202 SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWERING PLANTS. 



not only an excellent landing-place, but is so con- 

 structed as to bear that weight. Moreover, the two 

 walls slope off, and are gripped by the legs of the bee, 

 so that it can evidently secure an excellent purchase, 

 and can then rifle the flower of its treasures at its 

 ease ; as has been more fully described on page 25. 



Hypoes'tes. — This has only two species in the 

 Eastern districts and Natal ; but there are some forty 

 in all scattered round the Indian Ocean, from South 

 Africa, Madagascar, East Indies, China, Malay Archi- 

 pelago, and Australia, showing, as several other plants 

 do, a former land connection, across which plants came 

 from India, etc., to South Africa. 



The genus Acan'thus, which gives the name to the 

 family, has one species in South Europe. Its leaves 

 are large and "incised," or cut down with pointed 

 segments. It suggested the form of the capital in the 

 Corinthian style of pillars. 



General Descrij^tion of the Acanthus Family, 



Herts or shrubs (chiefly tropical). 



Leaves — Opposite. 



Flowers — Calyx, 4- to 5-parted, persistent; corolla, 

 irregular, 2-labiate ; stamens, 4, didynamous or 2, with 

 staminodes ; ovary, 2-celled, with a honey-disc. 



Fruit — Capsule, with 2 or few seeds in each cell. 



