Tas. 7400. 
CEPHALANTHUS NATALENSIS. 
Native of 8. E. Africa. 
Nat. Ord. Rupracem.—Tribe Navuciea. 
Genus Cernatantuus, Linn.; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 30.) 
CePEaLantuus zafalensis; fruticulus ramosissimus, ramulis pedunculisque 
hirtello-tomentosis, foliis breviter petiolatis ovatis acutis obtusis v. 
obtuse acuminatis, stipulis parvis triangularibus, capitulis nutantibus, 
bracteolis calycis tubo brevioribus clavatis ciliatis dorso glandaliferis, 
ecalycis tubo brevi, limbo 5-dentato puberulo sinubus eglandulosis, 
corolla tubo gracili glabro superne infundibulari, limbo obliquo intus 
lobisque 5 brevibus ovatis pubescentibus, antheris vix exsertis, connec- 
tivo apice producto, stylo exserto, stigmate clavato, capitulis maturis 
_ succulentis. 
C. natalensis, Oliver in Hook. Ic. Pl. vol. xiv. p. 22, t. 1331. 
Cephalanthus natalensis is the only described African 
species of the genus, all others being Asiatic and Ameri- 
can; a supposed Madagascar congener being referable to 
the allied genus Adina, which has more than one ovule in 
each ovarian cell. One species, C. occidentalis, Linn., the 
American Button-wood or Button tree, was early intro- 
duced into this country by Peter Collinson, in 1735. It is 
a very common North American shrub, extending across the 
whole continent, and remarkable as being the only woody 
plant of the vast natural order to which it belongs, that is 
a native of temperate North America. As far as I am 
aware no properties of economic value have been attri- 
buted to any species of the genus, except the present, to 
the seeds of which the name of Quinine fruit was attached 
by the sender; and the fruit of which is edible. 
C. natalensis is a native of the mountainous regions of 
Natal, the Transvaal, and Basutoland, at elevations of 
3000 to 45000 ft. It was discovered by the collector 
Gerrard about forty years ago, and has since been col- 
lected by Dr. Atherstone, and by Messrs. Medley Wood ~ 
and E. K. Galpin, the latter of whom describes the fruit 
Feprvuary Ist, 1895. 
