Tab. 7369. 

 DERMATOBOTRYS Saundeesii. 



Native of Natal and Zululand. 



Nat. Ord. Scrophulaeine.e. — Tribe ChelonejE? 

 Genus Dermatobotrys, Bolus in Hook. Ic. Plant. 1 1940. 



Dermatobotrys Saundersii ; fruticulus glaber, ramis crassiusculis sub- 

 tetragonis, foliis ad apices ramulorum paucis oppositis subsessilibus 

 ovatis acutis repando-dentatis carnosulis, floribus infra folia subverticil- 

 latim dispositis breviter pedicellatis, bractea parva, calyce parvo 5-partito 

 segmentis linearibns, corolla tubulosa bipollicari a basi angusta sursum 

 sensim dilatata, fauce aperta, tubo basi intus piloso, lobis 5 parvis 

 patentibus ovatis, antheris 5 ore tubi subsessilibus ellipticis, disco 

 inconspicuo, ovario 2-loculari multiovulato, ovulis placentis septo affixis 

 confertis, Btylo filiformi, stigmate simplici^ bacca ovoidea, seminibus 

 numerosis placentis septo adnatis immersis, testa serobicnlata, em- 

 bryone in albumine corneo recto. 



D. Saundersii, Bolus, I. c. Rath. Saunders in Kew Bulletin, 1893, p. 367. 



Dermatobotrys is a very singular monotypic genus, as to 

 which, though its floral and seminal characters have been 

 clearly made out, the position in the natural system of 

 plants is not quite definitely established. Mr. Bolus, its 

 author, referred it with little hesitation to Solanaceas ; and 

 both in habit and certain characters, as the regular 

 quinquefid corolla, with five equal stamens at its mouth, 

 it recalls the tribe Cestrineas of that Order, whilst 

 it resembles no known Scrophularineous plant. On the 

 other hand, in a note appended to M. Bolus's description, 

 Professor Oliver cites the more or less quadrangular stem, 

 bilabiate aestivation of the corolla and straight embryo 

 as characters foreign to Solanaceas, and in favour of 

 Scrophularineae. Under this view Professor Oliver refers 

 Dermatobotrys doubtfully to the tribe Ghelonem of the 

 latter order ; where its position would be near to the Cape 

 genus Phygelias (see tab. 4881) which has scarlet flowers, 

 a long incurved corolla tube with 5 subequal lobes, but 

 which differs in having 4 didynamous stamens, capsular 

 fruit, and other discrepant characters. 



Dermatobotrys was first collected, but in a fruiting 



August 1st, 1894. 



