COLLECTED BY MR. ALEXANDER WHYTE. 41 
There is a very similar plant in Herb. Kew, collected on the Niger, W. Trop. Africa, 
by Dr. Baikie. 
GNIDIA FASTIGIATA, Rendle, sp. n. Suffrutex, subpedalis, ramis subfastigiatis, pubescen- 
tibus; foliis densis, suberectis, rigidis, lanceolatis, acutis, uninerviis, glabris, supra 
rugulosis ; floribus solitariis, binis, aut forte ternis, in ramulis brevibus axillaribus 
sub vertice ramorum; bracteis pubescentibus; perianthio dense ciliato-pubescente, 
tubo bilineo cum pilorum fasciculo pone antheras superas, lobis subpatentibus ovatis, 
squamis binis ligulatis, glabris, basi fultis; andreecio tetramero obdiplostamineo ; 
ovario ovato; stylo laterali filiformi ; stigmate capitato, ssepius antheras inferiores, 
rarius superiores attinente, vel rare stylo brevissimo. 
A small shrub, up to 10 in. high, with ascending subfastigiate branches, closely 
covered by the narrow, acute leaves. Leaves 5-6 lines long by 1-1 line broad, the lower 
being the broader. Flowers on short, small-leaved axillary shoots, in the upper one or 
two inches of the branches; the lowest shoots very reduced, with one terminal flower, 
the greater number more developed, with two flowers or the rudiment of a third, 
which in the larger ones may be fully developed; at the top of the branch again one- 
flowered. The small leaves of the shoots and the slightly larger bract are similar in 
form to the ordinary foliage-leaves, but are pubescent like the perianth. Perianth- 
tube 2 lines long, 3 line broad, the slightly spreading limbs $ line long, each with 
a pair of ligulate scales one each side of the base. Surrounding the base of the 
tube is a calycine circlet of stiffish hairs about 4 line long. A tuft of hairs behind the 
anthers of the upper row alternates with the scales. The lower persistent portion of 
the perianth-tube is of a darker colour and longitudinally ribbed ; the ovary in the flower 
reaches about halfway up this lower portion. The filiform style is attached a little 
below the apex, and varies in length in different flowers. 
Hab. Milanji, 6000—8000 ft., Oct. A very distinct species. 
'THESIUM NIGRICANS, Rendle, sp. n. Suffrutex, ramis et ramulis tenuibus, subrigidis, 
patentibus ; foliis sessilibus, linearibus, mucronatis, plano-convexis, glabris, margine 
scabridulis; floribus parvis, apice ramulorum axillaribus, breviter pedicellatis; 
bracteis cum duabus bracteolis foliis consimilibus, bracteolis autem minoribus et 
florem fruetumve subzequantibus; perianthio campanuliformi, tubo brevi, lobis 4-5 
subpatentibus, glabris, apice inflexis papillosis, cum pilis paucis erectis pone anther- 
arum filamenta brevia; stigmate capitato, stamina superante; nuce ovoidea, rugis 
8-10 notata, cum reticulis paucis obliquis, quam perianthium latiore. 
A much-branched shrubby or suffrutescent plant, which turns black in drying. The 
linear leaves flattened above, rounded beneath, from j-$ in. long, about 4 line wide, 
with the insertion continued as a ridge down the stem to the next leaf vertically below. 
There are four to five small flowers (1 line long) at the top of the branches, each in the 
axil of a leaf-like bract, with two shorter similar bracteoles near the base of the pedicel, 
at right angles to the plane of insertion of the bract, which is decurrrent to the next 
SECOND SERIES.—BOTANY, VOL. IV. G 
