5 Tas. 8458. 
CEROPEGIA THORNCROFTH. 
Transvaal. 
ASCLEPIADACEAE, ‘Tribe CEROPEGIEAE. 
Crropgaia, Linn.; Benth et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol, ii. p. 779. 
Ceropegia Thorncroftii, N. H. Brown; species nova affinis C. crispatae, 
N. KE. Br., sed floribus multo minoribus lobis brevioribus et intra gibboso- 
carinatis differt. 
Herba perennis, volubilis. Radices fasciculatae, carnosae, 10-14 mm. crassae, albae. 
Caulis 83-4 mm. crassus, glaber. Folia opposita, subcarnosa, glabra, viridia ; 
petioli 6-10 mm. longi, 2-3 mm. crassi; laminae 2°5-5°5 cm. longae, 
1-2-4 em. latae, ovatae vel elliptico-ovatae, acutae, basi rotundatae vel late 
cuneatae, marginibus undulatis et plus minusve crispatis. Cymae axillares, 
pedunculatae, multiflorae; pedunculi 1°5-1°7 cm. longi, 2 mm. crassi, 
glabri. Bracteae minutae, 1-3 mm. longae, deltoideo-subulatae. Sepala 
: 3-4 mm. longa, subulata, basi dilatata, glabra, purpureo-punctata. Corolla 
[ alba, purpureo-maculata, extra glabra; tubus 2°5 cm. longus, curvatus, 
a intus pilosus, basi ellipsoideo-inflatus et 8 mm. diametro, superne 3 mm. 
: diametro, cylindricus, fauce infundibuliformis et 8 mm. diametro; lobi 
< 9-10 mm. longi, erecto-incurvati, apice connati, lineari-oblongi marginibus 
3 reflexis, intus ad medium gibboso-carinati et glabri, inferne parce pilosi. 
| Coronae exterivris lobi adscendentes, 1 mm. longi, oblongi, subtruncati vel _ 
i obtusi, fusco-purpureo-marginati, minute ciliati. Coronae interioris lobi 
I 2 mm. longi, lineares, conniventes, subcohaerentes, fusco-purpurei, glabri. 
—N. E. Brown. 
The Ceropegia which forms the subject of our illustration 
is a native of the Transvaal, where it was discovered in the 
neighbourhood of Barberton by Mr. G. Thorneroft, to 
whom also horticulture is indebted for its introduction to 
European collections. Plants were sent by Mr. Thorneroft 
to the Botanic Garden, Cambridge, where it was flowered 
for the first time in August, 1911, by Mr. Lynch, to whom 
we are indebted for the material on which our figure has 
been based. When it flowered it was found to be an 
undescribed species and has been named in honour of its 
discoverer. C. Thorncroftii closely resembles C. crispata, 
N. E. Br., not only in its habit and as regards its foliage, 
but also in having a cluster of thick fleshy roots instead of 
a tuber. But while it is nearly allied to C. crispata, 
©. Thorneroftii differs markedly from that species in 
having much smaller flowers characterised by the gibbous 
projection at the middle of the keel on the inner side of the 
OctosBer, 1912. 
