70 



site, petiolate, exstipulate, ovate, oblong, or ovate-oblong, entire, acute or acumi- 

 nate pubescent, on veins and veinlets, lamina glabrous, li~2| inches long, f-l| 

 inches wide. Petiole ^ inch long, densely rusty pubescent. Inflorescence in 

 axillary umbels, peduncles - inch long, pedicels 2-4 lines long. Calyx 5-parted 

 to base, ovate, obtuse, pubescent, ciliate, half as long as corolla. Corolla gamo- 

 petalous, tube campanulate, lobes narrow deltoid, obtuse, glabrous. Corona of 5, 

 fleshy, boat shaped scales, alternate with corolla lobes. Anthers minute, tipped by 

 a long, white, obtuse, membrane. Pollinia erect, oblong, translucent, minute. 

 Stigma conical. Follicles in pairs, divaricate, broadly 4-winged, 2-2| inches long, 

 1-1^ inches wide, including the wings, wings broad, leaf like. Seeds comose. 



Habitat : NATAL : Coast districts, not very common. Wood No. 7384. 



Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, in flower and 

 fruit, February, 1899. 



This genus contains 4 species only, one being a native of tropical Africa, one 

 of Arabia, one of East Indies, and the above named one. It is easily known by its 

 large 4-winged follicles. It has no useful properties so far as known to us, and 

 the natives do not appear to have any distinctive name for it. 



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

 4, Flower seen from above ; 5, Section of flower ; 6, Corolla opened showing the 

 corona scales ; 7, Gynostege ; 8, Pollinia ; all enlarged. 



PLATE 87. 



PEDDIEA AFRICANA, Harvey. 

 Natural Order, 



A shrub 5-10 feet high with yellow-green flowers. Stem erect, branching, 

 bark tough, dark coloured, branches and twigs terete, somewhat wrinkled with 

 scars of fallen leaves. Leaves scattered, chiefly towards ends of branches, 

 coriaceous, oblong, oblong-obovate, oblanceolate or broadly lanceolate, quite entire, 

 obtuse at apex, tapering to a 1-1^ line long petiole ; lamina 1-2^ inches long, 1-1 

 inches wide, glabrous and shining. Inflorescence in umbels which are terminal on 

 the branches; peduncles ^ f inch long; pedicels % inch long. Perianth tube sub- 

 cylin"rical, ribbed, and a little narrowed at apex, 5-6 lines long, 1 line wide, lobes 

 5, OAate, spreading, revolute, 1-1^ lines long. Stamens 8-10, inserted in two 

 rows above the middle of the perianth tube, filaments very short. Anthers 2- 

 celled, oblong, obtuse. Ovary seated on a cup-like membranous disk, oblong, 

 glabi ous, 2-celled, cells 1-ovuled, ovules pendulous. Style filiform, short, reaching 

 about half way from apex of ovary to lower row of stamens. Stigma minute. 

 Drup.' ovate, glabrous and shining, black when ripe, 6-7 lines long, 5-6 lines wide, 

 pittei! at apex and sometimes tipped with remains of the small style, containing 1 

 bony seed enclosed in a fleshy pericarp. 



/ abitat : NATAL : Coast to at least 2,000 feet above sea level. Inanda. June, 

 Wood No. 580. 



1 'rawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, March, 1899. 



The genus Peddiea contains 4 species only, two of which are natives of South 

 Afric;,, one of Tropical Africa, and one of Madagascar. The plant above des- 

 cribed is the only one known to us as inhabiting Natal, and it is not uncommon in 



