14 



The heads contain 



dark blue, the middle portion- of each lobe of a lighter shad* 



vu us ?rom bo r th tf which it differs in having a bi-lobed stigma with oval lobes, 

 the same organ in Ipomoea being always capitate, and often bi-globose; in Con- 

 volvulus linear. 



The specimen figured was grown in the Botanic Gardens Durban from seed 

 of Wood's, $o. 4573, which was sent to him by Mr. W. W. Cato of 



Fig 1, Branch, natural size; 2, Corolla opened ; 3, Calyx opened ; 4, Stamens 

 front and back view; 5, Section of calyx and ovary; all variously enlarged. 



PLATE 14. 



CARISSA GRANDIFLOBA, AD.C. 

 Natural Order APOCYNACB^E. 



A strong growing shrub, 10 to 15 feet high, of compact habit, with milky 

 juice, bark of trunk and older branchas brown ; young branches green, terete, 

 glabrous, compressed at nodes; the whole plant branching dichotomously, and 

 bearing regularly forked and twice forked spines at nodes, Leaves opposite, 

 glabrous, exstipulate, shortly -petiolate, dark green above, lighter beneath ; mid- 

 veins prominent beneath, lateral obscure ; ovate to broadly ovate, entire, mucronate ; 

 petiole 2 to 3 lines long, lamina f inch to 3 inches long, ^ to 2 inches wide. Calyx 

 gamosepalous, 5 parted, lobes unequal, 3 large, 2 small, margins recurved, minutely 

 glandular at base of lobes inside. Corolla gamopetalous, white, fragrant, salver 

 shaped, tube cylindrical, hairy within, swollen at base, lobes 5, obovate, varying, 

 from ^ to 1 inches in length , and one third longer than the tube. Stamens 5, 

 included, inserted on the corolla tube, filaments very short, anthers lanceolate. 

 Ovary ovate, 2 celled, glabrous, few ovuled ; style included, cylindrical ; stigma 

 clavate, hairy at apex. Fruit a one or few seeded, ovate, bright scarlet berry, 

 up to 2 inches long, and 1 inch wide, with milky juice. Seeds peltate, scabrous. 



Habitat: NATAL : Edge of woods, and in woods near the sea beach. 

 Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban. 



We observe in this plant two kinds of flowers, which are always borne on 



different plants. The one form, which never bears fruit, and is functionally male, 



has generally larger flowers, and is structurally different in having larger anthers 



and stamens much longer than the style. In the other, or functionally female 



form, the stamens are the same length as the style, but the anthers are smaller, 



and though always present, never seem to contain pollen. We give drawings of 



both kinds of flowers. This plant is therefore practically unisexual, though from 



that both male and female organs are always present in both forms, and 



Iso that among Natal plants, as far as is known to us, this peculiarity is unique 



the Order, we are inclined to think this unisexuality has only been comparatively 



king lately acquired. Fertilization, which is of course dependent on outside 



agencies, is we think secured by visits of " Hawk moths." The favourite habitat 



this valuable hedge and fruit plant is in the bush bounding the beach. It will, 



>ugn, grow and bear fruit (provided both kinds of flowers are present) at much 



