350 



NEW NATAL PLANTS. 

 By J. Medley Wood, A.L.S. 



DECADE I. 



Hibiscus saxatilis Wood & Evans, n. sp. Suffruticosus, 

 erectus, 1-2 ped. altus, parce ramosvis, caulibus, petiolis, pedun- 

 culis, involucro et calyce dense stellato-hirsutis. Folia varianfcia ex 

 ovatis ad profunde 3-5 lobata, lobis acute serratis, ciliatis, utrinque 

 stellato-hispida, maturioria glabresceutia, basi 5-9-veuis, 1-3 poll, 

 longa, Ij- 21 poll. lata. Pedunculi axillares terminalesque longiores 

 petiolis. Involucellum bracteis 8-10 oblongo-ovatis, ciliatis, venosis, 

 |-1 poll, longis, 2-3 lin. latis. Corolla involucello duplo longior. 

 Ovarium dense hirsutum. Semina sericea. Flores albi, medio 

 obseuri. 



Habitat. — Natal. On a rocky bill, summit of Van Reenen's 

 Pass, Drakensberg Mts., alt. 5-GOOO ped., December; J. Medley 

 Wood, No. 5961. 



Rhus rupicola Wood & Evans, n. sp. Frutex erectus, multo 

 ramosus. Rami ramulique Inrsuto-pilosi. Folia trifoliolata petio- 

 lata, petiolo communi 2-5 lin. longo, foliolis obovatis, sessilibus, 

 basin coarctantibus, mucronatis, subcoriaceis, reticulatis, integris, 

 margine revoluto, pallidioribus infra lucidisque, nervo tantum 

 pubescente, terminalibus 3-6 lin. longis, 2-3 lin. latis, lateralibus 

 similibus, sed plerumque minoribus. Paniculae axillares terminal- 

 esque multo longiores, foliis 1-2 poll, longa", rhachi pedunculisque 

 minute pubescentibus. Pedicellus flore paulo longior. Flores 

 minuti, lutei. Drupa globosa, 1-2 lin. diam., glabra. 



Habitat. — Natal. Amongst rocks below waterfall, Liddesdale, 

 near Howick ; J. Medley Wood, No. 3932, February, 1888. 



Amongst Soutb African species this comes nearest to 11. mucro- 

 nata, but differs from it by indument of branches, shape and size of 

 leaves and petioles, length of panicles, colour of flower, and appa- 

 rently also in size of drupe : we have no specimens of //. mucronata 

 with which to compare it. 



Rhynchosia ovata Wood & Evans, n. sp. Caulis suffruticosus, 

 suberectus, cum ramis dense rufo-pilosus. Folia longe petiolata, 

 trifoliolata, foliolis ovatis, mucronulatis, integris, basi rotundatis, 

 trinervis, tenuiter hispidis et pilis longis albis ciliatis, lateralibus 

 brevissime petiolulatis, terminalibus longioribus, maturis, IJ poll, 

 longis, 1 poll, latis. Stipul;T3 subulata?, striat^e, 3 lin. longa?. 

 Racemi axillares terminalesque, folia superantes, floribus paucis, 

 distantibus. Bractete baud vis^. Legumen oblongum, acutum, 

 basi angustatum, 9 lin. longum, 3-4 lin. latum. 



Habitat. — Zululand. Near Entumeni ; J. Medley Wood, No. 

 3987. April, 1888. 



Amongst South African species this falls in the section Copisma, 

 and comes near to B. adenodes, from which plant it differs in size 

 and shape of leaves (which are not resinous dotted), size of flowers, 

 cutting of calyx, and indument. 



