Alectra.| | XCII. SCROPHULARIACE® (HEMSLEY AND SKAN). 363 
axils of the leaves or bracts, sessile or very shortly stalked, with two 
small bracteoles close under the calyx. 
Species many, the others in Madagascar, Tropical Asia and South America. 
Several recent writers on the Scrophulariacee have reduced Alectra to Melasma, 
without, so far as we know, discussing the reasons. Alectra was founded on A. 
capensis, Thunb., which has subsessile flowers; a calyx that does not become in- 
tlated in fruit; a striped, marcescent, persistent corolla, and a clavate, recurved 
style. Apparently all the species of Alectra, as here limited, are root-parasites. 
Melasma was founded on the South African M. scabra, Berg., which has distinctly 
stalked flowers ; the calyx grows out very much in fruit; the corolla is early 
deciduous, and the style is exserted from the calyx. The American species presents 
most of the same characteristics. It is true, however, that the distinctive characters 
given are not always all constant; but it seems better to follow Bentham in retain- 
ing both genera. With the exception of A. capensis, the species of Alectra have 
relatively much smaller flowers than those of Melasma ; and it is impossible to give 
the shape of the corolla, and only approximately its size, from dried specimens. 
Apparantly the expansion is of very short duration, when it sbrivels aud twists up, 
enclosing the stamens and style. 
The species of Melasma are not any of them root-parasites so far as we can 
tell. 
Although we have taken a different view from previous writers of the limits of 
some of the species of Alectra, we are not satisfied that we have always errived at 
correct conclusions. ‘The following key leaves much to be desired, but it is the best 
we could make from the materials, which in several instances consist of a single im- 
perfect specimen. 
* Almost leafless; drying black. 
Filaments bearded; anther-cells not apiculate. 
Dwarf tleshy-coloured stems ; leaves reduced to 
small scales. 
Plant deep crimson calyx-lobes apiculate - LAS atrosanguinea. 
Plant orange-purple ; calyx-lobes obtuse Pat pane I Welwitschit. 
Plant purple-red ; calyx-lobes obtuse. . 3. A. Bainesit. 
A foot or more high bearing few small leaves. 
Stems simple or branching only from the 
base, oo. 
Slender ; flowers few, relatively small - 4A, kilimandjarica. 
Robust ; flowers numerous, relatively large. 5. A. parvifolia. 
Stems bearing a number of s'ender branches ee 
near the middle. - : ‘ . G. A. Kirkii. 
Filaments glabrous ; anther-cells obtuse. 
A foot or more high, bearing few, small leaves. 
Stems angular. . 
Leaves less than 1 in. long : : SA. parasitica. 
Leaves more than Lin.long. : . 8. A. hirsuta. 
Stems terete - : : 9. A. hippocrepandra. 
** Leafy. 
Anther-cells not apiculate. 
Filaments bearded. ‘ .) 
i i inear-lanceolate 
SS asynnise > panes A 3 : : 10, A. lancifolia. 
Stems slender, branched; leaves elliptic, or 
lanceolate-obtuse . - . : . Ll. A. pieta. 
