Tab. 5729. 

 SABCOCAULON Bubmanot. 



Burmanns Sarcocaulon. 



Nat. Ord. Geraniace^e. Pentandria Pentagynia. 



Gen. Char. Flores regulares. Sepala 5, imbricata. Petala 5, hypo- 

 gyna, imbricata. Glandules 5, petalis alternae. Stamina 5, omnia antheri- 

 fera, basi in annulum brevissime connata, ceternm libera. Ovarium 5- 

 loburo, 5-loculare, rostratum, rostro apice in stvlum abeunte, ramis 5, 

 linearibus introrsum stigmatosis ; ovula in loculis 2, superposita. Capsulee 

 lobi 2-spermi, ab axi placentifero septifrage dehiscentes, caudis a basi ad 

 apicem elastice revolutis. Semina exalbuminosa ; cotyledones convoluto- 

 plicatse. — Herbse suffruticest'tf Austro- Africans, carnoscev. succulentce v. bad 

 lignosa, petiolis defoliatis spinescentibus armatce. T?o\\a,parva. 



Sarcocaueon Burmanni; foliis obovato-cuneatis inciso-creuatis glabris 

 puberulisve, petalis albis sepala mucronata duplo excedentibus. 



Sarcocaulon Burmanni. EcJcl. et Zeyher. -Wan. et Sond. Fl. Cap. v. 1. 

 p. 256. 



Geranium spine-sum. Burm. Ger. n. 2. Cue. Dins. v. 4. p. 195. t. 75./. 2. 



Monsonia Burmanni. DC. Frodr. v. I. p. 688. 



Amongst the many remarkable forms of Geraniacea; which 

 abound in South Africa, the present is conspicuous for its 

 woody stem that abounds in resin, short tortuous branches, 

 slender spines, which are reduced to petioles, two-lobed leaves, 

 and beautiful pearly-white, plaited corolla. It was commu- 

 nicated to the Royal Gardens from the Botanic Gardens of 

 Grahamstown, by Mr. Tuck, and flowered in May of the pre- 

 sent year. The genus Sarcocaulon differs from Monsonia in 

 little but habit ; it consists of several species, all natives of 

 the drier parts of the interior of South Africa. A very similar 

 species, S. Patersoni, from Namaqualand, secretes such a 

 quantity of waxy, inflammable substance in the bark, that 

 the stems finally become mere tortuous tubes of wax ; the 

 woody substance decaying away and leaving the firm, waxy 

 coating of the bark, which is apparently indestructible. This 

 latter species, Dr. Brown informs me, is called by the Dutch 

 " Gifdoorn" (Poisonous Thorn) and "Inkrup Doom" (Cress in 



SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1868. 



