ous, keeled, smooth, v/ith immersed dark green dots, and usueilly 

 velvety to the touch from being covered with microscopic points. 

 Flovers solitary, terminrl, nedicells te. *^p lyx subequally 5- lobed 

 down to its union v^rith the overy. Petals in 3 or 4 series, free, 

 linser, lexly arranged. -Stamens numerous, erect in a cylindric 

 column — that is, prominent and conspicuous to its base-- the inner 

 slift-htly bearded at the base; no steminodes,. Stigmas 5 or 6, 

 erect, filiform. Ovary inferior, shortly conical and with sutural 

 ridges on the top, 5 or 6-celled, with the placentas on the outer 

 wall. Fruit not seen. 



Species about 2, natives of South ^-frica. The type of the 

 genus is P. Orpenii, N. E. Br. 



'^e n?rae is derived from the Greek, prepo, to be conspicuous, 

 and desme, a bundle, because the stamens form a bundle conspicuous 

 to the base. 



Leaves slightly velvety to the touch. Pedicels 4-6 lines 

 long. Petals not incurved-hooked at the tips, 



1. Orpenii. 



Leaves glabrous, smooth. Pedicels 12-15 lines long. 



Petals incurved-hooked at the tips. 2. uncipetala, 



1. P. Orpenii, N. S. Br. (Fig. 195).— Plant stemless, a- 

 bout li inch high when in flov/er. Leaves about eight to a growth, 

 ascending-spreading, ^-li inch long, 2^-3-^ lines broad and 3-3t 

 lines thick, Vv'ith parallel sides broad and nearly to the apex, then 

 abruptly acute, flat on the face, rounded at the basal part and 

 keeled, and the keel slightly dilated at the apical part on the back, 

 acute, mucronate; surface smooth and slightly velvets'- to the touch 

 from being covered with microscor^ic points, dull glaucous-green 

 tinted v/ith dull purple or brovm thickly marked with dark green 



dots that are not at all prominent. Flower solitary, terminal. 

 Pedicels 4-5 lines long, 1§ line thick, terete, tinted with reddish, 

 Csl^.rx-lobed recurved, 3-4^ lines long, 2-3 lines broad, ovate, ob- 

 tuse or subacute, dull dark green or purplish-brown, v;ith darker 

 dots. Corolla 1^-1^ inch in diameter, opening betv^/een 3 p.m. and 

 4 p.m., and closing at sunset, faintly scented; petals numerous, in 

 about 3 or 4 series, 6f-9 lines long, i-i line broad, linear, acute 

 or obtuse, the outer series refles6d, the inner series slightly 

 ascending-spreading or subhorizontsl, and the others spreading at 

 intermediate angles, all bright, clear yellov; and shining on the 

 inner face, v/hitish-yellov/ on the back. Stamens in a cylindric mass 

 4-5 lines long, filaments slightly bearded and white at the basal 

 part and microscopically rough and yellow at the upper part; anthers 

 yellow. Stigmas 5 or 6, about 4 lines long, erect, v/ith their tips 

 cur-^inp- among or over the anthers, filiform, slightly plumose at the 

 base, pale :^'"ellov/. 



T''^esembrvanthemum Orpenii, N. E. Br. in Gard. ^hron, , 1921, LXX^ 

 003, f. 133, AloinoT^sis' Ornenii, L, Bol. in S. ^fr. Gard., 1929, 

 2PP, with fig. 



Griqualand V/est! Near Campbell, Orpen. 



"Tie above descrir^tion ^ms made in ^'^ily, 1921^ from a living plant 

 sent to me uncier number 5910, by Dr. I. ^. Pole, -i^vans, as having 

 been collected by I-r. Orpen, to v;hom I have dedicated it. 



2, P. uncipetala, N, E. Br. (Fig, 196). — Plant stemless, about 



