250 Plants and theh' Ways in South Africa 



Statice. — Corolla nearly polypetalous, bearing the stamens. 

 Calyx coloured. Halophytes or plants growing in salt ground, 

 by the sea. Since they cannot absorb much water without 

 getting too much salt, such plants conserve water by the same 

 means used by plants in dry situations. Statice has dense 

 rosettes of leathery leaves and underground stems. 



Order Gentianace^. 



Calyx 5-lobed, persistent. Corolla 5-lobed, the limb twisted, 

 remaining on and withering (marcescent). Stamens 5 on the 

 corolla, alternate with the petals. Ovary i-celled, many-seeded. 

 Parietal placentation. Fruit a capsule or berry. Leaves 

 opposite without stipules (alternate in water plants). Flowers 

 arranged in cymes like those of Caryophyllacese. Plants with 

 very bitter juice. 



A. Leaves opposite. Corolla twisted in the bud — 



B. Flowers pink or purple, rarely white — 



Chironia. — Anthers straight, very large, yellow. Fruit 

 a capsule. Flowers very handsome. Growing near the sea. 



Orphium. — Anthers spirally twisted. Flowers handsome, 

 rosy. A much-branched shrub with long narrow leaves. 

 Common on the Cape Flats. When near the sea the growth 

 is very compact and the leaves become thick and fleshy. 



BB. Flowers yellow — 



Sebsea. — Calyx 4-5-parted ; the sepals keeled, or 4-leaved 

 and not keeled. Corolla funnel-shaped or salver-shaped, the 

 tube becoming inflated. Anthers appearing above the tube, 

 Annuals with much-branched cymes. 



Belmontia. — Calyx as in Sebaea, much enlarged at base. 

 Corolla with a slender tube, wider at the top. Anthers within 

 the tube. Annuals with much-branched cymes and distant 

 opposite leaves. Flowers very bright yellow. 



AA. Leaves alternate — 



Corolla in the bud with incurved edges. Water or marsh 

 plants — 



Villarsia. — Erect marsh-growing plants with entire 

 alternate leaves. Flowers yellow. Capsule i-celled, opening 

 at the top. Common in the Colony. 



