THE GENUS XYSJIAL0B1UM. 863 



confined to Natal, two to Angola, and two to detached mountains 

 of the eastern district (Winterberg and Stockenstrom). The genus 

 may therefore have arisen from some Gomphocarpus of the southern 

 part of the Central African table-land, and thence spread southwards 

 as far as Port Elizabeth, and westward as far as Angola. The 

 following key may be of use in distinguishing the species : — 



A. Leaves ovate, with revolute margins. 



a. Leaves glabrous ; peduncle short. 



Gynostegium shorter than the anthers 1. padifolium. 

 Gynostegium as long as the anthers . 2. confusum. 



b. Leaves sparsely hairy ; peduncle short. 



Leaves twice as long as broad ... 3. parviflorum. 



Leaves thrice as long as broad . . 4. Gerrardi. 



c. Peduncle 3 cm. or more in length . . 5. pedunculatum. 



B. Leaves elongate-lanceolate, tapering very 



gradually from a broad base, with crisped 

 undulate margin (except 9). 



Petals bearded with long chaffy hairs. 6. undulatum. 



Petals bearded with short silvery hairs 7. Stockenstromense. 



Petals not distinctly bearded ... 8. gomphocarpoides. 



Gynostegium much longer than the 



anthers 9. angolense. 



C. Leaves linear-lanceolate. 



Margin of leaf scabrid 10. involucratum. 



Margin of leaf not scabrid .... 11. Holitbii. 



1. X. padifolium. Gomphocarpus padifolius Baker (Befug. 

 Botan. t. 254). " Itshongwe," native name. Natal : Port 

 Natal, Gueinzius ! Near Verulam, Wood 912 ! Gerrard 1284 ! 

 Luanda, Wood 1254 ! Umhlongwe, April, 1884, Wood 3013 ! From 

 Zululand: Ungoya, alt. 1000 ft., May 5, 1887, Wood 3921! From 

 Kaffraria: On hills, Bazija, alt. 2000 ft., Baur 819! Shire 

 Highlands : Blantyre, Last ! 



2. X. confusum, n. sp. Stem stout, somewhat fleshy, and 

 bifariously hairy. Leaves elliptic-ovate, retuse, apiculate ; mar- 

 gin denticulate and thickened. Peduncles or short. Bracts 

 small, subulate. Pedicels 7-15. Sepals linear-lanceolate, acute, 

 almost as long as the petals. Petals ovate, subacute, with reflex 

 margins. Corona-scales, viewed from without, broadly obovate 

 (the tip and sides towards their bases are really doubled inwards), 

 and rising to about half the height of the anthers. Anthers very 

 short, not overtopping the gynostegium. Leaves 5-15 cm. long, 

 2-6 cm. broad. Pedicels 1-5 cm. long. Flowers about 1 cm. long 

 and 8 mm. in diameter. — Natal, Mrs. Saunders I Gerrard 1282! 

 Inanda, Wood 1163 ! 



3. X. parviflorum Harv. MS. Stem sparsely and roughly 

 hairy. Leaves ovate or triangular-ovate, acute or acuminate, 

 shortly petiolate, sparsely hairy, margin revolute. Peduncles 

 longer than pedicels (8-10-flowered). Sepals lanceolate, acute, 



