r 



/ 



82 



MR. N. E. DROWN; NEW AND OLD 



leaden or bluisli-graenj snffased or tinted with purple and thickly dotted with 

 darker ^roen on the Lack, nsnally without dots on the npper surface niih^ss 

 hehl to the li^ht, when a few pellucnd dots become visible ; the tumour at. 

 the base oE the n[)por surface is oF a rich dark pur[)le. Flowers unknown* 



South Africa. Locality unknown, Pillansl 



Described from a living plant sent to nie by Mr, Pillai^s In 1911, which 

 lias Jiever flowered. It is nearly allied to iJ/, tubeixnlatunK Mill., but is a 

 much smaller plant, the leaves being shorter and less stout than those of that 

 species ; they are also rather smoother to the touch, as the dots are not 

 prominent unless the leaves are shrivelled. The dark purple tumour at the 

 base of the upper surface of the leaves is a very cons[)icuous feature of this 

 plant when it is fully exposed to the sun, I have never seen the tumour of 

 M. luberaAalum coloured in the same manner. From both ^1/. hilercidahfiN^ 

 Mill, and M. hlhracteatnm it is at once distinguished by its longer and more 

 slender branches. 



N. E. Br. (PI. 9 



L 



.^G). Planta 5-6^ cm. nlta. CauHs 



prostratuSj brevis, ramosus. liami 2-4-foliati. Folia inaMpialia, 2^-4 cm, 



mm. crassa^ a[)ice 7-10 mm. crassa et 



lono-n ba^i 5-10 mm. lata et G-S 



dilatato-carinafa^ supra plana, altera apice obtuta vel acuta^ altera uncato- 

 acuta, glabra, leviter glauco-viridia, ubique dense [»unctata. Floros ignoii. 



Plant 5-6^- cm, high, forming a clump. Stem subterranean or proslralcj 

 branching. Branches short, about 5 mm, thick, each bearing 2-4 leaves 

 according to season. Loaves unequal, at first erect, beconsing spreadine- 



when the new growth is 



formed, 2^-4 cm. long, 5 



10 mm. broad and 

 G-S mm. tliick at tlie base, and 7-10 mm. thick at the apex^ where the 

 obtuse dorsal Iceel is more or less dihited and compressed; the face or upper 



surface is flat and gradually tapers from the Inise to tln^ apex, w 



hid 



\ on 



tl 



le 



larger h^af is incurved-hooked and acute with a short point directed forwanl, 

 and on the smalh^r leaf is obtuse or acute ; in side view the lartjcr leal" is 

 broadl}' rounded at the top and the smaller leaf less so ; surface smootli 

 glabrtkus, of a slightly glaucous-green, thickly dotted all over on the face 

 and !)aek wifli ilai'ker green. Flowers unknown, 



Vax KiiYNSDoup Div, Near Bakhuis, Pearson^ 0485 ! 

 Described and figured from a living plant cultivated at Kew. 



M. PFESSUM, N. E. Br. (PL 10. fig. 4G). Planta G-7 cm. aha, subacaulis, 

 basi ramosa. Kamuli 2-4-foliati. Folia 3^-G longa, basi 9-14 mm. lata et 

 7-9 mm, crassa, crecta vel exteriora [)atula, supra plana, dorso basi valde 

 convexa et obtusissime carinata et apice valde rompres^a et subacute cai'inata 

 leviter diiutata, acuta vel obtusa etapionlataj basi in corpusoulum cylindricuin 

 15-25 mm, longum et 10-15 mm. crassum connata, glabra, gkiuco-viridia 

 punctis pellucidis atrovIridil)US crebre notata. Flores ignoti. 



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