1731 



* STAPELIA Gussone^na. 



Sicilian Stapelia» 



PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 



Nat. ord. AscLEPiADEiE. {Introduction to the Natural System of 

 Botamj,p.2\Q.) 



STAPELIA. Supra, vol. 9, fol. 755. 



S. Gussoneana ; caulibus cinereo-glaucis crassis tetraquetris faciebus concavis, 



angulis dentatis inermibus, floribus fasciculatis parvis, coroUis glabris. 

 S. Gussoneana. Jacquin. 



One of the greatest geographical curiosities we know. 

 The genus Stapelia, extensive as it is in species, does not 

 possess one other which is not found in South Africa ; so that 

 this, which is a native of rocks on the south of Sicily, is cut 

 off, as far as we know, from all the remainder of the genus, 

 by the whole continent of Africa. Are we to infer from 

 this that Central Africa contains Stapelias in its unknown 

 Flora ? or is this a northern form, having no connection 

 with the Hottentot races except in general structure ? Per- 

 haps we shall be justified in assuming the former to be the 

 more probable theory, if we take into consideration that 

 Forskahl found a plant without flower, which he took for a 

 Stapelia, in Arabia ; and that Carallumas, which are alto- 

 gether Stapelias in habit, are found in Continental India. 



The species was first made known by Baron von Jacquin 

 at the meeting of Naturalists at Vienna in 1832, and we 

 presume that he has since published it somewhere under the 

 name he then gave it. Mr. Bentham brought it to England 

 with him, and gave it to the Garden of the Horticultural 

 Society, where our drawing was made last October. 



* See folio 755. 



