for several days.
* * * * *
PLATE 73.--Fig. 1, longitudinal section through the flower; Fig. 2,
calyx; Fig. 3, gynaecium; Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, petals and stamen; Fig.
8, entire leaf; Fig. 9, cross-sections of leaf.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _74._
S Gower del.]
PLATE 74.
LEUCOSPERMUM TOTTUM, _var._ GLABRUM.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
PROTEACEAE. Tribe PROTEEAE.
LEUCOSPERMUM, _R. Br._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p.
170.
* * * * *
=Leucospermum tottum=, _R. Br._, _var._ =glabrum=, _Phillips_, var. nov. a
typo ramis glabris, bracteis eciliatis differt.
* * * * *
This interesting _Leucospermum_ was collected by Mr. T. P. Stokoe in Jan
du Toit’s Kloof near Chavonnesberg, in the Western Province. Mr. Stokoe
states that only a few plants were observed growing in a belt of
_Proteaceae_. It is evidently very closely related to _L. tottum_, from
which it differs in having glabrous branches and non-ciliate involucral
bracts, and should be regarded as a glabrous variety of this species.
The genus _Leucospermum_ is closely related to _Protea_ (see plate 22)
but differs from that genus in having the limb of the posticous segment
divided and not completely fused. The well-known “Kreupelboom” (_L.
concospermum_) belongs to this genus.
The variety here figured might be regarded as one of the more striking
plants in the genus _Leucospermum_. The yellow styles with red stigmas
projecting from an involucre tinged with delicate shades of red and
green give a particularly pleasing effect.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No.
1493).
DESCRIPTION:--A spreading bush 5-6 ft. high. _Branches_ glabrous.
_Leaves_ 8-8·5 cm. long, O·9-1 cm. broad, broadly linear, 3-toothed at
the apex, slightly narrowed at the base with the midrib distinct
beneath, veins faint above. _Heads_ solitary or 2-nate, 7-8 cm. long
including the peduncle and styles, about 5·5 cm. in diameter. _Peduncle_
2 cm. long, loosely covered with ovate subacuminate obtuse glabrous
bracts 8 mm. long and about 8 mm. broad. _Receptacle_ 2·2 cm. long, 7
mm. broad, cylindric, densely villous on the back with long white hairs.
_Perianth-tube_ 1 cm. long, glabrous; segments 2·5 cm. long, linear,
villous and long ciliate; lobes 3 mm. long, oblong, subacuminate,
ciliate and bearded. _Ovary_ 1 mm. long, villous; style 4·5 cm. long,
terete, glabrous; stigma ovoid, subacuminate, obtuse.
* * * * *
PLATE 74.--Fig. 1, a single flower; Fig. 2, flower bud; Fig. 3,
limb of posticous segment; Fig. 4, one lobe of limb showing stamen;
Fig. 5, floral bracts; Fig. 6, longitudinal section of receptacle;
Fig. 7, involucral bract; Fig. 8, stigma, side view; Fig. 9,
stigma, front view.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _75._
S Gower del.]
PLATE 75.
ORNITHOGALUM ROODEAE.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
LILIACEAE. Tribe SCILLEAE.
ORNITHOGALUM, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p.
815.
* * * * *
=Ornithogalum Roodeae=, _Phillips_, sp. nov. _Bulbus_ globosus,
albus. _Folia_ 3, ad 26 cm. longa, basi 2·5 cm. lata, lanceolata,
acuminata, glabra. _Pedunculus_ ad 25 cm. longus, glaber.
_Inflorescentia_ 4 cm. longa, circiter 6 cm. lata. _Bracteae_
1·4-2·5 cm. longae, ovato-lanceolatae, acuminatae, membranaceae.
_Pedicelli_ 1·1-2·5 cm. longi. _Segmenta_ perianthii 1·2 cm. longa,
4 mm. lata, oblongo-lanceolata, apice papillosa. _Filamenta_ 8 mm.
longa, basi 1·5 lata, lanceolata, acuminata. _Ovarium_ 5 mm.
longum, 2.5 mm. latum, glabrum; stylus 6 mm. longus; stigma
semiglobosum, papillosum.
* * * * *
This handsome _Ornithogalum_ was collected by Mr. E. Rood at Van
Rhynsdorp, and forwarded to the Division of Botany, Pretoria. The
perianth segments are a deep reddish-brown, edged with white, and the
flowers are extremely fragrant. Specimens were sent to Kew, and the
Director reports that the plant had not been matched, the nearest
affinity being _O. suaveolens_, Jacq., and that it was evidently a new
species. This species exhibits a device for cross-pollination by the
movement of the style. As soon as the flower opens the style bends
downwards, and is thus in a position to receive pollen from the abdomen
of a visiting insect. As the flowers wither the perianth segments close
up, and the style becomes erect and would then be self-pollinated if
cross-pollination has not taken place.
DESCRIPTION:--_Bulb_ 2·2 cm. long, 2·8 cm. in diameter, globose, white.
_Leaves_ 3, up to 26 cm. long, 2·5 cm. broad at the base, lanceolate
(when opened flat), becoming deeply channelled above, acuminate,
clasping at the base, glabrous. _Peduncle_ up to 25 cm. long,
greenish-brown, glabrous. _Infloresence_ about 14-flowered, more or less
corymbose, 4 mm. long, about 6 cm. in diameter. _Bracts_ 1·4-2·5 cm.
long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate into a long fine point, membranous,
as long as the pedicels. _Pedicels_ 1·1-2·5 cm. long, terete.
_Perianth-segments_ free to the base, spreading, 1·2 cm. long, 4 mm.
broad, oblong-lanceolate, dark purple with white margins, 5-nerved; the
outer cucullate at the apex with a fringe of short glandular hairs; the
inner rounded and fringed with short glandular hairs. _Filaments_ 8 mm.
long, 1·5 mm. broad in widest part, lanceolate, acuminate, more or less
compressed below, convex on both sides above; anthers 4 mm. long,
oblong, each lobe with a short beak. _Ovary_ 5 mm. long, 2·5 mm. in
diameter, 3-lobed, glabrous; style 6 mm. long, semiterete; the style in
open flowers bent away from stamens and later becoming sharply bent;
stigma semiglobose, covered with glandular hairs.
* * * * *
PLATE 75.--Fig. 1, flower; Fig. 2, bract; Fig. 3, stamen; Fig. 4,
cross-section of ovary; Fig. 5, gynaecium; Fig. 6, outer
perianth-segments, front and side views; Fig. 7, inner
perianth-segments, front and side views.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _76._
K. A. Lansdell del.]
PLATE 76.
PROTEA RECONDITA.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
PROTEACEAE. Tribe PROTEEAE.
PROTEA, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 169.
* * * * *
=Protea recondita=, _Buek. ex Meisn. in DC. Prodr._ xiv. 237; _Fl. Cap._
vol. v. sect. i. p. 584.
* * * * *
This rare _Protea_ was sent to us by Miss L. Guthrie of the Bolus
Herbarium, who received it from Mr. de Wet of Ceres. Mr. de Wet
described it as a low trailing plant with the branches 2 feet long and
raised about a foot above the ground. The heads are hidden by the upper
leaves. Hitherto the species has only been recorded from Ezelsbank on
the Cedarberg Range, Clanwilliam Division, where it was collected by
Drège almost a hundred years ago.
This example, unlike so many species of _Protea_, is not particularly
handsome. The bracts are a pale dull green, and the flowers somewhat
scented, reminding one very much of the odour of _Protea mellifera_.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No.
1490).