251 tvTO of thP lobes 5-6 lines lonr' pnd. tlie other four 'bout S lines 

 lonf, terete. Coroll? bout 10 lines in diemete. Stigmrs rerresen- 

 ted °s V, subulate, cute, erect. Tor of the ovary flrt. The 

 cells of the capsvle ere stated to teve no cell-wings, end the pla- 

 centas on the outer v/all. I^o other etails nre' mentioned or figured. 



Picuetberg division: Between Endekuil and Grey's J^ass, 

 LeiT-oltit pnd "Vsne; han . 



I received 8 t ivin^^ specimen of this very remarteble plrnt 

 froin I'rofessor R. Ki Comi-'ton in 1926, which, when it arrived, v;as 

 at rest end entirel^r v/ithout any trace of leaves. It consisted 

 mereel^'" of a dense cluster of derd sheaths surraounting s mass of 

 short, fibrous roots. After some da^rs, however, it put forth sever- 

 al r-^irs o"!" leaves as described above which differed distinctl;'- fron 

 those (ss figured) 



252 of 15. retroversum, by being more slender, less united et the base, 

 sli,Thtly twisted ana nerhed with short, blsckish streaks, "either 

 the twist of the leaf nor the blackish streaks upon it are mentioned 

 by Mrs. Bolus, vrhether D. retroversum is so marked I do not knov/, 



no mention being made of the, but in my experience no fother plant 

 in the whole group of genera has such peculiar nnrks as this species 

 has ur>on it. The:'' sre not the usual dots, but v/hether idioblasts 

 or not I ^±ci not determine, as the plant unfortunately'" died vdthout 

 flov^erinvo;; now th^t it is depd I realise that I killed it by keeping 

 it too dry. It has very short roots end is evidently a surface 

 feeder, obtaining, under naturtl conditions, sufficient water from 

 the heavy dews to prevent its roots from dryin up during the time 

 it is at rest and leafless, ""^hen growing and flovi'ering, hov/ever, 

 it evidently renuires p fair amount o"^ - :^ter, and by ^resting it as 

 I did my species of Conorhytum I evidently did not supply it with a 

 sufficient amount, so after a brave struggle it died. Examination 

 after death nroved that I ha.d allov."ed its root-tips to become too 

 dry. ^rom this I infer thft its pup^'" leaves evaporate much more 

 vjPter than a Conophytiira or a Lithops does, and consequently the 

 soil recuires to be kept in a moister condition for this I^iplosoraa 

 during its vegetative period. This experience may be usueful to 

 future cultivetors who may obtc in plants of this singular and inter- 

 esting species, and I would recoxnment that the pot be stood in a 

 saucer and watered v/hen required by putting water in the saucer, 

 so that there is always moisture ascending from the lower soil to 

 the roots, 



IT • S . Bj* ov/n 

 (To be continued. ) 



irsssiSRYiiv: iiiEiuUL-:. 



^ard. Ohron. HI. 8'': 266. 1928. 

 (Continued from page. 2r^S. ) 



ISE.—STERROPETALUM, N. E. Br. 



266 Stemless, 'Perennial, tufted. Leaves orposite, shortly united at 

 th-"^ b<~se, sub-ter«te or someviiat sem.i-terete, smooth f nd dotless. 

 Peduncle solit'-r:/, terminal at the side of a new pr ir of leaves, 

 1-5-flo" ered, the Irteral f].owers also on short, night after it 

 has onca exr^nded; rietelc niiracrous , in several series and passing 

 into stpm.inodes, norrow and stiff to the touch, all shortly united 

 into a ring or tube at the base. Stamens conni'^ent for h:-- If their 

 length with the uprer fart, abruptly deflexed end tortuous, besrded 

 at the b^sal part. Stigm? s 5, ascending-preading. Oy-ry inferior, 



