w 



Etipliorlia.] eupiioebiace^ (Bro^\'n). ' 363 



subterranean, producing numerous brandies at its apex; l)ranches 

 erect, l\~^h in. long and up to 1 in. in diam. at tlie broadest parts, 

 3^4-angIed, the shorter more or less chivate, the others with 1-4 

 constrictions, so that they falsely appear to be somewhat jointed, 

 glabrous ; angles compressed, irregularly toothed, witli the larger 

 teeth collected upon the more dilated parts of the branches, 2-r> lin. 

 apart and 1-3 lin. prominent, deltoid ; spine-shields extending above 

 the spines to the flowering-eyes and below them into acute points, 

 but not forming a continuous horny margin to the angles, bearing 

 2 pairs of spines, a pair close to the flowering-eye \-\ lin. long or 

 sometimes quite rudimentary, and a pair at the apex of tlie tooth 

 2-4 lin. long, diverging, grey ; leaves quite rudimentary, \-\ lin. 

 long, 4— I lin. broad, transverse, truncate, often represented by a 

 raised line ; flowers and fruit not seen. 



Kalahari Region : Transvaal; Pietersburg, Marloth, 51441 



Although the specimen seen is without flowers, it is so distinct from all the 

 other South African species that there is no difficulty in distinguLsliiiig it. In 

 habit and general appearance it somewhat resembles E. cla vigera, but the 

 spines are more rigid in texture, grey instead of pale brown, and the spine-shield 

 extends ^in a rather broad band to the flowering -eye and there bears a pair of 

 small spines, which is not the case in F. davigera. The same characters, as well 

 as its much stouter spines and branches, likewise sepai\ate it from E. Kindliii. 



166. E. Knuthii (Pax in Engl. Jalirb. xxxiv. 83) ; very dwarf, 

 succulent, leafless, spiny, 3-6 in. higb ; rootstock a tuber, with a 

 sbort or elongated neck, producing many branches at the ground 

 level; branches simple or branched, 2-Q in. long, |-| in, in diam. 

 when dried, 3-4-angled, glabrous; angles rather deeply sinuate- 

 toothed, with the teeth \-^ in. apart and 1-2 lin. prominent, deltoid 

 or the upper margins nearly truncate and the lower sloping; spine- 

 shields 1--3 lin. long, narrow, variably decurrent on the lower 

 margin of the tooth, but not forming a continuous margin to the 

 angles and bearing a pair of diverging spines 2-4 lin. long, with or 

 sometimes Avithout 2 small prickles directed inwards at their base, 

 at first light brown, finally grey; leaves rudimentary, H-2 lin. 

 long, sessile, lanceolate, very acute, recurved-spreading, glabrous, 

 soon deciduous ; flowering-eyes usually at or near the base of the 

 stem-teeth each producing but one peduncle 1| lin. long, bearing 

 1 involucre and a pair of bracts at its apex, glabrous; bracts 

 I lin, long, oblong, obtuse or slightly toothed at the apex, scale-like, 

 green, glabrous; involucre l|-2 lin. in diam., cup-shaped, glabrous, 

 apparently green, with 5 glands and 5 transversely rectangular 

 toothed lobes; glands nearly or quite contiguous, about f lin. in 

 their greater diam., transverse, oblong or narrowly oblong, entire, 

 apparently yellowish or green; capsule 2-2^ lin. in diam., rather 

 deeply tricoccous, glabrous, exserted on a recurved pedicel usually 

 l|-3 lin. (in one case, perhaps abnormally, 4 lin.) beyond the 

 involucre; styles united into a stout column ^ lin. long, with 

 spreading bitid arms \ lin. long; seeds about 1^- lin. long, ellipsoid 

 or subglobose, smooth, brown. 



