rotundatis arcte imbricatis tarde rumpentibus, pedunculis 
cum ovario 3-4 poll. longis erectis crebré muricato-tuber- 
culatis, perianthii segmentis 2-24 poll. longis medio fere 
1 poll. latis acutis 3 interioribus membranaceis 3 exterio- 
ribus medio incrassatis extus muricatis. 
__ V. trichophylla was first collected by Dr. (now Sir John) 
Kirk at Zomba, British Central Africa, in 1859, and 
since by Mr. G. F. Scott Elliot on Mount Ndurani, in 
1893-4. 
Authors differ widely in their definition of the allied 
genera Vellozia and Barbacenia. Bentham and Hooker 
(Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 739) characterize the former as 
having a tubeless perianth, and six or sometimes numerous 
Stamens; the latter as having a more or less developed 
perianth-tube, and six, or in one species, eighteen stamens. 
Pax (Engler & Prantl, Natirl. Pflanzenf. vol. ii. 5, p. 127) 
includes the species having only six stamens in Barbacenia, 
and those having more than six stamens are referred to 
Vellozia, This is perhaps justified by Vandelli’s original 
descriptions and figures. 
Both in Africa and South America the members of the 
Velloziee are characteristic in the scanty vegetation of 
granitic rocky regions. Mr. John Mahon, who has spent 
Some years in British Central Africa and British Hast 
Africa, informs us that the various species grow in bleak, 
exposed situations, always preferring the almost bare 
granite rock. He never saw them where there was any- 
_ thing approaching good soil, or even associated with the 
short grass so common in certain situations. _In some 
places they almost clothed the cliffs; in other places they 
i Scattered; growing at altitudes of 6,000 to 7,500 
eet. 
_Descr.—A shrub having a thick stock, a foot or more in 
diameter, and short, thick primary branches. Flowering- 
shoots numerous, very short. Leaves numerous, grass-like, | 
scarcely stiff in cultivated specimens, three to nine inches” 
long (often one to two feet long, and more rigid in wild 
Specimens), about half an inch broad in the middle, acute, 
many-nerved, midrib distinct, softly hairy on both surfaces, 
without bristles on the margins. Pedwncles usually in 
threes, one-flowered, two and a half to four inches long, 
sub erect, stiffly hairy as well as the ovary. Flowers 
