73 



PLATE 90. 



DOMBETA NATALENSIS, Bonder. 

 Natural Order, STERCULIACE^E. 



A small tree with stem 1 foot, in diameter, and grey-brown bark, branches 

 terete, glabrous, twigs pubescent. Leaves alternate, petiolate, cordate at base, 

 acuminate at apex, irregularly toothed on margin, veins palmate at base, prominent 

 beneath, very minutely stellate pubescent on upper surface, glabrous beneath ; 

 3-3i inches long, 2-3 inches wide. Petioles 1-2 inches long, thickened at each 

 end, pubescent. Inflorescence in axillary and terminal few or many flowered 



. finely pubescent . 



nally, inserted at base of calyx tube, and very soon deciduous, 2-|-3 lines long, 

 Calyx 5 parted, sepals lanceolate, reflexed, finely pubescent externally, 3 lines long, 

 1^ lines wide. Corolla of 5, ovate or obovate, unequal sided, erect, persistent and 

 at length scarious petals, one third longer than sepals, 3-5 lines wide. Stamens 

 15-20, connate at base, of which 5 are sterile, elongate, and clavate, the fertile ones 

 much shorter, 2-3 opposite each petal. Anthers linear, sub-sagittate, 2-celled, 

 extrorse. Style simple, 5 cleft at apex, equalling or exceeding corolla. Stigmas 

 5, linear, spreading or revolute. Ovary tomentose, 3-5 celled, cells 2-4 seeded. 

 Capsule globose, densely tomentose. 



Habitat: NATAL: Coast and midland districts. Liddesdale, February, Wood ; 

 Zululand April, Wood. 



Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, May, 1899. 



The genus Dombeya includes 24 or more species, all natives of Africa and the 



Mascarene Islands. In addition to D. natalensis we have 3 other species in Natal, 



the above-named one and D. Burgessieas being almost, if not quite confined to 



\Natal. All are handsome trees or shrubs, but except as ornamental plants they 



have no special value. The native name of D. natalensis is i-Boonda. 



Fig. 1, Branch with leaves and flowers, natural size; 2, Section of flower; 3, 

 Calyx, ovary, style and stigmas, petals removed; 4, Staminal tube opened, outside 

 view ; 5, Stamen; 6, Young fruit with remains of style; 7, Cross section of same; 

 all enlarged. 



PLATE 91. 



EEIOSEMA PAEVIFLORUM, E.M. 

 Natural Order, LEGUMINOSJS. 



A low growing much branched half shrubby plant, with yellow flowers. 

 Stems erect, branching from near the base, the branches erect or ascending, and 

 like the stem thickly covered with long pilose deflexed hairs, which are rusty 

 brown in the older portions, white in younger ones. Leaves alternate, petiolate, 

 stipulate, trifoliolate ; common petioles 3 to 5 lines long, channelled above, swollen 

 at base, petiolules of lateral leaflets 1 line long, swollen, of terminal one 2 to 3 

 lines long, swollen at apex. Leaflets varying in shape from ovate to oblong, 

 elliptic, or obovate, ^ to 1 inches long, 6 to 9 lines wide, terminal one 

 inches long, to I inch wide, all entire, finely pubescent on both surfaces, veins 



