216 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Fruticulus rigidus robustus, intricate ramosus, ad - 9 met. altus ; 

 rami cinerei, vel juniores purpurascentes, ad 0-5 cm. diam., cum 

 ramulis subvelutinis spinescentes, internodiis 0-5-1 cm. longis ; 

 folia quasi connata per stipulas confluentes, appressa, deinde 

 patentia, ovata vel lineari-lanceolata acuta carinata, supra concava 

 vel fere plana, pruinosa cinerea vel glauca, 0-2-0-8, saepissime 

 0*3 cm., longa, axillis gemmiferis ; fiores, praeter vetustiores 

 foemineos, ignoti ; fructus immaturus sessilis oblongus, 4, vel rarius, 

 5 calycis segmentis minutis rotundatis coronatus, pruinoso-velutinus, 

 stvlis 0--i cm. longis, diu persistentibus ; capsula globose inflata, 

 rubro-purpurea, 6 cm. longa ; semina ovali-oblonga, anguste 

 membranaceo-marginata, 0-45 cm. longa 2 cm. lata. 



Upper : Bot River-bed, between Calvinia and Holle Eivier, 3966. 

 Namaqualand : Broken country 15 miles North of Alewyn's Fontein, 

 3930; common in dry sandy river-bed between Klipplaat and Bitter- 

 fontein, 3295 ; common in sand between Anenous and Chubiessis 

 outspan, 5979. 



In addition are the following collections of the same species : — 

 Namaqualand : J'us, on hills, alt. 2,800 ft., fl. Sept., B. Schlechter, 

 11428. Locality uncertain, Drdge, 2772. Great Namaqualand: 

 Kl.-Karas, il. Oct., Dinter, 3178. 



A rigid robust subshrub, intricately branched, attaining a height 

 of 0'9 met. ; branches ashy-grey, or the younger ones purplish, up 

 to 0"5 cm. diam., together with the rather velvety branchlets 

 becoming spine-tipped, the internodes 0-5-1 cm. long ; leaves, on 

 account of the confluent stipules, as if connate, appressed, 

 finally spreading, ovate or linear-lanceolate, acute carinate, con- 

 cave above or almost flat, pruinose, ashy-grey or glaucous-green, 

 - 2-0-8 cm., usually - 3 cm. long, the axils gemmiferous ; flowers 

 unknown, except rather advanced female ones ; immature fruit 

 sessile oblong, crowned by the 4, or, more rarely, 5 minute rounded 

 calyx-segments, pruinose-velvety, the styles 0'4 cm. long, tardily 

 deciduous ; capsule globosely inflated, reddish purple, - 6 cm. long ; 

 seeds oval-oblong, narrowly membranous-margined, 0-45 cm. long, 

 0'2 cm. wide. 



Plate VI., A, Fig. 1, sketch of branchlet, nat. size ; 2, portion of 

 ditto, x 2 ; 3, one of the leaves, viewed ventrally, x 2 ; 4, another 

 leaf, viewed dorsally, x 2 ; 5, female flower (advanced), x 4 ; 6, 

 fruit, x 3 ; 7, one of the cocci, x 3 ; 8, seed, x 4. 



2. ?iV. sp. Material insufficient. 



Namaqualand : On granite slopes facing East, a little North of 

 Middelkraal, 5615. 



