3i0 DECADES PLANTAEUM NOVARUM AUSTRO-AFEICANARUM. 



this among some of our most careful workers. Mr. Arthur Bennett, 

 for example, gives a well-known Carex a new name because he has 

 seen no type of C. ehtta Allioni, which has been recognized as the 

 earliest unoccupied name for the plant. Mr. Haviland adopts 

 Naiiclea inoluccanit, published by Miquel in 1868-9, in preference to 

 N. iilahra Roxb. (1832), which he cites as a synonym, and explains 

 his action by saying: "Although Roxburgh's description agrees in 

 every respect with this plant, I have retained Miquel's name because 

 his type specimens exist, whilst there are probably no figures or 

 specimens of Roxburgh's plant." I cannot think that in either case 

 the action is justified. 



There are signs here and there of haste, as on p. C4, where Mr. 

 Haviland says he is "altogether uncertain" as to the twelve species 

 of Naxclea in Blanco's Fl. Filip., but identifies two of them in the 

 list of "species a Naucled exclusae" which immediately follows. 

 Mitratfipui macrophijlla is given as of "Hav.," and Stephegyne macro- 

 phylla Hiern, in Fl. Trap. Afr. iii. 41, is cited as a synonym; but 

 Mr. Hiern (/.. c.) placed the plant in MitrfKjyna, and the species has 

 never been called Steplmiyne. A certain looseness of expression 

 occasionally renders the author's meaning doubtful. But these 

 criticisms as to matters of detail do not detract, and are not intended 

 to detract, from the value of the revision, and I trust the Linnean 

 Society will take care that the high level here reached is maintained 

 in future monographs. 



DECADES PLANTARUM NOVARUM AUSTRO- 

 AFRICANARUM. 



AUCTORE R. SCHLECHTER. 

 (Continued from p. 283.) 



DEGAS V. 



41. Heliophila sisymbrioides, sp. n. Suffrutex erectus, 

 basi liguescens, simplex vel parum ramosus, virgatus, gracil- 

 limus, 70-90 cm. alto ; caule tereti stricto, tenuissime puberulo 

 foliato ; foliis erecto-patentibus, pinnatifidis subglabris, petiolo 

 incluso, 4-5 cm. longis, segmentis patentibus, utrinque 4-6, 

 linearibus oblongisve acutis vel obtusis, integris vel rarius obscure 

 paucidentatis, petiolo semipollicari, supremis linearibus ; racemo 

 valde laxe elongato, floribus purpureis illis H. stijlosa Burch. 

 similibus, calycis foliolis oblongis obtusissimis, membranaceo- 

 marginatis, concavis, dorso minute puberulis vel subglabris, 

 0-5 cm. longis; petalis e basi lineari-unguiculata albida in laminam 

 patentem roseam oblongam obtusam dilatatis, O'8-l cm. longis, 

 lamina medio fere 0'4 cm. lata; staminibus erectis, filamentis 

 subulatis edentatis ; stylo subulato minute puberulo, stigmate 

 capitato ; siliquis erectis, anguste linearibus subintegris glabris, 

 stylo vix incrassato subulato coronatis, 5'5-7 cm. longis, 0*2- 

 0-3 cm. latis, seminibus oblongis, apice anguste marginatis. 



