375 



NEW AND INTERESTING ACANTHACEyE 



COLLECTED BY MrS. LoRT PhILLIPS IN SoMALI-LAXD, 189G-7. 



By a. B. Rendle, M.A., F.L.S. 



Blepharis Phillipsese, sp. n. Fruticulosa caule canescente, 

 foliis minntis crassiusculis 1-verticillatis ellipticis vel oblongo- 

 ellipticis muci'onatis integris albide-scabridulis ; Horibus solilariis 

 sessilibus ramulos contractos terminantibus, cum bracteis decus- 

 santibus ellipticis apice 3-spinulosis, calyce brevioribus, pra-eunti- 

 bus ; sepalo postico cuneato-oblanceolato 3-nervio apice acute et 

 breviter trifido, antico minore 2-nervio lineari-oblongo, apice 

 minute 2-spiiiuloso, lateralibus brevioribus anguste lanceolatis, 

 mucronatis ; corolla flava, tubo urceolato, limbo curvulo maguo 

 rhomboideo-ovali apice 3-lobulato omnino puberulo ; staminibus 

 subaequalibus ; ovulis 2. 



Hab. Bihen, Mrs. E. Lort Phillips. 



Described from a small irregularly branching shoot, 22 cm. 

 long; 2 mm. in diameter in the older portion. The slender terete 

 young twigs are covered with short flexuose whitish hairs, gradually 

 disappearing in the older parts of the shoot, which show a tbin 

 white-striated bark. Leaves pale green, 'o cm. long, and half as 

 broad; apex round, with a short pungent mucro ; surface covered 

 with numerous hard white round wartlets ; midrib hairy on the 

 back. Flowers preceded by four pairs of gradually increasing 

 decussating rigid bracts, more or less elliptical, with tlie prominent 

 midrib and two less prominent parallel lateral veins produced 

 into sharp rigid spines ; uppermost pair oblong-elliptical, slightly 

 narrowing at the base, with lateral spines minute ; lowest pair 

 3 mm. long, uppermost 11 mm. ; exposed portions suffused 

 and streaked with brown. Anterior sepal prominently 2-nerved, 

 streaked with brown in upper half, 13 mm. long by 3 mm. broad ; 

 posterior 14 by 5 mm., more deeply coloured, lateral sepals weaker, 

 one-nerved, with transparent margin, 11 by 2 mm. Corolla-tube 

 stout, rigid, 6 mm. long, 3*5 mm. in diameter below the con- 

 striction, with a short triangular posterior notch ; a ring of stiff 

 white hairs attached on the inside at the constriction roofs in the 

 lower part of the tube. Limb 1*5 cm. long by 1 cm. broad; mid- 

 rib much thickened and glabrous in the lower third. Stamens in- 

 serted at the mouth of the tube ; anterior broadly laterally flat- 

 tened, 6 by 1*5 mm., anther 3 mm. long, with a broad hairy 

 fringed margin ; posterior with an upwardly arching base, terete, 

 anthers (3 mm. long) with a brush of white hairs on the posterior 

 face, and a hairy fringe on their adjacent margins. Ovary ovoid- 

 obloug (2'25 mm. long), girt at the base with a shallow fleshy disc 

 with a wavy margin, and crowned by a yellowish unilateral gland 

 at the base of tlie style; style 8 mm. long, flattened, and bearing 

 a central raised longitudinal furrow in the lower part. 



Recalls the Socotran Ji. siiicuUfolia Balf. fil. in habit and small 

 foliage ; that, however, has larger oblanceolate leaves, entire outer 

 sepals, and a smaller corolla with a 5-lobulate limb. 



