Thorn), and, by the natives, " 'Novra," preceded by a click in 

 pronunciation. 



Descr. Stems woody, about eight to sixteen inches high, 

 much branched. Branches as thick as the little finger, 

 cylindrical, terete, quite smooth, woody, the bark separating 

 from the wood, to which, in old age, it forms a waxy sheath, 

 studded with scattered spines an inch long, which are the 

 petioles of undeveloped leaves ; branchlets green. Leaves scat- 

 tered, glabrous or downy, on slender petioles, black, a quarter 

 to three-quarters of an inch long, broadly obcordate, with a 

 mucro between the lobes, which are irregularly and bluntly 

 toothed towards the apex, coriaceous, nerveless, deep green. 

 Stipules minute, subulate. Flowers large, solitary, axillary, 

 shortly pedicelled, an inch and a half in diameter ; pedicels 

 about as long as the leaves. Sepals linear-oblong, with a stout 

 dorsal mucro near the apex, green. Petals obcuneate, beau- 

 tifully wrinkled and plaited, pearly-white with a faint rosy 

 tinge. Filaments slightly hairy at the base ; anthers yellow. 

 Ovary pubescent. — J. D. H. 



Fig. 1. Leaf. 2. Flower, with petals removed. 3. Stamen. 4. Pistil. 

 5. Transverse section of ovary ; — all magnified. 



