of the South African species, sometimes produces tubers 
15 in. in diameter and has a very wide range in that 
region. 
DescripTion.—Herb, perennial, with a turnip-shaped 
tuber 2-5 in. in diameter, clothed with a dark brown flaky 
bark. Stems annual, 1-4 in. long, erect or decumbent, 
puberulous. Leaves in 2—5 pairs, opposite or forming a 
small rosette close to the ground; petiole 4—} in. long, 
blade 11-31 in. long, 14-13 im. broad, orbicular, elliptic or 
oblong-ovate, obtuse and apiculate or subacute at the apex, 
cuneate or rounded to subcordate at the base, thinly and 
minutely puberulous on both sides, green above, purple 
beneath. lowers in small terminal and axillary cymes or 
clusters, puberulous except on the inside of the corolla. 
Bracts about 4 in. long, subulate. Pedicels 1-} in. long. 
Sepals } in. long, lanceolate, acute, purplish, with green 
tips. Corolla about 4 in. in diameter, deeply 5-lobed, 
bright purple, minutely puberulous on the back, glabrous 
on the inner surface; lobes oblong, subacute, with recurved. 
margins. Corona biseriate; outer segments jz in. long, 
ovate-oblong, bifid, white, with purple-tipped teeth; inner 
segments } in. long, subulate, incurved-erect, dark purple. _ 
follicles (according to Geraldes) as much as 4 in. long, 
spindle-shaped, acuminate. Seeds about } in. long, with a 
tuft of hairs 2 in. long—N.E. Brown. > 
CuLtivation.—Raphionaeme utilis was presented to Kew 
in 1907 by the Companhia de Mocgambique, who forwarded 
tubers of it, stating that “ Bitinga” rubber was extracted 
from them. They were at once planted in soil and placed — 
under tropical conditions where they quickly started into 
growth and flowered in March this year. ‘The tubers do 
not shrivel or suffer when kept dry, and they root and’ grow 
and moisture. Particulars as 
are given in the Kem 
readily when placed in heat an 
to the field culture of this 
Bulletin for 1908, p. 214.— 
Figs. 1 and 2, flowers ; 3, a flower from which the calyx and corolla have been © 
removed, showing the corona; 4, part of the corona spread out, with two 
stamens; 5, longitudinal secti with style and glands of the 
pollen-carriers :—al/ enlarged. ee a ee 
