9 



South Africa : Kentani district, in the Manubi Forest near the 

 coast, at about 120 metres, Miss A, Pegler, 1269. 



I have hesitated for some time in publishing this genus, owing to the 

 absence of fruit. But renewed search for this by the discoverer ha\ang 

 thus far proved unsuccessful, I delay no lonfj^er. I have to acknowledge 

 my indebtedness to my friend Prof, H. H. W. Pearson, who has deter- 

 mined the presence of calcium-oxalate crystals in the leaves (according 

 to A. F. W. Schimper, a constant characteristic of theRhizophoraceae), 

 and this, though not in itself conclusive, when added to the strong 

 resemblance of the plant to Cassipourea and Weihea, leaves little room 

 for further doubt. The genus is dedicated to Miss Alice Pegler, 

 of Kentani, a lady who for some years past has rendered important 

 services to South African botany by the patient and intelligent inves- 

 tigation, under peculiar difficulties, of the flora of the region in which 

 she resides. — H. BoLUS. 



Dr. Bolus requested that the affinities of this plant should be in- 

 vestigated, as its position is not obvious, and he was not quite satisfied 

 that he had correctly placed it. He had previousl}' submitted it for 

 opinion, but it was impossible from cursory examination to suggest 

 anything definite. Closer comparison indicates apparent relationships 

 Avith Irvingia (Simarubaceae) in foliage and floral structure. Both 

 Pe/jlera and Irvingia have axillary convolute stipules and simple leaves, 

 very similar in venation. The principal difference in the floral structure 

 is the absence of a distinct separate disk in Peglera, where it is confluent 

 with the base of the stamens. 



Mr. Boodle furnishes the following remarks on the anatomy of 

 Peglera : — 



In the leaf the epidermis consists of a single layer, there is no hypo- 

 derm, and the stomata have subsidiary cells parallel to the pore. 

 No mucilaginous cells or secretory cavities are present. The veins are 

 embedded in the mesophyll, and are accompanied by sclerenchyma. 

 In the stem there are pericyclic groups of sclerenchymatous fibres 

 forming an interrupted ring without sclerotic cells, and fibres are 

 present in the secondary bast, which is stratified. The perforations 

 of the vessels are simple, even in the neighbourhood of the primary 

 xylem ; the wood fibres have bordered pits, and the medullary rays 

 are either one or two cells in breadth. 



Chiefly on account of the presence of fibres in the secondary bast, 

 the absence of scalariform perforations in the vessels, and the character 

 of the stomata, one would be inclined to doubt whether this genus 

 should be placed in the Legnotideae. An anatomical comparison of 

 Pefflera with the Simarubaceae, however, shows a closer agreement, 

 flbres in the secondary bast being common in this order, the perforations 

 of the vessels siniple, and stomata similar to those of Peglera being 

 found in a few genera. The published accounts dealing with the 

 anatomy of the Legnotideae do not rest on a very broad basis, but, 

 on the anatomical data available, it appears that this genus would 



