PLATE 229. 



DOMBETA ROTUNDIFOLIA, Planch (Harv. Fl. Cap. Vol. 1, p. 221,). 

 Natural Order, STERCULIACEJE. 



A shrub or small tree bearing during the winter months a profusion of white 

 flowers. Bark brown, rough, glabrous, young twigs puberulous. Leaves alter- 

 nate, simple, stipulate, petiolate, suborbicular, margins obscurely repando-. 

 crenulate, more conspicuously so in the young leaves, subcordate at base, obtuse 

 at apex, 5-7 veined, coriaceous, hispid with scattered stellate hairs above, more 

 densely so beneath, veins, veinlets, and venules prominent on under surface, visible 

 above; ^-3 inches long and wide ; petiole terete, stellate-pubescent, f-lg inches 

 long. Stipules subulate, deciduous. Inflorescence much branched , each arm bearing 

 an umbel 3-12 flowers, peduncles and pedicels densely stellato-pubescent. Bracts 

 2-3, or 2 at base of calyx, and 1 on pedicel half way down, deciduous, true in- 

 volucel not seen. Calyx 5-lobed, lobes lanceolate, at length reflexed, 2^ lines long, 

 united at base and forming a short tube, stellato-pubescent Petals 5, hypogynous, 

 obliquely ovate, 4-5 lines long, 4 lines wide, persistent. Stamens 1 5-20, perfect, 

 f as long as petals, hypogynous, shortly connate at base in 5 parcels, one parcel 

 opposite each petal. Anthers linear, basifixed, 2-celled. Staminodes 5, alternate 

 with petals, linear, longer than the stamens. Ovary superior, globose, 2-3 celled, 

 densely pilose. Style 1, equalling or exceeding the stamens, stigmas 2-3, 

 revolute, thickened and obtuse. Capsule pilose, many seeded. 



Habitat: NATAL: Inanda, 1,800 feet alt, Wood No. 134; Umlaas location, 

 July, Wood ; Umhlanga, 800 feet alt., Wood 7942. 



A tree flowerin g very profusely in the winter time when but few of the old 

 leaves are left, the young leaves appearing after the flowering season. It is 

 usually found outside the bush on dry hills, and the old leaves aro coriaceous and 

 harsh to the touch on account of the stellate hairs with which they are furnished ; 

 the bark is fibrous, but is not used in any way as far as we are aware. D. nata- 

 lensis is described in the 1st volume of the present work, Plate 90. Two species 

 are figured in Thesaurus capensis, viz., D. dregeana, Plate 89, and D. Burgessieas 

 Plate 137, 138, and of the known Natal species there remains only D. cymosa to 

 be figured when good specimens can be obtained ; ic is a tree of the midlands. D. 

 rotundifolia is also found in Transvaal. 



Fig. 1, calyx; 2, petal; 3, stamens and staminodes ; 4, ovary, style and 

 stigma ; all enlarged. 



