314 



. . 



Spathodea acuminata, Klotzsch in Peters, Heise Mossanib. Bot. 

 p. 191 (1861). Muenteria slenocarpa, Seem, in Journ. Bot. 



1865, p. 329, quoad specim. a Kirk lect. 



Distrib. East Africa, from Msalala to the Lower Zambesi, 

 Rhodesia, Ngamiland and Transvaal (Zoutpansberg District). 



M. acuminata is described as a shrub (Peters, Foye), or a small 

 tree [Johnson, Stcynnerton). In Ngamiland, according to Lugard, 

 it is a «tree 3-3*5 m. high, and never seems to attain a girth 

 beyond a few inches.' 5 On an island near the Victoria Falls, 

 it attains a height of 6-7*5 m., according to Allen. 



In Gazaland it is known by the vernacular (Chindao) name 



Musiramyati," and fc yields a durable timber used for rafters, 

 etc. (Swynnerton). The known distribution of M. acuminata has 

 been extended southwards by its discovery in the Zoutpansberg 

 District of the Transvaal by Mr. J. Fove, who has communicated 

 the following note on its occurrence, through the Division of 

 Botany, Department of Agriculture, Pretoria. 



" The situation where this shrub grow T s is at the base, and on 

 the granite koppies that encircle Messina mine to the south-east 

 like an amphitheatre, a quarter of a mile or so away from the 

 koppies ; the shrub is but rarely met with beyond this distance : 

 on the deeper red soil of the flats I have not yet seen a single 

 specimen; it also grows on or about the koppie to the north of 

 the mine of the Messina Company named ' Yogellanzang/ 

 There may of course be many other places, but the above are all 



that are known to me. One thing I feel pretty sure about, that 

 away from rocky situations it will not be found." 



The corolla-lobes are brownish-purple or maroon, and the tube 

 is yellow or buff -coloured w r ith brownish purple spots. The 

 capsule is sometimes 9 dm. long (Johnson). A copy of a water- 

 colour drawing by Mrs. E. J. Lugard is contained in the Kew 

 collection. 



• XXIII.— MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



George Stephen West.-— "We have to record, with great 

 regret, the death of Professor G. S. West, D.Sc, M.A., 

 A.R.C.S., F.L.S., which took place on August 7th last, after 

 only a short illness, but he had been in indifferent It alth for 

 some considerable time. He was Mason Professor of Botany at 

 the University 6f Birmingham, a post which he had filled with 

 grent distinction for ten years, having previously been lecturer 

 under his predecessor, Professor W. llillhouse. His chief 

 pursuit was the study of Freshwater xilgae from all parts of the 

 world, especially of the Diatoms and Desmuls, in the latter of 

 which he made for himself an unequalled name : he knew at first 

 sight nearly every British Desmid, and a lar<>*e proportion of the 

 exotic ones. 



He was an excellent lecturer and teacher, much admired and 



gathered 



<red 



