^^ 



108 



MR. N, E. BROWN : NEW AND OLD 



small leaves in tlie axils of the stem-lcavos are very cluiracteri^^tic of tliis 



speciesi. The origin of this plant as stated by Salni-Dyck does not apply 

 to it. 



M. FLEXUOSUM, Haw. A shrnbU^t 3()-G0 cm, [1-2 ft.) high. Stem some- 

 what flexuose, alender^ shining, with opposite branches, at first erect then 

 weakly decumbent, terete, glabrous to the eye but scarcely so to the touch 

 (perhaps this indicates that they are slightly papillate ?), greyish, the 

 younger branches thicker, as in M. ftufi^/iatum. Leaves crowded^ flexuose- 



Flowers terminal, solitary. IVduncle 



recurved, seiniterete, very green* 



nearly naked, terete, thickened above, 



witli glistening papilla?. 



Cnljx 



5-lobed; lobes large, the two larger finger-like, as in A{. spJendens. Corolla 



petals broatlei", in many series, 



larger than that of J/, rejle.vuoi and the 



obtuse, notche<l, yellowish^ tinted with j-ed on the back, the itmer series 

 gradually smaller and almost setaceous, pale yellowish. Stamens short ; 

 filaments white ; anthers yellow. Stigmas 4 (not 5), shortj very erect, 

 subulate^ longer (as they are described as short, this is possibly an error for 

 shorter?) than the stamens, greenish-yellows Ovary united to the sides of 

 the calyxj not separated from it as in M, rejlexum. Capsule 4-celled. 

 M. fle.moston^ Haw. Misc. p. 61 (lyO;j) ; Synop. p, 257; <t Rev/p. 172: 

 Ait. Ilorh Kew. ed, 2, vol. iii. p, 2^1 : DC. Prodr. vol. iii. p. 445 : G, Don, 

 Gen, Syst. vol, iib p. 147, not of later authors. 



South Ai^kica. Locality unknown. Introduced by Masson in 17D5. 



The above is a translation of Huwortli's original description of this species. 

 He obtained it from Aiton, and states that it is larger and greener than 

 Al. rejlexum an<l its flowers expand in the morning during July and August. 



Unfortunately there is no drawing of this species at Kew_, but from 

 Huwortli's description of the petals, stigmas, etc., it must be verv distinct 

 from the plant figured by Salm-Dyck (Mesemb. § 44^ fig- 7) as M/fexnosvm, 

 wdiich, as stated on p. 107, is identical with M. acumufutfnn^ Haw. 



M. UERBEUM, A\ E.I]7\ (PI. 10. tig. 43). Planta humilis omnino herbacea, 

 7-15 cm. alta^ basi in caulibus 3-5 ramosa, Caules 2-3 mm. crassi, ereoti 

 superne sparsim dichotomo-cymosi, minute papulos^i, rubescentes. Folia 

 subpatula, 2'-4 cm, longa, 2|-4 mm. lata, 2^-3 mm. crassa, lineari-semiteretia, 

 acuta vel subacuta, supra canaliculata, basi subconnata, minute papulosa, 

 sordido viridia. Flores in furcis cymce solitarii. Pedicelli 2-(; mm. lono^i. 

 Calyx SEcpe 5-(interdum 4-) lobus, minute papulosus ; lobi inajquales, 

 3-7 mm. longi, foliifornies, acuti. Corolla 10-18 mm. diametro ; petula 



i 



lata, linearia, acuta, primum 



alba, demum alba apicibus purpurco-tincta. Stamina numerosa, circa 3 mm, 

 longa, cxterioribus absque antheris petaliformibus, primum erecta, demum 

 patula. Stigmata 5, erecta, 2^ mm. longa, subulata, acutissima, flavo-viridia 

 ba$i 5-(uberculata. 



