104 XCVIII, ACANTHACEH (CLARKE). [ Blepharis. 
26. B. longifolia, Lindau in Engl. Jahrb. xx. 32, Stem stout, 
permanently hairy or glabrate. Leaves up to 4-6 by $-3 in., linear or 
oblong. Floral-leaves densely minutely grey strigose. ‘Tips of calyx- 
segments spinous, without long white hairs. Corolla blue, very thinly 
hairy; otherwise as B. acanthodioides.—Lindau in Engl. & Prantl, 
Pflanzenfam. iv. 3 B. 318, and in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. C. 370. 
Mozamb, Dist. German East Africa: East shore of Lake Tanganyika, Scott- 
Elliot, 8354! Unyamwezi; Oallo (Wala) River, Stuhlmann, 485! British Central 
Africa: Nyasaland, Buchanan, 696! 
27. B. diversispina, C. B. Clarke. Grey or fuscous pubescent, 
afterwards glabrate. Leaves apparently 4 in a whorl, subsimilar, 
1} by 3 in., narrow elliptic, spinous-margined; sterile shoots in their 
axils (as well as the lowest floral-leaves) reduced to simple spines 
}-1 in. long, passing upwards into compound spines and into floral 
leaves. One-flowered branches (reduced spikes) 2-6 together, axillary 
or themselves grouped into short ovoid spikes; flower-bract % by nearly 
4 in., ovate, short-acuminate, spinous-margined, closely hairy without ; 
bracteoles linear, 3 in. long. Posticous sepal 3 in. long; 2 inmost sepals 
4-4 in. long, lanceolate. Corolla ? in. long or rather more, blue.— 
B. procumbens, T. Anders. in Journ. Linn. Soc. vii. 35 partly. B. edulis, 
var., S. Moore in Journ. Bot. 1880, 229. Blepharis, sp. nova, B. edult, 
Pers. affinis, S. Moore in Journ. Bot. 1880, 232. Acanthodiwm diver- 
sispinum, var. (3, Nees in DC. Prod. xi. 275. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Mossamedes, Welwitsch, 5014! 5019! 
Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Rhodesia; between Tamafopa and 
Yoruah Springs, Holub, 1143! 1144! 1145! 1146! 
Also in South Africa, 
In this species and its allies the axillary sterile shoots, above the 4-whorled leaves, 
begin with simple spines (in place of leaves) and develop into the flower-spikes of the 
next season, at the foot of which these simple spines persist as the lowest floral-leaves. 
The very different group of Blepharis, wherein the lower pair of each whorl of 4 stem- 
leaves is reduced to compound (or even simple) spines, has been confused herewith. 
28. B. grandis, (’. B. Clarke. Branches stout, glabrate. Leaves 
in distant whorls of 4 (outer pair rather shorter) up to 54 by 1 in, 
spinous-margined, glabrous; petiole } in. long. Heads of 1-flowered 
branches (reduced spikes) several, axillary and terminal, 2-3 in. in diam., 
globose, dense, softly hairy ; bracts lanceolate, softly spinous ; bracteoles 
4 in. long, linear. Two outer calyx-segments 3 in. long, lanceolate ; 
2 inner # in. long, narrow-lanceolate. Corolla 1} in. long, fine blue, 
shortly hairy within and without. Pistil glabrate; 2 pits filled with 
glands at the style-base. 
Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa: Nyasaland ; Tanganyika Plateau, 
2000-3000 ft., Whyte! Nyika Plateau, 6000-7000 ft., Whyte! 125! Kondowe and 
Karonga, 2000-6000 ft., Whyte ! 
29. B. pungens, Aotzsch in Peters, Reise Mossamb. 211, t. 33. 
Branched suberect shrub, 1-3 ft. high, pubescent, afterwards glabrate. 
