Tas. 6228. 
HOODIA Gorpont. 
Native of Little Namaqualand. 
Nat. Ord. ASCLEPIADACE ®.—Tribe STAPELIER. 
Gen. Cuar.—Calyz brevis, 5-partitus, foliolis acuminatis basi glandulis minutis 
interpositis. Corolla tubo parvo, limbo maximo dilatato concavosepius demum 
explanato membranaceo nervoso obsolete 5-lobo, lobis abrupte apiculatis. 
Corona duplex, cyathiformis vel rotata ; exterior tubo stamineo septis affixa, 
5-partita, segmentis latis cavis bifidis vel plus minusve 2-lobis; interior 
squamis 5 septis antherisque basi adnatis oblongis incumbentibus. 
Anthere breves, oblonge, inappendiculate, stigmati incumbentes et semi- 
immerse. Pollinia erecta, semi-orbicularia, funiculo appendice membranacea 
lanceolata munito. Stigma vertice subplanum. Folliculi utrinque acuminati, 
leeves.—Herbe cactiformes Africe australis et tropice incole. 
Hoopta Gordoni; corolla diametro 4-pollicari demum explanata intus glabra, 
corone exterioris segmentis oblongis obscure bilobis. 
H. Gordoni, Sweet Hort, Brit., 2nd ed., p. 359. 
StapeLra Gordoni, Mass, Stap. Nov., p. 24, pl. 40; Don Gen. Syst., vol. iv., p, 116. 
‘MonotuyLaceum Gordoni, Don. J.c. 
ScrTantuus Gordoni, Hook. Ic., pl. 625. 
This very remarkable plant was discovered near the 
Orange River by Colonel Gordon. He made a drawing .on the 
spot, which Masson published in his “ Stapelia Nove” (1796). 
For nearly half a century nothing more was known of it than 
this figure, which seemed so extraordinary “that our Stapelia- 
growers used to speak of it as a fiction.” The plant, however, 
was rediscovered in quantity by Mr. Burke, a gardener of the 
Earl of Derby, who was sent out at that nobleman’s expense 
to accompany Mr. Zeyher on an expedition for collecting 
plants and animals. Living plants were cultivated at Know- 
sley, Lancashire, Lord Derby’s seat, but I am not aware that 
they ever flowered, the plate published in the “ Icones 
Plantarum” being based upon Mr. Burke’s dried specimens, 
presented with his other botanical collections to Sir. W- 
Hooker, and now in the Herbarium of the Royal Gardens. 
In 1874 H.E. Sir H. Barkly, the Governor of the Cape, 
May 1st, 1876, 
