O. serrulata of Hochst. Lastly, the O. (Diporidium) Dela- 
goensis of Ecklon and Zeyher, in its character, differs in no respect 
from a common form of O. atro-purpurea, and my own specimen 
from Delagoa Bay (gathered by Forbes) cannot be distinguished 
from it. It is to be feared that many other South African species 
have been, in the same way, needlessly multiplied and equally 
require the pruning-knife. 0. atro-purpurea derives its name 
from the dried state of the plant, when the large persistent 
calyces become of a lurid purple-brown, especially when in fruit. 
In the living plant, the bright yellow flowers with pale yellow- 
green calyx enliven the greenhouse in the month of March. 
Dezscr. A rather harsh-looking, rigid shrub, varymg im size 
(sometimes, it would appear, from Burchell’s name, tree-like), 
- _ with oblong, evergreen /eaves, on short footstalks, quite glabrous, 
acute, the margins sometimes almost spinuloso-serrate, generally 
moderately serrate, sometimes nearly or quite entire. Mowers 
either solitary upon axillary slender petioles, or racemose and 
then often terminal. Calyx of five, nearly ovate, concave, pale 
sreen sepals, turning red as the fruit ripens, and persistent. 
Petals five, obovate, spreading, concave, yellow: these and the 
many stamens arise from a long, fleshy, eventually red ¢orus or 
gynobase. Anthers golden-yellow, linear, opening at the apex by 
two pores. Ovaries five, surrounding a straight style, which 
divides at the apex into five short, radiating stigmas. Of the 
five ovaries, only one becomes a transversely ovate, large, black, 
glossy Jerry upon the large fleshy dorus, now, as well as the 
calyx, turned red. (This handsome fruit did not ripen till after 
the plate was engraved.) W. J. 7. 
Cuxr. A rigid branched shrub,introduced to the Royal Gardens 
in 1823, and which, bemg a native of the Cape of Good Hope, 
was treated as a greenhouse plant. Although it continued to 
maintain a fair degree of vigour (considering its scrub-like habit), 
yet it never produced flowers till this season. This was pro- 
bably owing to its havmg been placed under different circum- 
stances from those to which it had been accustomed. Thinking 
it would be benefited by greater warmth during winter, and 
having accommodation in the Palm-house, it was placed there 
last autumn. The result was, that in April we were agreeably 
surprised to see it profusely covered with its pretty, sweet-scented 
flowers. Several other plants have flowered similarly for the first 
time on being placed in a greater degree of heat, which shows that 
with our long-continued low temperature in winter and spring, 
and deficiency of bright sunshine in summer (as compared with 
the Cape), our usual greenhouse climate is not adapted for the 
perfect development of this and other slow-growing Cape and 
New Holland plants. J. 8. 
Fig. 1. Stamen. 2. Pistil and torus :—magnified. 
