Tas. 6245, 
DUVALIA ponrm. 
Native of South Africa. 
Nat. Ord. AscLErIADEH.—Tribe SraPELIEZz. 
Genus Duvatta, Haw. (Synops. Pl. Suce. p. 44,—Benth. and Hook. f. Gen. 
Plant. vol. ii. p. 784). 
Dovatia polita; humilis, glabra, caulibus ramisque decumbentibus radicantibus 
elongato-clavatis 6-angulatis, angulis obtusis dentatis, dentibus longis 
subulatis patentibus, utrinque basi denticula parva preditis, floribus aggre- 
gatis circiter 3-4 e mediis summisve ramulis, pedicellis pollicaribus, sepalis 
subulatis glabris, corolla diametro pollicari fusco-purpurea nitidissima lobis 
ovatis acuminatis erecto-patentibus apice recurvatis, marginibus parum ~ 
replicatis basi pilis longis clavatis purpureis fimbriatis, faucis annulo 
minutissime scabro pallidiore, corona exteriore sordide rubro-purpurea, 
interiore sordide aurantiaca: 
Duvalia polita, NV. Z. Brown, in ‘ Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ 1876, vol. vi. p. 130. 
The plant here figured and described is one which flowered 
in the Royal Gardens, Kew, in the summer of 1874 and is 
now coming into flower again. Its history and the precise 
Jocality from which it came are unknown, although not 
uncommonly cultivated by Stapelia growers under the names 
Stapelia polita and S. echinata. -With the exception of 
Duvalia Corderoyi (Tab. nos. t. 6082) it is the finest of the 
genus, and is remarkable on account of its regularly 6-angled 
stems and very shining corolla, the lobes of which are less 
replicate than those of any other species in the genus. 
Desor. Stems and branches elongate, 2-3 inches long, 
about 4 in. thick, somewhat clavate, especially when young, 
more or less decumbent and rooting, (not so erect as in the 
figure), glabrous, dull green or purplish, 6-angled ; angles 
obtuse, toothed; teeth long and spreading, subulate, fur- 
nished at their base with a minute tooth on each side. 
_ Flowers 3-4 together, opening successively ; pedicels about 
1 inch long, glabrous, purplish. Calyz-lobes subulate, t 
inch long, glabrous, dull green. Corolla 1 inch in diameter ; 
