19 



PLATE 217. 



GOMPHOCARPUS PHYSOCARPUS, E. Mey. (Oomm. PI. Afr. Aust. 202). 

 Natural Order, ASCLEPIADE^E. 



An undershrub reaching to 6 feet in height, and often much branched. 

 Stems pale green, terete, older glabrous, young ones incano-pubescent. Leaves 

 opposite, subdecussate, exstipulate, shortly petiolate, linear-lanceolate, tapering to 

 both ends, margins quite entire, veins plainly visible on both surfaces, 2-6 inches 

 long including petiole, ^-f wide in the centre, petiole reaching to f inch long, 

 channelled above. Flowers in axillary and terminal simple or compound few 

 flowered unbels, peduncles j ^ inch long, pedicels equalling peduncles, both 

 lengthening in fruit. Calyx 5-parted, segments acuminate, pubescent externally, 

 1^-2 lines long. Corolla 5-parted, rotate, lobes strongly reflexed, ovate-lanceolate, 

 ciliate, 4-5 lines long, white. Corona of 5 truncate compressed lobes, which are 

 hollowed on upper surface, with the inner angles produced into 2 short inflexed 

 teeth ; white with pink tinge. Anthers membrane tipped. Pollinia in pairs 

 attached to the 5 stigmatic glands, clavate, pendulous, stigma pentagonal, de- 

 pressed, white. Follicles in pairs or solitary by abortion, 2-3 inches in diameter, the 

 pedicel of each strongly deflexed ; subglobose, inflated, covered with stiff erect 

 bristles, 2-3^ lines long. Seeds numerous, attached to a prominent parietal 

 placenta ; each with a tuft of white hairs at apex. 



Habitat : NATAL : From near the sea level to at least 2,000 feet alt. Inanda, 

 1,900 feet alt, March, Wood No. 33. 



Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, March, 1900. 



The genus Gomphocarpus includes, according to the Genera Plantarum, some 

 80 species, of which about 46 are found in South Africa, to this number many 

 species have been added during the last few years, chiefly by Mr. R. Schlechter 

 who has been specially interested in this Order. The above described species is the 

 tallest and most shrubby of any with which we are acquainted. The bark con- 

 tains a silky fibre which may yet prove to have a commercial value, and the hairs 

 found upon the seeds of this and other closely related species have been used for 

 pillows, cushions, &c., and I understand are frequently gathered and offered for 

 sale in the adjacent colonies. The plant is known to the natives as Qomantanetu. 



Fig. 1, a flower, front view ; 2, same, side view; 3, calyx; 4, pollinia; 5, seed 

 with comose hairs ; all enlarged. 



