Plate 1748. 



TJRERA TEN" AX, N. E. Br. 



Urticace^. Tribe Urtice^. 



IT. tenax, N. E. Br. (sp. nov.) ; ramis crassis herbaceis (su 

 tibus ?) glabris, foliis petiolatis rotundato-cordatis acutis 

 dentatis, cum paniculis folio brevioribus angustis et interrupte spiei- 

 formibus v. ramosis pilis urentibus sparse armatis, paniculis ex axillis 

 defoliatis subsessilibus. 



grosse 



Hab. 



Wood (No. 3837) 



Fndex 8-10-pedalis. Folia alterna, lamina 1-3 poll, longa et lata ; 

 petiolus ^~2J poll, longns. Flores minuti, femineos tantum vidi, 

 perianthiura in fructu auctum. 



An Urticaceous fibre was sent to the Natal court of the Colonial 

 and Indian Exhibition of 1886 by Mr. J. Kirkman, of Umzinto. It did 

 not appear in the Catalogue, but attracted a good deal of attention from 

 experts. Specimens of the plant yielding the fibre were subsequently 

 obtained by Mr. J. Medley Wood, the indefatigable Curator of the 

 Botanical Garden, Durban, Natal, and from them the accompanying 

 plate was drawn. Mr. Wood gives the following particulars concern- 

 ing it. The plant is not uncommon in the midland districts, but the 

 specimens sent were the first he had seen with flowers. The bark is 

 used by the natives for making sleeping mats, and as the plant grows 

 readily from cuttings, it could be grown in quantity if found to be 

 remunerative.— N. E. Brown. 



Fig. 1. Branch with 

 5. Fruiting perianth. 



? flowers. 2. Pistillate flower, 3. Ovary. 

 6. Nut. 7. Seed. Enlarged. 



4. Ovule. 



