Acanthus, | XCVIII. ACANTHACEE (CLARKE). 109 
2 connate) and posticous nearly alike, 4-2 by } in., round-ovate, many- 
nerved, glabrous, with papery margin; 2 lateral inmost segments 
shorter, much narrower, broad-lanceolate, subobtuse. Corolla 14-1} in. 
long, blue. Capsule 1 by 4 in.; seeds large, white, with close brain-like 
corrugations.—T. Anders. in Journ. Linn. Soc. vii. 36; Lindau in 
Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. iv. 3 B. 319; C. B. Clarke in Hook. 
f. Fl. Brit. Ind. iv. 481. Dilivaria ilicifolia, Nees in Wall. Pl. As. 
Rar. iii. 98, and in DC. Prod. xi. 268; Wight, Ic. t. 459. 
Mozamb. Dist. South-east Africa, ex Lindau, 
Also in South Africa, and extending into Southern Asia and Polynesia. 
27. SCLEROCHITON, Harvey ; Benth, et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. 
11. 1090. 
Calyx large, divided to the base; segments 5, not spinous, all of 
equal length, or the posticous larger. Corolla-limb of 5 segments on 
one side; tube of moderate length, nearly entire or split on the 
posticous side down nearly to the level of insertion of the stamens, with 
acute sinus; middle (anticous) segment entirely without in the bud. 
Stamens 4, subsimilar; filaments glabrous ; anthers exserted, 1-celled, 
from short semicircular and glabrous to long oblong and hairy on the 
margins ; pollen globose or subquadrate (seen from the side, subtrigonous 
in section), with 3 narrow longitudinal chinks. Ovary with 2—1 ovules 
in each cell, glabrous; style glabrous; branches 2, subequal, short 
lanceolate. Capsule ellipsoid, woody, shining brown, 2-4-seeded ; seeds 
oid, ridged, ridges scabrous, not hairy.—Shrubs, nearly glabrous. 
aves elliptic, narrowed at both ends, entire. Flowers in short spikes 
In 8, nitidus in long spikes) ; bract ovate or 0; bracteoles 2, ovate, 
entire, shorter than calyx. 
Species 8, in Tropical and South Africa. 
A well-marked genus ; Crossandra is known at sight by the included anthers and 
y the calyx, S, nitidus approximates to Acanthus by the inflorescence and the hairy 
margin to the bracts, but on account of the calyx being in 5 separate pieces it is placed 
were. The pollen is very uniform throughout the species ; the side view is very square 
8 8. harveyanus (the type and some other species), nearly circular in S. Vogelii and 
©. mtidus, Lindau lays stress, as a generic character, on the 3-rayed star at the pole 
wad obtep haris, Baillon ; in Sclerochiton Kirkii and S. Vogelii this polar star 1s 
marked, but obscure or obsolete in other species, 
Caly X-segments nearly equal in length. 
Bracts glabrous, 
Calyx 1 in, long; leaves hardly petioled . - Ls. Kirkit. 
Calyx 14 in. long; leaves distinctly petioled . . 2. 8. Preussit. 
Bracts hairy on the margin; spike long . . . 38. S. nitidus. 
Ssticous calyx-segment longer than the others. o. 
Posticous calyx-segment obovate, obtuse . ° . 4 S. Boivini. 
Posticous calyx-segment elongate, lanceolate. 
Posticous ‘calyx-segment 4 in. wide; internodes 
long , 5. S. Vogelii. 
e . ° 
