Tab. 7184 

 SYNADENIUM arborescens. 



Native of Natal. 



Nat. Ord. Euphobiace^e. — Tribe Euphorbieje. 

 Genus Synadenium, Boiss.; (Benth. et Hook./. Gen. PI. vol. iii. p. 261.) 



Syn adenium arborescens ; fruticosum, caule ramisque crassis f oliis subsessilibus 

 cuneato-obovatis subacutis v.apiculatis obscure crenulatis supra saturate 

 viridibus lucidis nervis reticularis subtus pallidis, cymis foliis brevioribus, 

 involucris breviter pedicellatis 2-bracteatis, bracteis quadratis involucrum 

 sequantibus pedicellisque puberulis. 



S. arborescens, Boiss. in DC. Prodr. v. xv. pt. ii. p. 187. 



Euphorbia arborescens, E. Mey. in Drege. Docum. p. 184 (non Poxb.). 



E. cupularis, Boiss. Cent. Ewph. p. 23. 



I assume the subject of this plate to be the Synadenium 

 arborescens of Boissier, a native of Natal, of which I have 

 seen no authentic specimens, and which is hitherto the only 

 described species known from that country, although it 

 differs a little from Boissier's ptherwise excellent description 

 in the form of the bracts that enclose the involucre and other 

 minute characters. The bracts in Boissier's plant are said 

 to be velvety, ovate, and mucronulate; but in this they are 

 quadrate, truncate and nearly glabrous. Further, I do not 

 find in the Kew plant that the fern, flower is enclosed in a 

 membranous tube, which is indeed a generic character. 

 It must, however, be borne in mind that the analyses of 

 the inflorescence of dried specimens of these succulents is 

 a very hazardous operation, and I hesitate to found a 

 species on characters of organs so minute and so liable to 

 distortion. On the other hand, there may be more than one 

 species of Synadenium in Natal. The genus extends into 

 tropical Africa (see S. Grantii, t. 5633) and Madagascar. 



S. arborescens has long been in cultivation at Kew, having 

 been received from the late J. Sanderson, Esq., of Natal, 

 to whom the Eoyal Gardens are indebted for many interest- 

 ing and ornamental plants figured in this work. It flowered 

 in November in the succulent house. 



Descb. A glabrous succulent shrub four feet high, 



July 1st, 1891. 



