29 



PLATE 298. 



HYPOESTES ANTENNIFERA, S. Moore (Fl. Cap. Vol. V., Part 1, p. 87). 

 Natural Order, ACANTHACE^E. 



An erect much branched undershrub, flowers deep pink with purple markings. 

 Stem and branches sub-quadrangular with rounded angles and furrowed sides, 

 swollen at nodes, pubescent. Leaves opposite, petiolate, exstipulate, ovate, gradu- 

 ally tapering to apex, more suddenly so to base, veins conspicuous on both sur- 

 faces, prominent bt-neath, margins entire, somewhat undulate, softly pubescent on 

 both surfaces ; 3 to 5 inches long, 2 to 2^ inches wide ; petioles pubescent, 

 channelled above, 1 to 1^ inch long. Inflorescence cymose, axillary ami terminal. 

 Bracts 2, subulate, pilose on the narrowed portion, the uppermost hairs glandular; 

 5 lines long; bracteoles 2, shorter than bracts, lanceolate with membranous edges, 

 enclosing one perfect flower with rudiment of a second. Calyx much smaller than 

 the bracts, 5-lobed, the lobes divided nearly to base, linear-lanceolate, hyaline. 

 Corolla gamopetalous, 2-lobed, resupinate, front lobe outermost in bud, tube com- 

 pressed, gradually widening and much compressed at throat, lobes a little shorter 

 than tube, bcth strongly recurved, the front lobe 3-fid, the teeth rounded, blotched 

 and spotted with purple markings; lower entire, acute, pink. Stamens 2, on 

 corolla at throat, filaments filiform, pink; anthers 1 -celled, muticous. Ovary 

 superior, seated on a cupular di-k, 2-celled, cells 2-ovuled. Capsule ^ inch long, 

 glabrous, 2 or 4-seeded, seeds glabrous. 



Habitat: NATAL: Without precise locality, Plant 99; Gerrard 10; Grant. 

 Also Kaffraria, Orange River Colony and Pondoland. 



Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, April, 1902. 



This plant abounds in the coast and midland districts, and was by us until 

 the publication of Part 1, Vol. V. of the Flora Capensis always considered to be 

 H. aristata, R. Br., and Wood's No. 2, which is identical with the plant here 

 described was many years ago so named at Kew, and a large number of specimens 

 have been sent away 'under that name from the Government Herbarium. It is at 

 once distinguished from H. aristata by the size of its leaves. The only specimen 

 of the true H. aristata quoted in the Flora Capensis as having been gathered in 

 Natal is W< od's No. 6022 from the top of the Drakensberg near De Beer's Pass. 

 The native name of A. antennifera is u-Hlonyane, and the leaves are used to make 

 poultices for affections of the eye. 



Fi?. 1, flower ; 2, calyx opened ; 3, corolla opened ; 4, disk, ovary, style and 

 stigma? 5, portion of filament and anther; all enlarged. 



