Gnidia. } CXVIII. THYMELHACEH (PEARSON). 227 
27. G. Butayei, De Wild. Etudes Fl. Bas et Moyen Congo, i. 170 
An erect plant about 15 in. high; branchesslender. Leaves scattered, 
linear, glabrous, narrowed into the petiole, cuneiform at the apex, 
4-? in. long, 3-1 lin. broad. THeads terminal, not more than 
15-flowered ; involucral bracts 6-7, oval, acute, 14-2 lin. long, 1 lin. 
broad, Flowers 4-merous, reddish when dry. Calyx-tube slender, 
filiform, villous below the articulation, 3—4 lin. long; lobes oval, acute, 
two opposite ones bearing on the lower side a tuft of erect white hairs, 
Z lin. long. Petals much shorter than the calyx-tube. 
Lower Guinea. Lower Congo, Gillet, 1989. 
Scott-Elliot, 8131, 8128, from Karagwe, German East Africa, represent a Gnidia 
apparently allied to G. oliveriana, Engl. & Gilg. The material in the Kew herbarium 
is, however, insufficient for satisfactory description. 
3. LASIOSIPHON, Fresen.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen, Pl. iii. 197. 
Flowers hermaphrodite, 5-merous. Calyx-tube articulated and finally 
rupturing above the level of the ovary, in a few species continuous. 
Petals alternating with and usually very much shorter than the calyx- 
lobes, entire, incised or divided to the base (in 1 species absent). 
Stamens 10, in 2 whorls; those of the upper whorl shortly exserted ; 
anthers oblong or linear. Disc 0 or very minute. Ovary sessile, 
1-celled ; style slender; stigma capitate. Fruit dry, small, enclosed in 
the persistent base of the perianth. Seed-testa crustaceous ; albumen 
scanty or 0; cotyledons rather thick.—Shrubs, frequently large and with 
silky leaves and stems. Leaves opposite or scattered. Flowers densely 
crowded at the apices of the branches in sessile or peduncled heads. 
Calyx-tube usually silky-pubescent. 
Species numerous, chiefly in South Africa; five or six.in Madagascar and one in 
India. 
Petals 0. 
Shrub 7 ft. high, with ledves 1-} in. broad . 1. LZ. Vatkei. 
Glaucous shrub, 2 ft. high, with distant linear leaves . 2. L. polycephalus, 
Glabrous shrub, 1 ft. high, with crowded linear leaves. 3. ZL. somalensis, 
Petals present. 
Heads few-flowered (6-15). 
Ovary glabrous. : ‘ é . ° . 4 DL. Fischeri. 
Ovary puberulous in the upper half ‘ “ . & L. Emini. 
Ovary villous . : ° “ . . . 6, L. genistifolius. 
Heads many-flowered. 
Leaves glabrous, glabrescent or puberulous, 
Arborescent. 
Young leaves glabrous . ‘ P ° . 7. L. glaucus. 
Young leaves silky-tomentose . ‘ : . 9. L. Rive. 
An undershrub, 1-2 ft. high ; ‘ ° » 8. L. Krauss. 
Leaves densely pubescent or villous. 
Arborescent : “ . : : ° . 
Undershrubs. ied 
Articulation above middle of calyx-tube . : 10. DL. Passarger. 
9. L. Rive. 
