36 



PLATE 43, 



MIMUSOPS CAFFRA,. E. Meyer. 

 Natural Order SABOTAGED, 



A tree reaching 20 to 25 feet in height, with trunk 2 feet in diameter, which 

 is seldom straight. Twigs terete, green, finely; pubescent. Leaves scattered, 

 petiolate, exstipulate, coriaceous, obovate, entire, emarginate, edge recurved, 

 tapering to the short petiole, 1^-2 inches wide, dark green and glabrous above, 

 finely silvery pubescent beneath, petioles 2-5 lines long. Flowers clustered m 

 axils of leaves, 2 or, several together, peduncles simple, f-1 inch long. Calyx 

 8 parted, the lobes in two series, lanceolate, widely spreading, the outer finely and 

 densely pubescent, light brown, the inner row very minutely pubescent, dull white, 

 channelled ben?ath.. Corolla lobes 24, in two rows, the outer row oiM6 ; 2 being 

 opposite each calyx lobe, and spreading ; the inner row of 8, one being opposite 

 each calyx lobe and erect ; all lanceolate, white. Stamens 8, on corolla tube, 

 filaments shorter than anthers;, anthers extrorse; alternating and connate at base 

 with 8 barren ones (Staminodes), which are ovate, acute, and clothed with long 

 hairs. Ovary superior, 6-8 celled, hairy. Fruit a drupe, f inch long, i inch wide, 

 red when ripe, each containing 1 seed, the remainder being abortive ; seeds oval, 

 sub-compressed, dark brown, shining, -J inch long. 



Habitat : NATAL : Near the sea coast.. 



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



This is the tree known to colonists as the *' Red Milkwood," and to natives as 

 um-Nweba. The wood is hard and heavy, used by shipbuilders for knees, etc., 

 as it is durable in water. It is also used by wagon builders, but it is liable to be 

 attacked, by insects if felled in the summer months. The fruit is eaten by natives 

 and children, but is not very palatable. 



Fig. 1, Branch with leaves and flowers, natural size ; 2, a Flower ; 3, Section 

 of flower ; 4, Stamens and staminodes.; 5, Fruit,; 6, Section of ovary, 



PLATE 44. 



HELINCS OVATA, E. Meyer. 

 Natural Order RHAMNEJE. 



A wide climbing shruhv Branches and brauchlets divaricate, slender, ribbed, 

 young ones pubescent, reddish brown, tendrils spirally twisting. Leaves alternate, 

 petiolate, stipulate, sub-orbicular or ovate, quite entire, retuse, mueronulate, sub- 

 glabrous above, pubescent beneath, 1J-2 inches long, IJ-lf wide, petiole | 1 inch 

 long, stipules linear, deciduous. Inflorescence axillary, in few flowered cymes. 

 Peduncle ^-f- inch long, pedicels 4 lines long. Calyx gamosepalous, tube obconic, 

 limb 5 lobed, lobes deltoid, spreading, equalling tube, green. Petals 5, alternate 

 with calyx lobes, convolute, equalling calyx lobes, yellow Stamens 5, opposite 

 petals, and inserted with them at summit of calyx tube, filaments yellow-green, 

 red orown at base, flattened and narrowing to apex, anthers small, 2 celled, dorsi- 

 fixed, erect.. Disk thick, closing mouth of calyx tube, yellow, with perforation in 

 centre through which the style is protruded. Ovary 8 celled, 2 seeded, style short 

 stigma 3 fid. Fruit globose, areolate at summit, 3 seeded, seeds convex, trigonous, 

 shining. 



Habitat: NATAL: Edges of woods and thickets all over the colony. 

 Not used in any way as far as we are aware. Native name u-Bubupu. 

 Fig. 1 , Twig with leaves and flowers, reduced ; 2, Flower, front view ; 3, 

 Section of flower ; 4, Fruit; 5, Section of fruit; all enlarged. 



