286 GENUS MY.Ti'ROPETALON HARV. (bALANOPHORACE^.) . 



longer than the other two, in shape narrow-oblong or lanceolate. 

 At the fruiting stage the bracteoles mostly considerably larger 

 than the anterior bract, but in flowers which were not fertilized 

 they may remain shorter or become of equal length only. 



Perianth. — This is the most variable part of the flowers. It 

 is either globose or campanulate, or shortly-tubular or tubular 

 and cylindrical — its margin is either quite entire or finely denticu- 

 late, or slightly trilobed with the lobes truncate and entire or 

 denticulate, or it is distinctly trifid. the teeth being shortly trian- 

 gular and entire or bifid, or the lobes are lanceolate-acuminate, 

 or linear, and varying in length, forming one-eighth of the peri- 

 anth to half or two-thirds ; the anterior lobe of the tubular forms 

 is generally a little larger and recurved, wliile the other two are 

 erect. 



Biology. — Flowers with a peculiar scent (not carrion-like), 

 secreting an ample supply of nectar, thereby attracting bees, flies, 

 and sunbirds (Nectarinia). 



The fruitlets (pseudonuts) are carried by ants into their 

 underground nests for the sake of the oleiferous receptacle 

 (elaiosome). 



Literature. 



A nearly complete bibliography is given by Harvey-Gibson 

 on page 153 of his paijer. For our purpose it will be sufficient to 

 quote some of these i)ul)lications and add two others. 



1. Harvey, \A\ H. — ( )n two s])ecies of a new South African 



genus of the order RJiizanthecc of Blume. — Annals of 

 Nat. Hist., Vol n. No. 12, Tab. XIX and XX (1839). 



2. Harvey, W. H. — " Flora Capensis," Vol. II, 573 (1862). 



3. Wright, C. H.— In " Flora Capensis," Vol. V., Sect. II, 



214 (I9I5)- 



4. Presl, Carolus Bor. — " Epimelise Botanicse," Pragae, 24 S- 



246 (1849). 



5. Eichler, A. \A'.— In De Candolle's "Prodonms," XVII, 



125 (1873)- 



6. Harvey-Gibson, R. J. — Observations on the morphology 



and anatomy of the genus Mystropetalon Harv. — Trans. 

 Linn. Soc. VTII, Part 4 (December, 1913). 



7. Marloth, R.— The Flora of South Africa. Vol. I, Tab. 40, 



(^913). 



{Read July 4, 1917.) 



