30 



glabrous, and shining. Corolla gamopetalous, 5 parted, lobes twice as long as the 

 tube, rotate, yellow, upper surface fimbriate witrt cellular hair like processes. 

 Stamens 5, on* corolla tube, alternate with lobes, filaments short, flattened, anthers 

 2 celled; introrse. Ovary superior, 1 celled, many ovuled, surrounded by 5 glands, 

 style short, stigmas 2, each irregularly divided. Capsule many seeded. 



Habitat : NATAL : In pools all over the colony. 



Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, February, 1898. 



This pretty little aquatic plant belongs to a genus consisting of about 23 

 species, principally natives of India and Australia. The one here described is the 

 only species known to be indigenous in South Africa. As far as we know, it has 

 no economic value, nor is it used at all by the natives, who do not appear to have 

 any distinctive name for it, but it is very suitable for growth in ornamental 

 waters. The stellate hairs in the cells of the petiole are a veiy good microscopic 

 object, and it is somewhat difficult to understand of what value they are in the 

 economy of the plant. It will be noticed that in drawing the artist has shown 

 6 petals, and 6 stamens, and in the specimens from which the figure was taken this 

 was actually the case, as also in several other specimens gathered afterwards in the 

 same pool, but of course the normal number is 5. 



Fig. 1, Plant about natural size, but petiole much shortened; 2, Plant reduced; 

 3, Section of flower ; 4, Corolla opened ; 5, Calyx and pistil ; 6, Calyx removed, 

 showing glands; 7, Petal and stamen; 8, Stamen; 9, Section of ovary ; all 

 variously enlarged. 



PLATE 35. 



BUCHENROEDERA VJM1NEA, Presl. 



Natural Order LEUUMINOSAE. 



An erect undershrub. Stems usually simple, but sometimes branched, rod 

 like from a perennial root, terete, covered with silky white tomentum, leafy in 

 upper two-thirds of their length, lower portion nude, 1^3 feet in height. Leaves 

 alternate, petiolate, exstipulate, trifoliolate, silky like the stem, petiole short, 

 leaflets similar, lanceolate, acute, silky, 5-7 lines long including petiole, imbricating. 

 Inflorescence in terminal leafy racemes, peduncles 1-2 flowered, shorter than leaves, 

 bract 1, minute. Calyx gamosepalous, tube campanulate, inflated, silky, lobes 5; 

 short, triangular; Corolla twice as long as calyx,. pale lavender, with darker spot at 

 base of standard and apex of keel ; standard suborbicular, clawed, erect ; wings 

 oblong, clawed ; keel sub-falcate. Stamens monadelphous ; anthers similar, Ovary 

 silky, 8-10 ovuled, style curved, stigma obtuse. Legume hirsute, a little longer 

 than calyx, obliquely ovate, turgid. 



Habitat : NATAL : Near Botha's Railway Station. Inanda, Wood No. 864. 

 Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Botha's, February 1898. 



Buehenroedera is an exclusively South African genus, and only contains 11 

 species, of which we have six in Natal. The present species, which is the one 

 most, frequently met with,' has a very handsome appearance from the silky covering 

 of the stem and leaves, and delicate colouring of the flowers. We have not met with 

 it at a lower altitude than 2000 feet above tho level of the sea. It is not used in 

 any way, nor can we ascertain its native nrane, even if it have one. 



Fig. 1, Stein with leaves and flowers, natural size: 2, Calyx, stamens, and 

 style, corolla removed ; 3, Corolla ; a, standard, b, wii.gs, c keel ; 4, Legume 

 opened ; all variously enlarged. 





