Tab. 7888. 



EUPHORBIA obesa. 



Native of South Africa. 



Nat. Ord. Euphorbiace^. — Tribe Euphorbie.b. 

 Genus Euphorbia, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hodk.f. Gen. Flant. vol. ii. p. 258.) 



Euphorbia (Euphorbium) obesa; apbylla, caule simplici erecto f> poll, alto 

 oblongo-ovoideo 8-costato apice et basi rotundato pallide viridi striia 

 transversia pallide purpureis creberrirae fasciato, sulcis verticalibua ad H 

 poll, latis haud profundis sinibus acutis, costis acutia a basi creberrime 

 tuberculatis, tuberculia uniseriatiB ruguloais brunneis supremis solo 

 florentibus, pedunculis vix ^ poll, longia simplicibna monocephalis 

 bracteis 5-6 arete imbricatis obtusis carnosis tectis infimis ovatis 3 

 supremis (foliia floralibus) longioribus involncri tubura sequaatibus 

 ciliolatia, involucro sessili ad T V poll. longo carapannlato fundo glandulia 

 numerosis minimis instructo, lobis 5 minutis brevibua latis inenrvis hispi- 

 dulis, glandulis interpositia lobis triplo majoribus orbicularibus carno«ia 

 integerrimia punctatis, filamentis anantheria hirsntis, ovario breviter 

 stipitato, stylo breviuaculo robusto, stigmatibus spathulatis revolutia. 



E. obesa, Hook. fit. 



The very remarkable plant here figured was sent to the 

 Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1897, by Professor MacOwan, 

 D.Sc., F.L.S., Government Botanist, Cape Colony, under 

 the name of Euphorbia meloformis, Ait., which is its 

 nearest but very different ally. It flowered for the first 

 time in July in the Succulent House in 1899, when the ac- 

 companying figure was made, and the ovary was pollinated 

 from E. meloformis. Subsequently this unique plant dis- 

 appeared from the Kew Collection, and I am consequently 

 unable to check the description given above, which was, 

 for the most part, drawn up shortly after the drawing was 

 finished. Possibly its illustration in this Magazine may 

 lead to the discovery of its whereabouts. 



A reference to any of the six published figures of the 

 well-known E. meloformis, which was introduced in 

 1774, shows that it differs greatly in inflorescence from 

 E. obesa, bearing its involucres on long, simple, or branched 

 peduncles. 



Descr. — Whole plant five inches high, obovoid-oblong, 

 simple, erect, rounded at both ends, pale green, crossed 

 with bands of innumerable pale purple striae, eight-ribbed ; 

 April 1st, 1903. 



