PLATE 256. 



LASIOSIPHON KRAUSSII, Meisn. (D.C., Prod. XIV, 598). 

 Natural Order, THYMELE^:. 



A herbaceous perennial with yellow flowers. Root thick, woody. Stems many 

 from the root, annual, terete, thinly pilose with long white hairs at the base, and 

 still more so towards apex, densely so beneath the inflorescence, yellow-green. 

 Leaves alternate, petiolate, exstipulate, oblong, entire, acute at apex, rounded to 

 base, glabrous, f to 2 inches long ; to 1 inch wide, subglaucous. Inflorescence in 

 terminal bracteate heads. Flowers yellow. Involucral bracts 8 to 12, lanceolate, 

 entire, villous, ciliate, f inch long, 2 lines wide, enclosing 40 to 80 flowers. Recep- 

 tacle pitted, the pits margined with long white hairs. Perianth tubular, jointed 

 above the ovary, and a little inflated towards apex, pilose ; limb 5-parted, lobes 

 oblong, 2 lines long, spreading, glabrous on upper surface, pilose beneath, ciliate. 

 Scales 5, alternate with lobes, ovate, obtuse or minutely toothed at apex, 1 line 

 long. Stamens 10, in two rows, included, the upper row subexerted, the lower 

 row one-third down the tube ; anthers sessile, linear-oblong, 2-celled. Ovary free, 

 enclosed in the persistent base of the perianth tube, which is densely pilose with 

 long white silky hairs ; 1 -celled, 1-ovuled ; style filiform, stigma capitate, hairy, 

 reaching about half way up the perianth tube. Seed small, dry, enclosed in base of 

 the perianth tube. 



Habitat : NATAL : Coast and midlands, probably reaching to the upper districts 

 also. Inanda, 1,800 feet alt, September, Wood No. 188 ; Umlaas, ca 1,000 feet alt, 

 July, Wood ; Palmiet, 500 feet alt, June, Wood No. 8285. 



This genus contains about 25 or more species, natives of Tropical and South 

 Africa, Madagascar, and Tropical Asia. In South Africa we have some 13 species, 

 8 of which are found in Natal. The genus is distinguished from Gnidia chiefly by 

 the fact that the flowers are 5-merous, and have 10 stamens, while in Gnidia the 

 flowers are 4-merous and the stamens 8. The above described species is common 

 on grassy hills in the lower districts, and midlands of the Colony, and its yellow 

 flowers are very conspicuous. Our plant is said to be the variety angustifolius, but 

 I have no recollection of seeing a broad leaved form in Natal. 



Some species of Lasiosiphon and I think of Gnidia also are used by the natives 

 as a remedy in snake-bite ; they have also mild blistering properties, and have been 

 used in sore throat. 



Fig. 1, flower ; 2, perianth opened ; 3, ovary, style and stigma ; 4, portion of 

 the receptacle and involucral scales ; all enlarged. 



