NKW NATAL PLANTS 171 



long, i-f inch apart. Pedicels 1-1^ inch long. Racemes 5-10 

 inches long, spreading to 3 inches wide, bracts ^ inch long and 

 wide. Perianth 1^-lf inch long. 



Habitat: Nataf; Midlands from 800-3000 feet altitude, usually 

 but not always on cliffs or rocky hills. 



Differs from any species of aloe known to us, or described in 

 the Flora Caj)ensis, and well distinguished by its copiously i)ranch- 

 iug habit. It forms large clumps, and covers a large extent of 

 ground in comparison with its height. The rosettes of leaves in 

 moderate sized plants number from 200-300 or more, with a still 

 larger number of small ones. 



Athanasia MONTANA Wood & Evans. Sutt'ruticose, much branched. 

 Stems erect, terete, clothed with scars of fallen leaves, finely arach- 

 noid, pubescent. Leaves alternate, sessile, oblong-ovate to lanceo- 

 late, acute, broad-based, margins deeply and sharply serrate; thickly 

 covered with glands ; with axillary tufts of small, entire, linear 

 leaves. Inflorescence a compound corymb, many-headed, pedicels 

 bracteate, bracts linear-lanceolate. Involucral scales minutely 

 ciliolate, subsimilar. Pappus of several short papillose scales. 

 Achenes (unripe) striate, papillose. 



Plant 2-3 feet high. Leaves ^-f inch long, 2-4 lines wide ; 

 axillary entire ones 1^-2 lines long ; heads 4 lines diameter. 



Habitat : Natal ; Drakensberg, source of Bushman's River. 

 6-7000 feet altitude. June, 1896. M. S. Evans, No. 662. 



The nearest species to this known to us is A. leucoclada Harv., 

 from which it is distinguishable by its more robust and branching 

 liabit, and also by its inflorescence being a compound corymb of 

 many heads, and not "simple, dense, few-headed." 



Geigeria rivularis Wood & Evans. Sulfruticose, erect or as- 

 cending, glabrous, clothed with leaves from base to apex. Leaves 

 linear, tapering to base and apex, entire, flat, impress-dotted, 

 glabrous, acute, midrib inconspicuous. Heads lateral and terminal, 

 subsessile or shortly pedunculate, subtended by many leaves. In- 

 volucral scales, outer ones linear from a broadened base, with 

 swollen midrib ; inner ones lanceolate, coriaceous, shorter than the 

 outer ones. Pappus, outer of oblong, blunt, and inner of oblong 

 bristle pointed scales. Receptacle covered with stiff" bristles. 

 Achenes very villous. [p. 10.] 



Stem 6-8 inches in height. Leaves 1^-2 inches long, 1-1^ line 

 wide. Heads 1^ inch diameter. Outer involucral scales ^-1 inch 

 long. Flowers yellow. 



Habitat: Orange River Colony, near Harrismith, 5-6000 feet 

 altitude. March. J. ili. Wood, No. 4784. 



This plant is very closely allied to G. Bnrkei and G. Zet/lieri, 

 but differs from the former in indument, shape, and size of invo- 

 lucral scales and fimbrils. This is not strictly a Natal plant, but, 

 being found so near the border, and the district having not yet been 

 very closely botanised, it is very possible that it may yet be found 

 on the Natal side of the border. It is the only one of the series 

 that has not been actually collected in Natal. 



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