XIII. POLYGALE®. 19 
Capsule 2-celled, membranous, compressed, dehiscing at the 
margins; seeds mostly pubescent.— FV. Cap. i. p. 80. 
A cosmopolitan genus.—About 40 South African species (several recently 
discovered at Natal, undescribed), dispersed. Shrubs, half-shrubs, perennial 
or annual herbs. Juice very bitter, tonic. 
2. MUNDTIA, Kunth. 
Sepals, petals, and stamens as in Polygala. Style com- 
pressed, thickened upwards, 2-lobed, the posterior lobe hori- 
zontal, the anterior vertical. Fruit a fleshy, ovoid, 1-2-seeded 
drupe — Fl. Cap. i. p. 95. 
M. spinosa, a spinous, much-branched, rigid shrub, with oblong, ob- 
ovate, cuneate or linear, thick, glabrous leaves, and red or white flowers, is 
common throughout the colony. The succulent fruit is eaten by birds and 
children. 
3. MURALTIA, Neck. 
Sepals 5, dry and membranous, subequal, the two lateral 
somewhat longer than the rest. Petals and stamens as in 
Polygala. Capsule membranous, compressed, with 4 horns or 
tubercles at its upper angles; very rarely hornless.—Fl. Cap. 
1. p. 95. 
An endemic genus of upwards of 50 species. They are small but rigid 
shrubs or half-shrubs, with tufted or rarely scattered, rigid, mostly pungent- 
mucronate, narrow, entire leaves. Flowers axillary, solitary, subsessile or 
pedicellate, bright purple, 3-bracted at base. 
4, SECURIDACA, Linn. 
Calyx and stamens as in Polygala. Two lateral petals 
attached to the base of the staminal tube, separate from the 
keel, erect, connivent; keel about of equal length, concave, 
helmet- shaped, erect or 3- lobed; upper petals “rudimentary 
or 0. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary 1-celled, l-ovuled. Fruit 
samaroid, indehiscent, hard or woody at base and often crested, 
produced at the apex into a long or shortish wing.—Fl. Cap. 
ul. p. 585. 
Shrubs or shrublets, often climbing; natives of America, Africa, and 
Asia. Leaves mostly entire and 2-glanded. Racemes or panicles terminal 
or axillary. S. oblongifolia, also a native of Abyssinia, occurs at Algoa 
Bay. 
Orpver XIV. PITTOSPOREZ. 
Flowers perfect, regular or suboblique. Sepals 5, separate, 
imbricate. Petals 5, ‘hypogynous, imbricate, longer than the 
sepals, generally with an erect claw and spreading limb. 
Stamens 5, hypogynous, free, alternate with the petals; an- 
thers versatile. Torus small, conical. Ovary 2- MBEE GES 5-) 
c 2 
