6 



PLATE 3. 



PHYTOLACGA STBICTA, Hoffm. 

 Natural Order PHYTOLACCE2E. 



Roots tuberous. Stems erect, somewhat angular or striate, glabrous. Leaves 

 alternate, petiolate, exstipulate, entire, lanceolate to ovato-lanceolate, obtuse, 1 to 

 3 inches long, including petiole; 5 to 10 lines broad. Petiole 2 to 5 lines long. 

 Flowers in axillary and terminal racemes, which are 1| to 4 inches long, and laxly 

 8 to 15 flowered. Perianth 5 parted, lobes erect, ovate to obovate, obtuse, 

 membranous edged, 1 lines long; f to 1 line wide. Stamens 8, hypogynous, 

 on margin of a small circular disk which lines base of calyx tube, shorter than 

 perianth lobes, anthers falling off early. Carpels usually 6, fleshy in fruit, connate 

 at base only; 2 to 2 lines long, 1 to 1-} lines wide, yellow when ripe. 



Habitat: NATAL: Umhloti Valley, 1200 feet altitude : December; /. If. Wood, 

 No. 1178. Near Newcastle, 3900 feet altitude. December, /. M. Wood, No. 5857. 



Also found in the Cape Colony. 



Described and figured from Wood's, No. 5857, in the Government Herbarium. 



Fig. 1, Stem with leaves and flowers, natural size; 2, Section of flower 

 showing carpels ; 3, Fruit seen from above ; 4, Carpel ; all variously enlarged. 



This plant is said to have large tuberous roots like the sweet potato, but 

 these in the Herbarium specimens are not present. Dr. Andrew Smith says of 

 this plant " Three brothers had been eating a portion of the tubers when out in 

 the field and were poisoned, fortunately one 01 them was able to go home and 

 report. They were recovered by giving them an emetic, though one of them was 

 in a state of collapse." The roots of one species of this genus are said to be 

 emetic, and cathartic, and the young shoots, though extremely acrid, are rendered 

 harmless by boiling, and are sometimes used in the same way as Asparagus. 



PLATE 4. 



CALPUIINIA LASIOGYNE, E. Meyer. 

 Natural Order LEGUMINOSJE. 



A large shrub or small tree, sometimes reaching 20 to 25 feet in height, with 



trunk 8 inches in diameter, of erect compact habit, with greyish white bark, and 



spreading branches. Leaves unequally pinnate, of 12 to 26 leaflets, exstipulate, 



petioles glabrous; including petiole, 6 to 9 inches long; leaflets glabrous on upper 



le, and slightly pubescent below, often slightly unequal &t base, obtuse or retuse, 



rarymg from distinctly opposite to as distinctly alternate, U to 2 inches long. 



Kacemes as long or longer than leaves. Pedicels 3 to 8 lines long/ Calyx widely 



campanula*), 5 fid, the two upper lobes semi-connate, glabrescent, conical at base, 



lines long Corolla papilionaceous, 6 to 8 lines long, standard sub-orbi cular 



ilttl ^ T^ ; TT te - falcat *> dawed, keel incurved, obtuse, cl awed, 



.light!) united along back Stamens 10, connate at base, filaments glabrous, a 



I s- stvle ? ""I ^ VerSatile ' Vary sti P itat ^% with short white 



style incurved ; stjgma minute; ovules several. Legume flat, membranous, 



compressed, winged along the ventral suture, valves approaching each other or 



light browT n ^ 86edS ' 2 t0 3 * inches } *> 3 to 6 P Les wSl teds oval, 



