Tas. 74389. 
POLYGALA GaALPINI. 
Nalional the Goantiand. 
Nat. Ord. PotyGaLEZz. 
Genus Potyeata, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i. p. 186.) 
Potyeata Galpini; fruticulus gracillimus, ramulis flexuosis petiolis foliis 
subtus racemique rachi hispidulis, foliis petiolatis ovatis acuminatis 
ciliolatis basi rotundatis v. subeordatis, racemis axillaribus erectis multi- 
floris, floribus majusculis pallide roseo-lilacinis, sepalis deciduis, 3 exterio- 
ribus late ovatis obtusis cymbiformibus, dorsali lateralibus duplo fere 
longiore, alis obovatis capsula latioribus, corolle lobis lateralibus oblongis 
obtusis, carine lobis truncatis plicatis, capsula (immatura) fere orbiculari 
emarginata anguste alata, stylo apice incurvo anguste buccewformi trun- 
cato, stigmate punctiforme. 
P. Galpini, Hook. f. 
The genus Polygala is very numerous in South Africa, 
as indeed it is in many other countries; and the species 
have proved to be difficult of limitation, and more so of 
classification. In respect of the first of these obstacles, 
P. Galpini is happily an exception, for there is none to 
which it comes near in habit and foliage; and as to the 
second it takes its place in the group designated ‘ Hispi- 
dee” by Harvey in the ‘ Flora Capensis,” characterized as 
consisting of small, half-herbaceous, or suffruticose plant, 
with ovate or lanceolate (or sublinear) pubescent leaves, 
terminal or lateral erect racemes, and wings of calyx 
broader than the capsule. 
_ P. Galpini was discovered by the collector, W. T. Gerrard, 
in Natal or Zululand nearly half acentury ago. Mr. Galpin 
describes it as a shrub three to five ft. high, growing 
amongst shrubs or banks of streamlets and margins of 
woods at Havelock Concession, Swaziland, and Devil’s 
Bridge, in cool places at elevation of 4—5000 ft. In cul- 
tivation its habit is more erect than in the wild state, and 
it forms a very graceful greenhouse ornament. The plant 
figured was raised from seeds sent in 1889 by Mr. Galpin, 
OcroBER Ist, 1895. 
