Tas. 7255. 
VERNONIA popocoma. 
Native of Africa. 
Nat. Ord. Composita. Tribe VERNONIEA. 
Genus Vernonia, Schreb. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 227.) 
Vernonts (Strobocalyx) podocoma ; fruticosa, ramulis teretibus striatis, foliis 
magnis petiolatis elliptico-ovatis acutis integris v. sublobatis argute 
dentatis supra glabrescentibus subtus pubescentibus v. incano-tomentosis, 
paniculis amplis polycephalis, capitulis parvis fasciculatis breviter-pedi- 
cellatis 4-5-floris. involucri cylindracei pubescentis bracteis ovato- 
rotundatis viridibus arcte imbricatis interioribus patentibus demum e:ducis, 
receptaculo augusto, corolle tubo longe exserto, antheris basi breviter 
cordatis, connectivo apice ovato, achzenio piloso, pappi scabridi setis 
* extimis brevioribus. 
V. podocoma, Schultz Bip. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Athiop., Aufzaehl. p. 287, 
n. 2660, nomen.; Oliver Fl. Trop. Afric. vol. iii. p. 296. 
V. cylindrica, A. Rich. Fl. Abyss. Tent. vol. i. p. 374 (non Schultz Bip., fide 
Vatke in Linnea, vol. xxxix. (1875) p. 476. : 
Although this plant forms a poor subject for a botanical 
plate, it is a very effective one in a warm temperate house, 
from its height, large foliage, and broad corymbose panicles 
of rose-colrd. heads of flowers. It is a native of subtropical 
and tropical Eastern Africa; and, like so many plants of 
that region, has a very wide geographical range, from 
Abyssinia to the Zambesi, where it was found by the late 
Mr. Mellor on the Manganja Hills, and where it bears the 
native name of Foutra, flowering in September, and from 
thence it extends to Natal. It appears to be very common 
in the Shire Highlands, and to occur on the opposite side 
of the Continent, in Angola, in a much more tomentose 
form. The plant here figured was raised from seeds sent 
to the Royal Gardens by Mr. Ernest E. Galpin, in March, 
1890, and flowered in the Succulent House last winter, 
where it attained a height of ten feet. The panicle of 
flowers attains three feet in length and two and three- 
quarters in breadth. The leaf in the plate is reduced to 
half its natural size. . 
SEPTEMBER Ist, 1892. 
