81 



glaucous towards base. Racemes densely many flowered at apex of peduncle and 

 its branches, lengthening with age ; flowering portion, 3 to 5 inches long and 

 broad, lower pedicels 1 to 2 inches long; flowering bracts deltoid-cuspidate, up to 

 1 inch long. Perianth 1^ to If inches long, dull red, orange or yellow, tube con- 

 stricted 3 lines above the ovary, flattened beneath, and swollen laterally, cylindri- 

 cal above, and a little widening upwards. Segments 6, in two rows, free for half 

 to two-thirds of their length, oblong, obtuse at apex, 4 to 5 lines long, 3 lines wide 

 at base. Stamens 6, hypogynous, at maturity equalling or exceeding the corolla, 

 filaments filiform, flattened, wider at base, the alternate ones slightly wider than 

 the others. Anthers linear, basifixed, 2-celled, 2 to 3 lines long. Ovary superior, 

 cylindrical, ribbed, 3-celled, many ovuled. Style filiform. Stigma minute, exserted. 

 Capsule inflated, many seeded, 3-lobed at apex, 6 lined, 1 to 1|- inches long, 6 to 8 

 lines wide. 



Habitat : NATAL : All over the Colony. Red flowered variety, near Durban, 

 Wood 4343 ; Yellow flowered variety near Durban, Wood 4341 ; Thorns near 

 Weenen, Wood. 



This is perhaps the most widely distributed species of Aloe that we have in 

 the Colony, reaching from close to the sea, to 3-4,000 feet above the sea level. The 

 two varieties appear to differ only in the colour of the flowers. The leaves of these 

 plants split open and applied to inflamed sores, or to ring- worm, are said to be of 

 great service in effecting a cure. It is known to the natives as i-Cena. 



The faint marking in centre of the leaf as shown in the drawing is caused by 

 the pressure of the edge of another leaf and its prickles when in the young state. 



Fig. 1, Peduncle, raceme and portion of leaves, upper and under side, a little 

 reduced ; 2, Section through flower ; 3, Stamens and style, perianth removed ; 4, 

 Ovary, style and stigma; 5, Perianth opened, all natural size; 6, Stamen; 7, Sec- 

 tion through young fruit ; all enlarged. 



NOTE. 



PLATE 15. Ipomoea simplex, Thb. The plant here figured has been known 

 in Natal by this name for many years. Thunberg's I. simplex, however, has 

 " elliptical " not linear or linear-oblong leaves, and has so far as known to us only 

 been found in the Western Province of the Cape Colony. The plant figured on 

 Plate 15 is Ipomoea plantaginea, (Choisy) Hallier f, that is, it was first described 

 by Choisy as Convolvulus plantagineus, since altered by 

 ginea, which is the correct name. 



