224 SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWERING PLANTS, 



Thymelaceae. 



The Struthiola. Family. 



This order has 360 species of about 36 genera in 

 3 tribes. In South Africa there are 10 genera. 



Those most characteristic of Cape Colony are un- 

 known in other countries, but are " represented " by 

 some different species in Australia of a very similar 

 appearance. 



The South African species are often heath-like from 

 the small pointed leaves, but the flowers are, of course, 

 very different. 



Struth'iola. — This genus has nineteen species, being 

 heath-like shrubs or under-shrubs, mostly with long, 

 slender branches, and opposite, linear, or narrow leaves. 



The flowers are often sweetly scented. S. virga'ta is 

 a very common species, having a white calyx, and 

 blossoming in the early months of the year. 



Fig. 89 will explain the structure. Thus the 

 calyx has four pointed sepal-lobes, with a long tube 

 below them (III.)- -^.t the mouth of the tube are 

 eight " glands," two in front of each sepal,^ with 

 four stamens alternating in position with the sepals. 

 This indicates the loss of four outer ones which ought 



• Not correctly placed in the diagram (II.) ; but in (III.) the two 

 in the middle (^) are in front of the opposite sepal, and the side ones 

 beloug to the lateral sepals (p, p). 



